Displaying and Selling Your Work

From: ClayShaypr

Subject: Pricing

I don't really WORK at selling my stuff either... and, like Rebecca, I remake things I KNOW will sell. (can you say... "pens"?) BUT.... I ALWAYS price for my time and my materials. I NEVER devalue my time by marking an item down. I trial market a piece and if it doesn't sell I just don't make that item for sale anymore... or I might just keep one or two in stock and replace them ONLY as they sell. I HAVE marked things that sell really well up a bit.... it offsets losses. Pricing is a real sore spot with me. I don't know ANYbody who works for less than minimum wage... even at a job they LOVE! And they'd be offended & angry if it were suggested. I feel like that about my craftwork. Golly, it's a SKILL!!! I don't know ANY skilled worker that would work for less than $10 hr, do you? Another thing about under pricing your work is that, unintentionally, you hurt every crafter out there who's trying to make a living from theirs. Because the market gets used to crafters undervaluing their work and begin to expect it. It takes our work to a flea market level when a customer thinks they should be able to bargain you down. I always chuckle and say... "I price for the time I worked on that piece... would YOU take a dollar an hour less if your boss asked you to?" It puts it in perspective. I know a lot of crafters will SWEAR that the area they live in just won't pay crafters for their time. But, again, I suggest it's the crafters in the area that have generated that mindset. You have to gently re-educate the public AND other crafters every chance you get in order to effect change. It has to start somewhere and why not with you? I really believe that people will pay a fair price for a really well made item, if they love it, no matter where they live. Of course fair price is the key. Examine your skill level and price accordingly. Are you just starting and feel unsure of your skill level? Give yourself at LEAST minimum wage. As you get better... give yourself a raise. Be steadfast and I KNOW you'll find this works for you. In fact, I've found as I've given myself raises, I'm at $10 hr now, I sell MORE!! Go figure. :o}If your things just aren't selling.... analyze why. Can you display them better? I truly believe display can make ALL the difference. You'd pay way more for the same item if you found it in a gallery as opposed to a garage sale or flea market. I also find that if I cluster 3 or 4 of one item together, it catches attention better and sells faster than when there's only one sitting by itself. Unless, of course, it's a fabulous and expensive one of a kind piece. Display those in a really stand out way. Can you improve the item in some way? Sometimes the smallest little additional detail can REALLY make an item MOVE! Are you using a good color scheme? Can you refine your technique somehow? Take the extra time to make sure all the *rough edges* are worked on. And DO one or two fabulous and expensive one-of-a-kind pieces. They don't NEED to sell!! They will DRAW people to your booth like nobody's business. And if they come... they look at what else is there. How many times have _I_ been drawn to an exquisite piece, I could NEVER afford, and walked away with some little doodad item... that I wouldn't ordinarily buy... just to have a piece by someone who could MAKE that fabulous piece? Oh let me count the times. <sigh> When I look at the little doodad, though... I REMEMBER the *wonder*. This happens to me ALL the time.... my kaleidoscopes draw them in DROVES!! But... they're really expensive and don't sell that often. But nearly everybody who stops to look through them... every single one of them <grin>... buys a pen or figure or pin. It adds up. And when one of those scopes DO sell... it REALLY jumps up my income for that show. I consider it a bonus. <ggggg> Is it the type of show you're choosing to do? Different shows bring in a different arrays of shoppers. Find a venue where your type of creation DOES sell... then choose your shows accordingly. Sometimes you'll make WAY more traveling to ONE good show... than you would in ALL the shows that might be offered in your area throughout the year. Sometimes it just has nothing to do with what you have to offer. If you just can't figure it out... move on to new creations. Some things just won't sell... or will sell slowly. It's just the way it is. And sometimes an item that doesn't sell at one show will fairly FLY off the table at the next! Of course, if you GAVE it away at a last minute markdown in the last show, you'll never know that. <grin>Personally, I just WILL NOT mark an item down. I think it shows a lack of confidence in my own work. I won't do that. If an item isn't selling I use it as a personal gift to someone that I know will appreciate the effort that went into it. That's right... LOLOLOL... I'd rather GIVE it away than mark it down for some bargain hunter. I want my work to be valued by the buyer. When one of your pieces really shoots to the HEART of someone... you know it... you can see it in there eyes. And they don't try to bargain you down, they already value it at way more than you're asking already. Try to make things you really ENJOY working on... Make things that sing to you.... Make things for yourself. That way if they don't sell it won't really bother you. (too much. heheh) If you work on things you enjoy... it shows... you find yourself lingering over the details... and, funnily enough, it sells! And, in time, you WILL discover reliable sellers. You'll build a whole line of them that you can count on... so don't be TOO discouraged at the beginning!!

~~~~~~~~Joanie :o}

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>Hey Irene, can I ask what you use to display your necklaces and Since I have a color printer I have made up sheets of labels with my logo and address etc. I place these neatly centered on the box top. This last swap I made labels that were 1" 2.5" (30 to a sheet) but left a section on one end of each label un printed. Then after 'stuffing' the box, I applied the label with this blank end hanging out over the front edge of the box. I then used the end to seal the box closed. At a show you could use this 'seal' when you boxed up an object.

Lysle

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What do you hand pendants on >when you do a craft show? I have yet to find something that satisfies me. A couple of things... I use shutters (yes, house shutters) that I've sponge painted for both earrings and pendants. I put my earrings on cards that I fold, and half of the card goes through the slat in the shutter. For pendants, I put a row of clear push pins across the top frame of the shutter, and hang the pendants from there. There is room below them to display coordinating earrings. I also purchased a few of the black velvet necklace displays from a display company (I *think* Robert Hamm, not sure, it was a few years ago). These work nicely, and I usually clamp a couple of them to the shutter displays. I wish the clamps were less obtrusive; I bought black electrician's clamps but they still look like clamps. A lot of display companies advertise in The Crafts Report magazine, and they all have free catalogs. I made my other necklace displays and they turned out great. I used some very stiff cardboard and scored a fold line a couple inches in from one side. I covered the cardboard with some really nice cream-colored textured upholstery fabric. I folded the edges over the back and used white glue to glue them down. Then I cut a piece of cardstock and glued it on the back, to keep the fabric edges from fraying. I made the fold in the cardboard only a couple inches in so that the displays lay flatter on the tabletop than if it stood upright -- this helps at breezy outdoor shows. You didn't ask, but whenever I talk displays, I give this tip: raise your tables! Jam a length of PVC pipe onto each table leg to get your tables up to counter-height! It is much more professional looking (since you will use a cloth that goes to the floor, no one will see the PVC) and it is also much more comfortable for customers to look at something they don't have to bend over to see. Hope this helps,

Irene in western NC

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Jenny,

If you don't mind I think we could all benefit from your experience... I have only done 3 shows in the last could years and I did REALLY well at the one I did last fall....there are a few things I have noticed.

1) If it costs more, people will buy it....why is that?

2) I see the most in the $10-20 range. A lot of teacher gifts.

3) People HATE anything mounted on a red card.....Don't know why, but when I

switched stuff around thing flew off the table.

4) People LOVE purple!

5) Someone mentioned using oblong price stickers.....These also seem to attract more customers. .. . Pip Shoot for the moon!!! If you miss, you'll land among the stars. ~Les Brown

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Here is what I have learned, what works for me. If it helps anyone else GREAT! Never ever count on friends or relatives to help, unless it is your husband or your kids. (They have no choice! <G> ) I have a number of people who have offered including my own mother, and not one has ever had the time. The display is the most important part of your booth. I learned this lesson the really hard way. I was displaying my jewelry on computer printed cards, with a hole punched in the top and hung on pegboard. I sold fairly well but I made a few changes. Using the same design on the cards I went to my local printer and had them prepared some index paper for me. What I had them do was perforate the pages so I could just snap them apart after printing my logo and stuff on them at home. This way I could make changes. I works very well. My jewelry cards now are twice as big as before, but they fold in half. I then went to the lumber yard and bought two sets of louvered closet doors, stained and finished them. My cards slide right over the louvers. This is great, the doors are light enough I can handle them alone, I added hinges with a pin to the outside, when I stand the sets together I can line the hinges up and put in the pin, this makes it more stable. Now my jewelry display makes an impact, people can stand in front of it and see it all. The first time I used this ( last month ) I SOLD OUT! I sold more inventory than I knew I had, it was amazing. Another important part of the display when doing indoor shows, is lighting. Almost every indoor show I have done has had really poor lighting, I use a few swing arm lamps to light and draw attention to my booth. I also bring along a cassette player and play nice music, again to draw attention. If you are displaying on a table make sure things are at different heights, an easy way to do this is to use an assortment of boxes, upside down and draped with fabric nice way to display pens, (mine don't have covers) is to use some food coloring, and color some dry rice. Then I use a clay flower pot, decorated to compliment my display, I cover the hole in the bottom and fill with the dry rice. Now my pens stand up right in the rice, people can take them out and look at them, and put them back with little trouble. I use a florist pick to hold a card with the price, and other reverent information on it. To combat boredom, I started bringing along some supplies and a portable work top. I then demonstrate when the show is slow. I also bring along my toaster oven, and when possible I can bake right at the show. Doing this works in a number of different ways. If it is a slow show I don't feel like I am wasting time and I am more likely to stay in my booth. It draws attention, after customers see how you are making things they are more likely to make a purchase. It educates the public, NO THIS IS NOT PAINT! Seeeeee....I do this.....then that.........and when I am done...........I usually have a cane in various stages with me. But most often, I demonstrate sculpting a little figure, I ask my customers for input, should it be laying?, sitting?, sleeping?, brown hair?, blond?, blue eyes? etc. 9 of 10 times the figure is sold before the end of the show. I also find most of my sales to be in the $10 to $20 range. I always bring some of my more detailed expensive work with. I display it promenately(sp?) in my booth, this draws attention, and after talking about the items, and telling them how it is made, a lot of people who can't justify buying that item will buy something else. They want to own a little of that wonderful piece. I might carry some things around for a while but eventually they will sell. I use computer made signs, ( I think I will change them in the future, make them from clay, using transfers ) The best one says "Please Touch" It starts a lot of conversation which leads to educating and a purchase.

Jenny P

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oh I love hearing about displays, I have only done one show and had no clue what I was doing so my display was crappy at best, and I still did ok, I am hoping now that I have all this stuff to make it better. I had two shutters that were supposed to go on the front of my house but WHO has time for that stuff. so I broke off the top louver and then every 10th one on the top half and I will have another space on the bottom, I am going to paint the entire thing black lacquer and put shelves (1 X 10) in the places I knocked out, to have a collapsible shelf. it is only 2 feet wide, but I can use one end that faces the isle to hang earring cards on. in the past I had some business cards printed with a lil schpeel about clay and that every piece is original and I fold them and poke holes for the earrings and they will fit over the louvers, beads in a small zip lock also get the card folded in half and stapled so you can read both sides. I need to print some that have the otterfire logo on them because this other stuff is moss-green and black and not very OTTER fireish! I am planning on having a HUGE angel/she person to be a tree topper with long cascading hair and some sort of fancy wing to be my BIG DOG! and the rest of the stuff is priced between 6-25 bucks! I would really like to work on some stuff while I am there, but I don't know if I can, I get so caught up in chatting!

OTTER FIRE

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From: (KCREDCAT)

I already figured out the "hanging bag tags" and how to make them on my computer. I use Print Shop...I make them as postcards!!!! I can make four on a page at a time, I used vanilla, instead of white paper and used 67# paper. The trick I figured out, which is great for even folding, at the halfway point, both front and back, I use a dashed line, I use this on back to do like I learned from the Carol Duvall Show, SCORE BEFORE FOLDING!!! :) I have a now old fashioned paper cutter(it's NOT a rotary cutter) although it is less then 2 yrs old LOL -old fashioned!!! I also make my own business cards this way too!!! GEE, I may put up my tags and card in MY PLACE so I can show them off!!! I have done my signs on my computer too, put BRIGHT NEON paper behind them this time after cutting them down 1/2 inch or so. My fliers of my pet pins get attention too. I took pics of the way I had the display this past weekend so I can look at it and improve!!! The only person I CAN count on is my MOM, sometimes more than I can count on myself!!! she's my angel on earth, and keeps my faith above water when I'm way under .Thanks for sharing the info, its nice to 'hear' of others ideas, to copy, but just to get our own creative juices flowing,(or at least unthawed!!!)

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When I started doing shows, my mentor told me never to write the price of an item on the "hang card." After conducting research (there is a study printed somewhere, but don't ask me where. . .), people tend to buy more items if the price is written on a tiny white oval sticker placed on the card that can be removed for gift giving. Works for me!

Author unknown

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Date: 98-07-09

From: SHANEANGEL

<< 1. How do you do your marketing?

This is a huge question, I'll do my best. I think hang tags are the most important thing to start. Print some up on your computer with a sentence or

2 about yourself and the title of your piece. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to get your name, address, phone and e-mail address on there. I can't count how many re-orders and even stores that have contacted me through the info on the tag. Find a word that describes your work. Most often your customers will tell you when they remark on your piece. They say "cute!" or "beautiful" or "wild". Take this and build a 'look' for your products. example: "wild" I would use fluorescent paper for my tags and a funky font. My booth would have wild colors and so on. Stick to this look so people can recognize your stuff where ever they go.

Always keep an actual example of your work with you wherever you go. Even to the grocery store! Conversation almost always includes the question 'What do you do?' You tell them you are a polymer clay artist and just happen to have something in the car to show them. Also business cards, don't leave home without them. I once got a 1500.00 painting job at a garage sale because I had my portfolio and business cards with me. Be proud! Tell em how excited you are about what you do and don't tell them you are just starting out.

2. How do you figure out how much pieces should cost?

This is boring but necessary. I suppose the best way is to use a combination of things. First, time yourself. See how long it takes you to make the item. Assign yourself an hourly wage add the price of materials. This equals your wholesale price (maybe) double the wholesale price and that is your retail price. However, there happens to be the beauty factor. You can spend an ungodly amount of time making something really ugly or in an instant have something gorgeous. It's the instantly gorgeous that makes the bucks. Many times you can sell things for more because they are look like they are a lot of work which is the case with polymer clay. You have to come to some sort of idea of what you can get for something so ask your friend and family or anybody who will listen, what they would pay for an item and don't get offended if it's low. This is valuable information not a blow to your ego. It isn't until you've sold stuff before you can fairly gauge prices. If people buy it right now, your price is probably too low. Also, this is hard but do it ------> NEVER LOWER YOUR PRICES. Always raise them. So it is good to start low and raise little by little and observe how it sells.

3. How do you move from hobby, where you don't keep track of the costs and stuff to the business thing, where you do? Add up the approximate costs of the materials you already have bought for hobby. What you paid for them. Find as many receipts for this stuff as possible and start with that. You start in the hole but this is okay. It deducts at the end of the year. you need to figure the costs of each item you make anyway in order to know what to price it at. Then start the file thing and just keep records of everything you spend and everything you are paid. If you loose a receipt the IRS doesn't care but you can't deduct it either. You could pour a lot of money in the business and never account for it but then you can't deduct it either and you would show a profit.

4. What d you do if you are lucky enough for the business to get bigger than something you can do on your own?

You hire somebody! Do it as 'contract labor' at first. This means the person you hire is also in business for themselves. They need a tax number and you need to be clear that you WILL report their income as a business expense at the end of the year. They are then responsible to file their taxes and report their income from you as part of their business. This eliminates your paying 1/2 of their social security, workman's comp. and the tax thing. They pay their own taxes like you pay yours and you won't be obligated to withhold. There are specific rules about this and you should probably read up on contract labor when you are ready to hire.. . . I wish somebody could have told me this stuff but it was cold turkey and I'm glad to do it.

Shane

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Vicki in Vancouver

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From: "Nancy B. Wood"

Don't forget tablecloths- plain sheets make great ones. And decorate the booth- if your Xmas decorations are where you can get to them, place all ornaments together (on the mirrors! I like that idea) and decorate that corner for Christmas- esp. lights if you have a booth w/elec. Don't forget the top of the booth- I use a whole garland of silk flowers all along the top of my very back displays (actually, louvered doors from the house, with lace stapled to the front- things hang by twisted paperclips right into the lace. Anchor those doors, though!!!) because people can see the top of the booth from far away (I use flowers because most of my clay work was floral for a while there.) Don't forget to take someone along, schedule potty breaks and shopping breaks, and pack a cooler with plenty of water bottles if outside. Wear something nice- artsy, or a logo if you have it. Most important asset- a smile! Good luck, please let us know when and how it turns out!

Nancy

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I think I can offer some help in this area :)The first angels I sold were $3.50 to $5.00 each (retail) about 4 years ago. Now they are from 14.00 to $500.00 each. I will tell you how this all came about. The formula I use is this. First determine how much clay you use for an item. You can do this by weight or per pkg. or whatever but find out how much all your materials cost all the way down to the tag and the string that holds it even if it is a penny. Time yourself. See how much time it actually takes you to make it. This can be hard to do if you are answering the phone or doing laundry. So put aside some time to see how long it takes you and WRITE IT DOWN. Now from this information determine how much you want to make an hour. Say, 5.00 per hour to start. It may come out that one bead ends up to be $20.00! So, you make adjustments according to how much you think someone will pay. If you incorporate cane work then you must determine how much a cane slice costs too. This would mean figuring out how much the cane is worth by using the above method too! Are you tired of the details yet! Whew! What a lot of work you say. But you know what? Then you have it! You have a rough figure of what is known as 'cost of goods sold' or COG. I tried to avoid all this by just putting a price on my things to see if they would sell. This is fine but in the end you find out that your books are chaos if your things start to sell regularly as mine did. I was forced to find a baseline so I could base all my prices on this system. After this is established then everything else falls into place. So.... you have a COG this is your wholesale price now. The stores will then double it at the most. If they want more then tell them to forget it. I find a lot of consignment shops take 30%. So here is the tricky part, pay attention. You must never take less than wholesale price to keep your books straight and there is this math thing that I will explain. Stores will take their percentage off the TOP of the retail price like this.

------> 15.00 - 30% = 10.50 the 10.50 must equal or exceed your wholesale price. Now take 10.50 and add 30%. The answer is 13.65 not 15.00. So you lose 1.35 of your wholesale price. See? You need to price your things so that when the store takes off their % you end up with the wholesale. NEVER lower your price! We are aspiring to works of art here and this is the rule. Works of art should always go up in price or remain the same. There are no sales here. You always want your customers to know that your work is not worth less than what they paid for it and that they can't find it cheaper somewhere else. So if you have one store that takes 40% and another that takes 30% do your level best to keep the retail prices the same. If it is consignment YOU set the retail price. If they buy outright then THEY set the retail price and you have no say in that. But the standard is for stores that buy wholesale will double the wholesale price. A good rule of thumb is to make your retail price double the COG. This way you end up with a little more if they only take 25% and this is a good thing. If you do a craft show in the same town where you have a store selling your things, keep your retail prices at the show the same as the store. This keeps everybody happy including the customer. I realize this is complicated but believe me if, you don't have a baseline to go from then you end up flopping around if your things take off and sell. You want this to happen right? Then be organized from the start so you are not caught flopping around (very unprofessional). For displaying pins, I have seen a couple of things. One, you could take a pretty ribbon and pin all the pins onto it and then hang it from the wall (put a bow on the top or a flower to hide the hanger) This also works for holding barrettes. Another idea is to get a stretcher frame and stretch a piece of fabric across it and arrange the pins onto it. An alteration of this if you don't have a stretcher frame is to just take a frame, remove the glass, measure a piece of fabric to a little bit larger than the opening, place pins so they will fit into the opening, place fabric with pins on backing and place all of that into the frame. Then pull the fabric that is sticking out the back so that it is snug against the backing. You can tack it down if you wish but some people would prefer to be able to change the fabric and/or add pins easier (its harder to pin it when its directly on the board). Another piece you can use to display pins is an old window screen (or a heavy screen that can hold its shape without a frame). you can paint it (hold spray can far away and do it lightly until color is achieved otherwise the holes plug up). For finishing the frame part, add a pretty ribbon, paper, clay, or fabric to the edges and fix in place. You can also use an embroidery hoop with fabric stretched in it and ribbon along the outside. There's some ideas. Go nuts :) tootles

Pauline

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I use "U" shaped pins to secure my necklaces on display boards that I made. At the hardware store (Home Base) I bought a large (about 3'x5') sheet of an insulation material that would best be described as sturdy Styrofoam. It comes in sheets of every size and several thickness'. The one I chose was 3/4" thick. I cut it into pieces about 12 1/2W"x20H" and rounded the corners. I wrapped each board with cloth tape to make it even sturdier. I found a black stretch velvety fabric at Wal-Mart and sewed simple slip covers for each board. I had some leftover supplies and I made 8 boards for less than $12.00. What motivated me to do this in the first place was not the thought of using them for shows. I wanted to be able to approach store/gallery owners about selling my work but needed a professional looking presentation. I didn't want to show up with my work in a shoe box or a grocery bag. All the boards were cut to fit perfectly in a small flightbag; the kind with wheels and a sliding handle. I was delighted with how it turned out and I ended up using the boards for shows too.

Rebecca N.

Ebay Seller ID--beccabeads From: ARKNogy@aol.com

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I think there have been good tips mentioned! Here's what I think the most important one is...don't sit down. I feel so uncomfortable when I come into someone's booth and they just sit there (now if one is sitting and one is standing, that can be different). I usually just smile and pass that booth by. If someone is in the booth and looks busy, but not sitting, I'm in! I want them to acknowledge my presence, but not drop what they're doing. I usually look up from my busy work in the booth and say hi to shoppers and then while I'm working, I try to say genuine things only to break the ice. I used to sell stereos when I was in my 20's and I discovered that rather then try to sell the equipment, I really only had to sell them on feeling comfortable with me. If people feel like you're a person they could be friends with, they're more likely to buy from you. This feels comfortable to me because I genuinely like most people. If you do canework, it makes a great conversation piece. Part of our mission should probably be to educate the public about PC and canework. I sell jewelry mostly, and the one thing I do is try to get people to try it on. I put a mirror in their hand and hook the necklace for them. Nothing too pushy but people need to get an idea of how they'd look. That's my 2 cents worth...

Rebecca N.

Ebay Seller ID--beccabeads

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Re: Doing a show

If you have any "junk" pieces (pieces that didn't turn out the way you like, or odd pieces, anything that you don't think should be with your regular items) put them out for sale at really low prices. I always have my "junk" boxes and they are labeled "Really Good Junk $2 each," "Not such good junk $1 each" "Kinda junky junk 50 cents each" and "Really bad junk ten cents each." I always sell more of these than the good stuff. People go home and DO things with my junk. They come back show after to show and love to rummage through the boxes of stuff. Last week I went to our Bead Society meeting and the president of the group came up to me and said "Look, I bought one of your junk pieces and made it into a hair clip." She turned so I could see it and boy, was I surprised. It looked great! But at the time I made it, I didn't like it at all. So just remember the old adage "One person's junk is another persons treasure!" P.S. The kids LOVE the junk also, especially the beads. They can afford enough of them to make a necklace.

Dotty

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a great cheap display gimmick... use the mirror squares from a home improvement store under your figures, mirrors make everything look classy if its out doors bring a patio umbrella good for rain or shine makes the customers stay longer put a silk flower a red rose in the back left had corner of your display keep your money box well hidden, a fishing box is good to start tie the handle to something with a long cord, it surprises the light finger tribe, include tax in the price of the item and you spend less time with the calculator, I'd do allot of selling using a fanny pack for a change purse, 3 pockets or-4 the front one for coin the 2nd for $1&$5&$10 the last one for $20 and checks from local I'd only put things in there and keep that one closed as much as possible have something for kids that is $1 or $.50 most forget about kids they get $1 to spend and when everything is $3 and upit is a heart breaker, if they find you have kids stuff they drag over mom and she does the real buying while the kid is picking out something bowl of beads or rings made with seed beads and a slice of millefeori center.... many was the time I had the beads cover show fee spin all jewelry to velvet boards or displays, pins do fine for this or the jewelry pins sold that look like gold floral pins if you have your jewelry on the boards already pinned with layers of sponge or foam between all you have to do is place them out for display the more you can have done up ahead of time on displays the quicker the set up make sure every thing is priced demo~ing is good, but start with almost finished projects or preconditioned clay good pre show prep will save you, If all you see is conditioning clay it's boring chose something you consider quick and easy and something you have allot of that you can sell already made they usually want the one you just finished & don't forget to breath =^}

hugs~ faun-