• Ceramics
• Digital Media/Photography
• Furniture Design/Wood/Sculpture
• Painting & Drawing
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

…interested in improving their art through living, breathing, and creating their art at an artist in residency program should get more information at http://www.andersonranch.org/residencies/index.php?page=residency-overview

Application deadline for the Fall 2010/Spring 2011 Artists’ Residency program is FEBRUARY 1, 2010. Notifications to applicants/recipients will be made by early April.

Shasta:  Tell us a little bit about yourself i.e. how old you are? Where you grew up etc.

James:  I grew up in Houston Texas, sometimes working in my father’s retail clothing business in my early teens. In my twenties, my dad expanded to 4 stores and incorporated. I was expected to take over the business and it seemed like the logical choice. Meanwhile, I had a side interest — studying human potential – as in personal growth through consciousness raising practices.

I had come across a Sufi master from Baghdad who traveled around the world teaching ancient techniques for increasing one’s perceptions and intelligence. In a workshop with this man, who seemed straight out of the Arabian Nights, he told me I should quit my job – that it was holding me back from the work I would be doing later on.

Needless to say, this created quite a lot of stress. On the one hand, my father’s business was a golden opportunity. And on the other hand, I could spend some unknown amount of time walking a path that stretched back into antiquity with no clear promise of anything my Western mind could grasp. But it was the call of adventure into the unknown that finally won out.

Shasta: How did you get started?

James:  Once on my own, I had to find work to support myself in between attending sessions with the Sufi teacher. He suggested I become a weaver and start a business selling my work.

Shasta:  How long have you been doing arts and crafts?

James:  The time was around 1984. At first, I was totally resistant to the idea of becoming a weaver. But when I plunged into learning the craft and began selling pieces, I became very enthused. My third show brought in almost $6,000 in sales.

Of course, the money was a big motivator. What I didn’t expect, was a change in the way my mind worked as a result of immersion in the craft of weaving. I learned years later that Sufis traditionally sent students to apprentice under craftsmen in order to both learn a practical skill and also to engage the creative part of the mind on a regular basis. The result is a change of world view along with a healthy side benefit of having a profitable business.

Shasta:  What products do you make?

James:  I wove wearable art in the form of women’s garments, since there seemed to be a steady demand. Eventually, I also began making rugs and wall hangings, too. The end products weren’t as important to me as the involvement with creating the patterns and the arrangement of the colors.

Shasta:  What types of shows do you find work best for selling your product?

James:  My pieces typically sold for between $75 and $150. The shows that performed best for me were the high-end art and crafts shows. Juried shows tended to be good selling events for my work. I also exhibited at some ‘country craft’ shows, but they were a complete waste of time and money because the attendees were there for low-priced items.

Shasta:  Tell us some of the other avenues you use to market your crafts for instance internet, gift and specialty stores, catalogs etc.

James:  In addition to shows, I sold in galleries, specialty shops, gift stores and cooperative galleries. At one point, my pieces were on display in locations in Manhattan, Sedona, Denver, Boulder, Santa Fe, San Antonio and in the Grand Canyon, to name a few.

Shasta:  If you don’t mind sharing about how much you make on selling arts and crafts in an average year.

James:  My gross sales were between $50,000 and $100,000 a year depending on how much I worked. I never felt compelled to work all the time. You have to enjoy life too.

Shasta: What tip do you feel has improved your business the most?

Probably the most important thing I’ve learned over the years of being a craftsperson and also a writer, publisher and speaker, is that the things that move you — things you jump out of bed in the morning to do — are worth paying the most attention to. The idea that we have to work hard to be successful just doesn’t hold true. You can make money playing — having fun doing what you enjoy doing. And not only can you, but this is what you should focus on most. Because wealth isn’t just money in the bank, it’s also a measure of the moments in your day and how rich they are in experience. My immersion in a craft that I came to love taught me that you can shape your own destiny just as you shape your craft. Of course, if you prefer to work “hard” and suffer, no one can stand in your way.

Shasta:  Tell us about the books you wrote and how they can help us improve our businesses.

James:  After several years as a professional craft artist, I began writing books teaching others what I learned about starting and growing a craft business. There are now five books in a series and you can read more about my Craft Business Success Package and what others have to say about my advice at www.craftmarketer.com. The library of material delivers over 770 pages of ideas on selling crafts, pricing, finding shows, working with stores and galleries, selling through a website and on eBay and lots more.

One of the chief obstacles I found in growing my own business ventures has always been that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I think, and my reviewers tend to echo this, that I help readers learn the missing chunks of what they need to get started and to take the next steps to grow their business to the level they are going to be happy with.

Shasta:  Feel free to tell us anything else that you think is pertinent.

James:  As I mentioned earlier, focus your most important time and resources on what you are most passionate about. It will give you the strength and determination to persevere in the face of challenges.

I will also say that the clearer your vision of what you want to achieve from your craft or any other kind of venture, the more certain its attainment. Just as you envision a finished craft piece before you begin to shape it, envision your business and how it will serve your life aims and then it will just be a matter of taking the necessary steps to enjoying the fruits of your labor.

About James Dillehay:
James Dillehay is a professional craft artist and entrepreneur. He is author of seven books and has been written about in The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Bottom Line Personal, Family Circle, The Crafts Report, Sunshine Artist, and many more, including being a guest on HGTV’s The Carroll Duvall Show. James has been listed in Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs and is a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach. He creates content and provides a free newsletter for craft artists at www.craftmarketer.com

Links in this post are affiliate links.  If you buy products from the links in this post The Extravaganza will receive a commission.

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by Shasta McLaughlin
The Extravaganza Craft Productions

Parts of this 7 part series have been reprinted with permission from the article “7 Common Disconnects In Retail Business” by Pam Grimm of Ideaco.  Click here to see Pam’s full article.

7 Common Disconnects In Retail Business

By Pamela Grimm, Ideaco

5.  Lack of sales skills: Too often a salesperson could give information, but not transition the conversation into a sale. More than not, staff members would walk away with apparently no regard for whether the customer had actually picked up the product or were going to purchase anything. We were given a very informal information session that did not inspire or motivate us to purchase that product. 90% of the stores did not even show us a sample or give a mini demo on how the product could be used or create an urgency to purchase. In many stores we walked in, asked questions, got brief answers and walked out without purchasing anything.

How to Transition to a Sale

Be sure to answer customers questions with the benefits of the product to them not the features.  Remember they want to know how the product will solve a problem for them, save them time or money, or make their life easier.  People make emotional purchases, help them feel this product will help them in some way.

Show your art or craft in the setting it will be used.  It requires less imagination for your customers to see it in use in that setting.  Demonstrate the benefits of the product to the customer.

Artists and crafters are often afraid of being too pushy and possibly driving customers away.  Fear makes us too reserved and passive.  Be assertive not agressive.  Remember when customers enter your booth they are interested in buying your product.  Asking them to make the purchase isn’t being pushy as long as you take, “No” as well as you take, “Yes.”  Remember the worst thing they can say is, “No.”  Be as grateful for the customer who doesn’t purchase as you are for the one who buys.  Not every customer is going to make a purchase, so don’t take it personally.  Remember that every NO leads you one encounter closer to the big sale.

When the customer seems to be standing there looking like they’re lost, ask if you have answered all of they’re questions.  If you’ve answered all their questions they may need some prompting.  Ask if you can ring up their purchases for them?  Ask them if you can bag them up for them?  Ask if you can take the crafts to the counter for them?

By asking the customer if they would like to purchase you’re giving them one more opportunity to think about the product without allowing them to talk themselves out of the purchase.

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These clear modular baskets stack to help you organize your small crafts.  Carry your crafts to the show in them.  Display small crafts in them or stick the basket under your table cloth to build height in your display.  Baskets are available in clear, blue, green, pink or orange to match any display.

My affiliate link is below.
Clear baskets do many jobs for your craft show display.

I’ve found another idea that would help make your craft show booth more professional.  The main factors to me have been portability, ease of set up and a clean professional look.

This shelving system comes from The Container Store.

This system folds flat for transportation and is made of hollow tube cast iron in a pewter finish.

Available in 3 shelf, 4 shelf, 6 shelf, 4 shelf media or 6 shelf tower there are lots of possibilities for your art or craft show booth display.

My affiliate link is below.

3 Shelf Folding Bookcase
Makes Portable Craft Show Set Up
Easy and Professional

Today I came across this site I thought you might be interested in.

Sell your arts and crafts (or anything else you want) on The SOC Exchange.
Similar to Etsy and Artfire and allows you to sell unlimited items for just one price.

Hope it helps some of you out,

Shasta

by Shasta McLaughlin

The Extravaganza Craft Productions

copyright 2009

I’ve told you the things I did on My 30 Day Plan to Greater Profitability and I promised that I would let you know some things you can do to increase the profits your art or craft show business receives.

1.  Draw a marketing map that shows how the people you meet at craft shows are going to move from cold contacts, to warm prospects, to hot buyers.  Include on your marketing map all of your sales tools including your craft show booth, your fliers, business cards, website, blog, social networking, advertising, and more.

2.  Make sure each sales tool mentioned above (and any others you use) moves your customer through a process that leads to them buying your art or craft.

3.  Get a website.  Click here for easy instructions on how to build a website.

4.  Get your website search engine optimized.

5.  Arrange to take credit cards.

6.  Offer a payment plan.

7.  Get email marketing (auto-responders).  See my post on following up with your customers by clicking here.

8.  Create emails for your current customers.  Remember to follow the Can-Am Act for email.  Send your customers useful relevant information.  You want this to help your business reputation not hurt it.

9. Create emails for your warm prospects.

10. Create emails for your cold contacts.

11.  Sign up your customers to the proper groups above.   Ask permission before signing up people for your emails.

12.  Check if your business cards, fliers, etc. look professional and are updated.  Be certain they have current contact information.  Make sure they mention your website if you have one.

13.  Collect names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the people who are interested in your product.  Ask if they would like to be signed up for your emails.

14.  Sign up for Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Fast Pitch Networking or many others.  Let your customers and prospects know they can follow you there.  Post regularly.

15. Create a blog.  Post regularly.  Mention your social networking sites and your website often.

16.  Make sure your posts to your blog automatically post to your social networking sites.

17.  Pick up the phone and call a customer that you haven’t heard from in a while.  Renew your relationship with them.  Tell them the news from your business.  Offer to send them free information or ask if they would like to sign up for your newsletters.

18.  Send an email to customers that haven’t bought in a while.  Renew your relationship with them.

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I’ve been keeping my eyes out for ideas to share with you that would help make your craft show booth more professional.  One of the key factors to me has been portability, ease of set up and a clean professional look.

I found this versatile shelving system from The Container Store and wanted to share it with you.

The supports and shelves can be set-up in any configuration.  Supports can be set up further apart or closer together, they can also be set up facing each other or facing away from each other.  Shelves can be added at several heights to bring your crafts up to your customers eye level and add interest to your display.

With extra pieces available you can add extra supports or shelves or subtract them from your set up to make your shelves fit in any size craft show booth.

With the right hooks art could be hung from the outside of the supports as well as set on the shelves.

Link below is an affiliate link.

A versatile shelving system that can
be set up in many different layouts
to create the perfect art or craft
show booth display.

There are several ways to #advertise your art and #craft event to vendors.  The idea is to find the most effective ways and stick with them.  You must test and record the results of your advertising to know what was most effective.

Advertising is best done when it reaches a target audience.  Your target audience is artists and crafters who sell merchandise at art and craft shows,  advertise where they are most likely to see it.

Places artists and crafters look for shows include (but are not limited to) Art and Craft Show Publications, local Chambers of Commerce, visitors centers, fairgrounds and events centers, bulletin boards, the internet, newspapers, radio, and TV.  Have a successful show already?  Maintain a mailing list.  Art and craft vendors also ask other artists and crafters at events they are attending if they know of other great shows in the area.

Art and Craft Publications

Art and craft publications are also known as craft fair guides, art and craft show listings, and many other names search the internet using the right keywords and you will find more than a few.  Art and craft publications contain many listings of art and craft shows.  They also usually contain some advertising for event insurance, outdoor canopies for shows, displays, and art and craft supplies.  They usually cover a specified area such as one state, several states, a region, or the nation.  Some will also contain hints and tips, checklists, book and product reviews, display ideas, etc.

Now for a quick message from our sponsor, smile:
My favorite, The Extravaganza Craft News, covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Local Places Artists and Crafters Look for Events

Local places artists and crafters look for events include the Chamber of Commerce, visitors centers, civic centers, fairgrounds and events centers, basically any where an art and craft show might be held.  Ask when booking your event if they will include your event on a calendar of upcoming events.  Be sure they inform their employees of your upcoming event so they will be ready to refer artists and crafters your way.

Bulletin Boards

Artists and crafters will also check bulletin boards in grocery stores, gas stations, art and craft stores, on college campuses, in salons, at local restaurants, and many other businesses.

Hang posters, postcards, or business cards on bulletin boards everywhere you go.  Be sure your advertising has a headline gauranteed to get the attention of artists and crafters who want to sell their merchandise.  Don’t forget the basics a date and time for your show and a way to contact you including (at least) your name and phone number.

The Internet

The internet is a great resource and you don’t have to spend a fortune on a webpage or webdesigner anymore.  You can buy a website and everything you need to run it for under $100/year.  You can get one that has a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get editor) so that you can design and run it yourself or hire someone to run it for you.  A website is a great place to tell artists, crafters, and customers about your upcoming shows, and to upload your applications.  Need simple instructions for building a webpage visit http://www.extravaganzacrafts.com/index.php?pr=Build_a_website.

Newspapers

The problem with advertising anything in newspapers is actually reaching your target audience.  Reaching thousands of people who don’t sell their art and crafts at shows probably won’t help your business as much as reaching 100 people who do.

Newspapers do have other resources available other than paid ads.  Call the paper and ask about their policy for press releases, people in business, guest written articles, and calls to artists and crafters.  Ask who you send them to and the correct address.  Send a press release and call to artists to many local newspapers.  The free resources will probably benefit your business more than paid advertising at this time, but if they won’t run your articles ask if they offer a deal on paid advertising with submissions.

Ask if they have a (printed/online) calendar of events and how soon your event will begin appearing on it.  Don’t forget your contact information.

Radio and TV

Radio stations often offer a discount on large numbers of ads.  Ask them if they can offer you a deal if you order ads now to advertise to artists and crafters and again later to advertise to customers.  They also offer package deals for onsite advertising.  Ask the radio station if they would like to sponsor your event and have their logo included on all your advertising.

I have never used TV advertising but I hear that cable ads aren’t that expensive and can be targetted to reach people in the area of your show.  Again ask a TV station if they might like to sponsor your event.  Feature a happy artist or crafter in your ads looking for vendors.

Don’t ask more than one radio station, TV station, or newspaper to sponsor your event and ask them if they only work with specific people i.e. ABC Radio only works with XYZ News.

Mailing List

Tell artists and crafters which publications they can find your listings in.  Contact art and craft exhibitors who have attended your show in the past.  Keep them happy and they are likely to return.  Keep your list updated so you don’t waste money mailing to bad addresses.

Email autoresponders from AutoWebBusiness.com or Constant Contact make it easy to stay in contact with vendors.  I highly recommend you check out these two companies if you don’t already have some kind of automated follow up/email system in place.

Word of Mouth

Many artists and crafters still only hear about shows through word of mouth.  Keep your vendors happy and they are more likely to tell others only good things about your show.

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