June 2008

If we knew what to do in a bad economy, it wouldn’t be a bad economy, right? More and more I hear of people struggling. Sales are down, customers show up to shows but are only looking, people just aren’t buying. What can we do?

While there are not magic answers, here is a list of things to think about. Some are obvious, some are temporary, some are meant to encourage. All are to help you start thinking in a different way so you can come up with your own ideas of where you can go and find success in a niche market. The cheese has moved. The market has changed. Let’s look for some new stuff.

• Simplify Designs.
  If you’re into intricate beads, find a way to simplify designs. For one, the trend is simplicity these days. Large areas of color, simple geometric designs. More is not always better. Simplifying designs will save you time (which is money) and you might be surprised at what people will like…if that hasn’t already surprised you by now.
• Learn to talk about your work.
  Yeah, I know. Here are some tips on how to do that. How to Raise the Value of Your Work with Words. Who is going to love your work if you don’t? How are they going to know you love it?
• Wear your work.
  Obvious. But so easy not to do. Find a piece you love, know its price and wear it.
• Shamelessly Promote.
  You’re embarrassed to do it? You hate when other people do that? That’s your choice. But if you want to keep doing what you’re doing during this time, you need to learn to promote yourself or else there won’t be anything to promote before long.
• Focus on One Market.
  In this internet age and this consumer society there are so many places we can sell. It is easy to spread ourselves and our work too thin. Beware of spreading yourself too thin. It does no good to have pieces out there everywhere if you’re not able to market and get potential customers there to see them. You waste your time editing images and writing descriptions that you could be spending on creating more work or focusing on promotion. Pick a venue and focus on it. Once you get it going, add another and do the same thing but be sure not to drop the last one if it’s working for you.
• Don’t be Afraid to Start and Quit.
  Try new methods and designs. Give them an honest try. If you find something isn’t working, drop it. If you believe in it, keep at it.
• Tighten Your Belt.
  It might be time to go on a purchasing diet. You don’t need to have the latest and greatest color or gadget at this point. If you’ve been in the business long enough to feel the drop in sales, chances are you have enough in your studio to get you by. Again. Simplify.
• Sell Stuff.
  And I don’t mean your art. Do you have something that’s been sitting around forever without use? Sell it. List it on craigslist, a forum, ebay, your local bead/jewelry group. It will supplement your income until you find the niche market you’re going to be searching for.
• Drop that Show.
  I hate this one because I love shows. But, if you find that the last two years of a show have not been very good for you, drop it. You can’t depend on a promoter or a venue to make you successful. Unfortunately, they’re in the same boat that we artists are.
• Have a Home Party.
  While this might not have sounded appealing to you in the past, it might just be what you have to do right now. Some people love home parties. It’s a social time and they can get cool stuff while they’re at it. Make sure to have reasonably priced items, food and a little drink. Demos or interactive things are always a plus too. Make sure you have cards and/or brochures to promote yourself for future parties.

Whew. Those are some things to think about. Believe in yourself, press forward and focus, focus, focus.

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