Susan Fox Hirschmann on sun 4 oct 09
My suggestions:
Use what ever free advertising you can possible use:
=3DA0=3DA0=3DA0 send pix of your work to local papers with headings of "FOR=
IMMED=3D
IATE RELEASE"
=3DA0=3DA0making it sound very important.=3DA0 Occasionally, I have had my =
work p=3D
rinted in the WAshington post, both my own studio shows, as well as my work=
=3D
.
Write to the arts editors and tell them about your work: sometimes you can =
=3D
get a free story out of it.=3DA0 All t hat will bring you customers. You ma=
y =3D
find a editory out there who really likes your work...but you need to give =
=3D
him or her the idea that writing about you will be a great human interest s=
=3D
tory for the local paper or news rags.
If you do shows in your studio, find a reasonable printer to do postcards f=
=3D
or you...and mail them to potential customers. Great photos are invaluable.=
=3D
=3DA0 If they come to your show, give them s omething free or do something =
th=3D
ey will remember:
At my biannual studio shows, I rotate between free gifts with purchase.
To 10% of their purchase given to a charity that means a lot to me such as
Parkinsons' disease, AIDS, or breast cancer research.=3DA0=3D20
People remember your giving, and you will too.
=3DA0
Keep an email list of all customers, real and potential.
=3DA0
On the sign for your studio, do a special event and something to bring them=
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in.
On that sign, tell them you have a free gift with purchase (I make small di=
=3D
shes, tiny vases off a hump, pins)...and they remember these things and lov=
=3D
e them.=3DA0 People just love free stuff and it brings them back again and =
ag=3D
ain, and is worth my time.
=3DA0
I traditionally have a "F & F discount"=3DA0 ---you almost have to/need to =
do=3D
it, to make sales at times (friends and family).
=3DA0
Place your fliers for your show, or whatever, where ever you can think of. =
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I often put my postcards in places I think people will be particularly inte=
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rested, such as health food stores,
coffee shop bulletin boards, gyms, some rec center:=3DA0 Everyone is a pote=
nt=3D
ial customer.
Even children!
Case in point: Yesterday, I had an 11 yr old child in my booth at a show, l=
=3D
ooking at my work. I asked her if she ever did clay. She said "No, but I wo=
=3D
uld love to."=3DA0 I told her to bring her mom back to talk about it.=3DA0 =
Moth=3D
er and child arrived soon thereafter to talk about classes and her mom even=
=3D
bought a small bowl for her child's room.=3DA0 In doing this she is educat=
in=3D
g the child to the value of handmade work....and we are in a sense, educati=
=3D
ng the next generation to buy pots. As I said, "everyONE is a potential cus=
=3D
tomer."
Invite people for studio tours....open your studio up so you can educate th=
=3D
ese people to what you do. Kiln openings are great places of gather interes=
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ted people, and thus customers.
I even give my card to people int he bank, grocery store, whomever you meet=
=3D
. Guess my small town mannerism, I think come off as just plain being frien=
=3D
dly. Often these people will call or email me, for gifts or just to come by=
=3D
. Once again, "everyOne REALLY is a potential customer." The next time they=
=3D
come, they could very well buy something.
Sounds like you are making great strides at marketing...
and will finish by quoting my dad (that had his own retail business, and wh=
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om I learned lots from)
"Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and ADVERTISE!"
Best of luck and happy marketing.
Susan
It's another part of being in this business that I really LOVE.
--- On Sat, 10/3/09, Des & Jan Howard wrote:
From: Des & Jan Howard
Subject: Re: Promoting your work
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 6:59 PM
Deb
Our total advertising budget goes into membership of a
regional tourism group & inclusion in our regional
tourist guide. Flyers are also displayed in the tourism
centre. Less than1/2% of our work is on show in a
coo-op in town 28km away & less than 1/2% is on show in
a regional potters room at a gallery in a town 56km
away. A sign is at the end of the street leading up the
300m to the workshop, the 'OPEN' is nailed in place as
is the one on the showroom door. The tourism centre
staff know that we're always here & quite prepared to
welcome visitors.
Plus, our pots are marked with a tiny stamped
'LUE POTTERY', quite 'Googleable', we see no reason to
include your inside leg measurements, GPS co-ords or
your star sign.
Des
Deborah Thuman wrote:
> For those of you who sell your work..... would you be willing to share
> how you promote yourself?
--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue=3DA0 NSW
Australia
2850
02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
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