Quick Craft Artist Tips You Need to Know

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - G is for Goals

2012-01-30T15:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! I just realized I have gone backwards in doing this series. I know I should be on H, however with the last post and today's, I realized there are still a few more G words that need to be included. The big one, goals. For me, I can't get enough info on anything marketing, retail and advertising related for craft businesses. What baffles me is there isn't enough attention on the importance of having good goals. I even talked about this at a conference geared towards building ones own art and craft business. So, indulge me and read on as to why having goals is important to keeping ones art/craft business alive.

Goals. When it comes to the word goal, what comes to mind? Great, another chore!? What's the point? Who needs them? I have a few goals in mind, but don't know where to start? Sound familiar? To me they do sound familiar. These are the reactions I get from owners of businesses who either lack motivation, don't care, or just starting out (having lots of great ideas but never know where to start). When it comes to having one's own art/craft business many aren't prepared or know what it is like to have such huge responsibilities like running ones own business. For many people, they think goals = success and if success isn't the end result then they have failed and there is no way you can pick up the pieces because of the feeling of self defeat. I am here to tell you goals are tools. They're a wonderful thing and should be thought of as mini accomplishments to not just build self esteem but build a better, more successful business.

The best way to look at the term, goals, is to understand it. What makes a goal, well... a goal? A goal can be big or little. Whatever your goals are, they should have time frame of when you want to accomplish it, be realistic, tracked/measured, and clearly defined. Many places have fun acronyms for this, but I am not going into that...

Time. A good characteristic of creating a goal is that you should put a time frame around it. If it is a simple goal think about trying to accomplish it within a day or maybe a week. For instance, having a goal to clean off ones office desk should be easy enough to accomplish in one day. I use this example as I just had this goal about 3 days ago and after starting and stopping, I was able to accomplish it in one day, and feel great doing so. Others might need more time and there is nothing wrong with extending the lifetime of that goal!

Realistic.   Remember the saying, "Rome wasn't built in a day"? Well, the same goes for goal making. You have to be honest and realistic with yourself when making goals. It's like those who want to loose weight - they want to lose it all now. But realistically, it took a "lifetime" to put it on, and deep down inside you do know it won't go away over night. When it comes to business goals something like building a website is a great goal to have - but not easy if you have never done this before. The solution? Break up such a goal into mini ones. Using the example of doing your own website, over a span of a week take one mini goal it focus on what you want your website to be (informative or perhaps e-commerce?) and then draw the framework for that website, - not to mention come up with a creative .com domain name. The next day devote the time listing pros and cons of whether you think you can do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you - online research will come into play here. The day after that, continue that research and start contacting website developers or try some free DIY website and see how they work for you... Before you know it by the end of the week you are closer or even started your own business website. You will find the more realistic the goal, the easier they are to accomplish.

Tracking and measuring. The progress of a goal should also be easily tracked. Going back to loosing weight, each week you can weigh yourself to see how much weight you have lost. Visually seeing piles of paper work go down on your desk as you clean off your desk is a another way to track progress. Start using to do lists and cross off those items that have been accomplished, is yet another example of tracking. Knowing how much you have done and how much is left to go, helps you see how you measure up going from point A to point B.

Clearly define your goals. If you can't say it (or read it) and it doesn't make sense, how do you plan on finishing the goal? Granted not all goals need to be written. However, long term goals would be easier to remember if they were in front where you can see them on a daily basis. A clearly defined goal incorporates all the elements listed above. An example... By the end of the day, an doing an inventory on stock and display materials must be completed. Using a checklist, items will get packed into the car as it is checked off to be sure everything is packed for the art fair tomorrow. It has all the elements!

Here's a list of goals that every business should entertain on a regular basis:
   - advertising/marketing (how can I do more with my advertising and marketing),
   - organization (what can be done to be be more organized),
    - production (are there better ways to make my production time efficient),
    - staff (how can my staff be more educated to how items are made and sold - this includes volunteers
       who help you at shows),
   - expanding (when the time comes, what are some ways I can expand my business) and
   - sales (what else can I do close more sales).
All business owners need to keep track of what is working and what isn't. The better you are at goal making and keeping will aid you in staying on track for success.

Did I give you a lot to think about? I hope so. The road ahead for craft artists is not a smooth one, and definitely not for the lazy. In speaking of roads, the journey in this blog series will get back on track with the start of I words, having covered the H's already. Thanks for reading and sharing this and other blog posts to your friends and colleagues. If you have any suggestions for future posts - like I words, or just need to pick my brain drop me a line, mksholund@gmail.com ... Hope you have a good and productive week!

Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com - www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art and Craft Fairs - G is for Google and Gratitude

2012-01-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to a new blog post on the ABC's of Doing Art and Craft Fairs. It's winter time and it is easy to find yourself having a more laid back attitude when not doing art and craft fairs. Of course the major exception are those doing shows in the south, say in Florida. But for the rest who don't travel south to do shows, one thing is for certain, enjoy the calm while it lasts. For me, I have been getting tax info together (I am not going to stress like I did last year...), organizing the workshop, doing some research online as to what my competitors are doing, as well as window shopping with my suppliers on what are some new things I can try for 2012 to enhance my current work and make it more marketable. In the medium I am in, candle making, the scent landscape is always changing and I have to keep up. So, with all this stuff, yes I am able to find a couple of moments to relax, however not loose focus to run my craft business. With that in mind, I was inspired to jot down my thoughts for this blog post as we go into the G's of doing art and craft fairs. Two big words come to mind, Google and gratitude, and here's what I have to say about both...

Google. THE biggest brand name with regard to the world wide web is Google. It's more than just a search engine tool, but a place to get the news, read and host blogs, email, web browser (Google Chrome), images, ads, maps, and even a verb - "Just Google the term...". What makes Google important for craft artists? It is the easiest way to spread word of mouth advertising so anyone, with a few key words, can be found in a sea information. In the past, you weren't somebody unless you were in the Yellow Pages < insert the quirky quote from the movie The Jerk here > or were on t.v. or in print. Granted there are a lot of other search engines like Bing and Yahoo, but if you can get to the top of Google rankings, then you have it made, and you don't have to have a website to do so - you heard me, you don't have to have a website to do so (but it does help). Google works by taking all the info found on the web, organizes it and serves it on a silver platter... in a nutshell. That means if you are talked about say in a newspaper article, another website, a blog post, etc., Google can gather that info and put it in front of others searching for topics that relate to your name, business type, and so on. The more people talk about you, the more Google notices (and other search engines too). To get the high rankings, it's all about content - this is where having a website is important. Why? All the attention doesn't mean much if those who come across your info doesn't have a way to find you, then you missing out on potential customers. Having just the basic of websites - covering a who, what, when, where, and why about you and your business is all it takes to get started. Adding things like e-commerce (with good key words), a blog, articles you have written about how your art helps others, and more, is where content reigns supreme. Having your business name, your type of art, and your name tied to that content, not only brands you, but makes Google take notice. Today it is more about branding than you know it to play to where the playing field is now level with the other "big boys" out there. If this wets your whistle and you want to learn more about good content vs. bad and Google, two books I am listening to right now (I like and use audible.com to listen to audible books for when I travel or work in the workshop) called Unmarketing by Scott Stratten and The Referral Engine by John Jantsch are great places to start. In summary, Google is more than a search engine, it can be your best friend.

Gratitude. "If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, then he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get" - Frank A. Clark I just love that quote because it just reminds me of karma. Don't we all ever think that those who bad attitudes will get their come-up-pins one day (like the speed demon who passed me the other day...)? Gratitude is just one of those simple things all people, not just craft artists, can do to make a positive impact on others. For those who are craft artists showing just an ounce of gratitude can come back to you, as much as ten fold. I say this because acknowledging people and thanking them, for commenting on your facebook post, include a thank you note in an order, or reward those who have done nice things will deepen the connection between you and whoever you interact with. When at art fairs, helping people put up a canopy can return the thank you by keeping an eye on your booth if you have to quickly use a rest room. A thank you and a smile to a customer who didn't even buy from you at an art fair shows you are genuine and not pushy as others might be at the same fair. Today, when customer service seems lost for many shoppers - those thank you and smile moments add up. Those shoppers will remember you and down the road will buy from you, give you free word of mouth advertisement to a friend/colleague, or open a new door of opportunity you never knew existed.

I work at specialty shop, for those who don't know this, part time. I am pretty much the only person working there during the week, mind you it is a small shop in the middle of no where, yet on a well traveled road. I know it is my duty to be the "voice" of the shop in order for it to thrive - much like our own art/craft businesses. I know that greeting people as they come in, just isn't a nice thing to do, but sets the tone for their shopping experience. It can deter a shoplifter as well as make a person feel at ease whether it is their first visit or 100th. Letting people know that if they need anything, they just merely need to ask (and leaving them alone to shop) shows trust and space to shop freely. The cherry on top is to let each customer know, when they leave, to thank them for not just taking the time to come in and look/buy but I - me, myself, and I - look forward to seeing them again soon. I am not half heartedly going through the motions because it is my job. I do it because I honestly love my part time job. I treat people the way I want to be treated if I were in their shoes. It only feels natural for me to apply all of this to my own craft business to boot. I have even had people who come to the part time shop make the time and effort to come and see me at an art show just to talk to me and learn more about me and yes buy... Going the extra mile and know people do appreciate and see them reciprocate makes it worth while.

On that note, thanks a bunch for reading this rather lengthy post - you're a trouper. I also hope this advice I have given (today or other), is something you can apply to your business or even daily routine. There are more G words to cover so, check back soon. Help spread the word and share this with others too! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicals.com

ABC's of Doing Art and Craft Fairs - H is for Human and Herd

2012-01-10T11:17:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all craft artists and welcome to 2012! Hope all have recovered from the holidays. We're back and marching forward through the alphabet. Today we are rounding up the H's with a quick discussion on heart and herd. Words you wouldn't typically think of pertaining to doing art and craft fairs, but here me out...

Human. Have you ever been to a show and you see craft artists around you seem more like robots than humans? I truly believe craft artists are loosing their human touch and no wonder why with so much technology it is more of a norm to shoot off quick texts, encounter pushy high sell websites full of ads, and let's face it no heart behind it. This is visible when artists interact with customers whether this is at a show, emailing or even through social networking. How can one be more human?
1. Listen don't hear. A person who hears does not care about making a personal connection with a customers. Much like a discussion between a teenager and their parents, no one really tries to see things from the others perspective caring enough about what the other is thinking or feeling. Yet a person who listens thinks about what the person says and acts upon it. Here's an example... a customer acknowledges that they love your work telling you what they like about it, but alas can't afford it, yet wants to get a piece for a friend's birthday. A person who listens will say I have a similar piece just like it over here, that might be within your price range (shows the piece) and asks the customer, what does he/she think? The person who hears will ignore the customers comments and continue to push the more expensive piece because he/she still has to make booth space and so on.
2. Be personable and genuine. In other words treat people the way you want to be treated. Rarely do people warm up to a gentleman in a business suit say at a social event, however have no trouble chatting up with a casual person you may meet in line at a check out. Why? One represents a politician or boss type while the other an average "Joe" who you might be able to relate to. Artists can come across as smart - maybe too smart, knowing anything and everything about their medium, but if the customer isn't on the same page as that artist , well that customer can be pegged as someone who "doesn't deserve to buy my art". Then there are artists who are simply down to earth, can relate to the 9-5 workers (an average customer at an art fair), yet have a talent they want to share with others and if that artist can make a buck or two, great! The question is which one are you?

3. Offer educational and/or entertaining content at shows and on your website. "Buy me now" or "Buy one get one free" is not the approach that will get people to buy art. What helps is content that will either educate your customer on the finer points of your work (the story behind your work for instance) or entertain the customer say a video of how you make your art work. You may find content in the form of how to make, fix, photograph something you are knowledgeable in (regarding your medium) or even testimonials may attract people to your booth and/or website. This content can be shared via social media sites which can be picked up by a lot of people which can drive traffic to your website or get people to come to art fairs you will be attending.
4. You aren't expected to be perfect. To be human you also think with your heart not just your brain. An artist who cares will come down on a price or acknowledge they were wrong if a customers points out a mistake. I have had a customer point out a pricing error in which I gave them the cheaper price as a thank you - it made their day! Artists are not perfect and that is what also makes us human. In the battle of big box stores verses Main Street gift shops and artists at art fairs, we have the ability to show we value our customers and today if you can earn a customers respect - you have a customer for life and can't wait to tell others about the great customer service they just had.

In summary, be yourself and genuinely want to get to know your customers. That is what being human is all about.

(Don't follow the) Herd. Sure there are times it is wise to follow the herd - like if you are being hunted by a wild animal or trying to escape from a burning building. However in today's society it is more wise to stand out from the herd. Why? How else will someone recognize you in a sea of others like you like a sea of artists at an art fair that goes on forever? Or perhaps if someone types in the key words "black and white photography" into a search engine? Scary thought, right? It doesn't have to be. The best way to learn how to stand out is know what others in your field are doing. This means doing some actual research and seeing how others designed their booth display at art fairs or how some design their websites. It isn't about being obnoxious with loud, offensive colors or music, but what your display (or even website) say about your work. Having just the right balance of colors (two to three is right on), the booth space look like a gallery vs. a junky garage sale, and with everything being neat and inviting (with nice lighting for instance) - these are the basic necessities for standing out at an art fair. There are some great books and articles (even past blog posts I have done) if you want to go further into this subject regarding merchandising and booth display as well as website design too, but just don't have enough time for discussion in this blog post. The key is always know what your competition is doing and using your own personal style or touch to make yourself stand out in the crowd.

Next time we convene, we'll get into the "I" words. I hope you have been able to get a lot out of this ABC of Doing Art Fair series. If you enjoy it, why not subscribe to the RSS feed if you haven't. This way as soon as a new blog post comes out, it will be immediately available to you to read. I encourage comments and questions too - don't be afraid to ask anything - as long as it is related to art fairs and the like using the comment button below as well as rate the post as to whether you thought it was helpful or not. It's simple and doesn't take more than 2 seconds to do. Thanks for reading and hope your future art fairs will be successful ones! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicals.com

ABC's to Selling at Art and Craft Fairs - H is for Hard

2011-12-23T22:03:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all again and just in time to wish you a Merry Christmas - 2 days and counting at least. Just as we all have wrapped up the art fair season, it is easy to slip in the ahhh stage of finally being able to put one's feet up and sigh and perhaps enjoy the holidays (after playing catch up with decorations and so on). With that being said now through the beginning of January is when we all start looking back on what worked and didn't work this past year as well as pushing towards applying to more shows come the new year. It is amazing how the cycle really doesn't end, right? Well, I believe we all can come to the agreement that the life of an art fair craft artist is hard which brings me to our today's H word of the day - Hard. There is a twist... "hard", in today's blog post, will encompass a few variations.

Hard work. Enough said, right? Well, there is more to it. Aside from the normal creating of the art and setting up (and selling) at shows there's the behind the scenes stuff that some artists forget that also takes hard work. There's marketing, taking care of one's health, staying organized, and finding time to stay current (as in doing research in making your art better than your competition). When you think about it - going to shows and selling is the easy part because finding time to get to the doctor for a routine check up or even taking the time to having a healthy meal is not easy. How about staying organized - ever seen an organized workshop? Right now I am typing at a desk that is piled with papers that need to be filed as well as catalogs that need to be sorted and either tossed or set aside in the "keeper" file. With regard to marketing - taking the time to post news on which art fair you will be in a week via your art business facebook page, send out thank you emails to recent people who bought from you (at an art fair), and updating your website (or even start a website) is all apart of marketing - yes, hard work there too. What is the answer? You have to make time and there is no time like the present. For example, get up 10-15 minutes earlier to get started working 10-15 minutes early and use that time to file a few papers or post something new on your facebook page. Start weening yourself from distractions - facebook games, tv shows, etc. Take the time to keep your work organized when closing up after a show to be more prepared the next time you get ready for a show - for example label totes/boxes, use folding crates, or line up your fully pack display and work before taking it to the car for easy loading. If you go by the saying, "work smarter, not harder" you will find being an artist doesn't have to be hard work.

Hard decisions. There are a lot of decisions to make as an artist - which shows to do, what to say to potential customers, and how to price ones work comes to mind. Some of these decisions can really make or break your business too. The best thing to do, when faced with a tough decision is sit on it for 24 hours. It is after those 24 hours you will see a clearer path to take. Another way to help make a tough decision is to use your gut. For example, if you receive an application but there is a lack of important information to make a reasonable decision, use your gut and common sense to help you make the right choice. Above all, when it comes to hard decision, you can learn from bad choices that might not pan out.

Hard ball. Craft artists are generally lovable and easy to get along with, however there are times we do have to play hard ball. One example, a neighboring artist starts to encroach on your own booth space and you are forced to confront them about the issue. Another example is dealing with competing artists in your medium by letting customers know YOUR work is a better choice and an "expert" in your field moveover your competition. There are times we have to play hard ball - act strong and aggressive with an issue with someone. As a reminder, playing hard ball doesn't mean you have to be arrogant or difficult, but someone who refuses to be bullied and not a push over to command respect.

As we start planning for the New Year I hope these tips will make it easier for you to deal with all the hard stuff us craft artists have face on a day to day basis. Please, share this blog with others. I can't wait to meet back here again to cover even more words on our journey through the alphabet when doing art fairs!

Michelle Sholund, - www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - H is for Holiday's and Happiness

2011-12-12T23:08:00.005-05:00

Ah December... the month of finishing up art and craft fairs, working on holiday orders all while doing our own shopping and decorating our homes for family and guests for Christmas and other holidays this time of year brings. Oddly enough, my timing must be getting better as our latest ABC of Doing Art Fairs blog series has brought us to the letter H. Two words that come to mind when thinking about art fairs as well as December are Holiday's and Happiness.

Holidays. Note that I said holidays - not Christmas (as it doesn't start with H - ha ha) but holidays. Many craft artists focus on Christmas (Hanukkah and so on), but ignore all the others. Independence Day, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day are just a few other holidays craft artists should not disqualify so quickly. Despite the grumbles about how bad the economy is, let us not forget all people are not affected. Those with jobs - and there are folks with secure jobs out there - these are the people you should be marketing to. With that being said, those who have money to spend do so on not just gadgets but home decor and art. Now, don't interpret this as "are you telling me now I should paint fireworks" just to do something for Independence Day? No. However, getting into the spirit of various holidays, is my point. No one said you can't offer a discount on prints, scarves, jewelry etc. that have red, white, or blue in them, right? Perhaps offering photos of flowers at a slight discount over your other art work at art fairs leading up to Mother's Day (let's face it photos of flowers last longer!) or even decorating your booth with flowers for Mother's Day plants the seed "hmm, perhaps I can find something for mom in this booth." Since we're on the topic of Mother's Day new mom's are a great target as they only want the best for their new born - nice baby furniture, blocks with their names, baby blankets, knowledge on how to be the best mom, picture frames, etc. Let's face it though, Mother's Day encompasses all mom's - grandmothers, step-mom's, even mom's who aren't with us anymore. Just think of all the possibilities out there that artists can help others honor one's mothers legacy not just one day a year but all year long. This could mean giving a free packet of wild flower seeds, or a nicely packaged tea bag given to those who purchase something from you. You will be remembered when they go to use these generous freebies. They'll act by visiting your website, email you, and buy from you again because of your generosity. Seriously take a look at what you do and find one - just one way you too can work with different holiday's to help keep your business going all year long.

Happiness. I have said this often... If you are not happy doing what you are doing, then why the hell are you doing it? It bugs me that when I do art fairs and encounter grumpy craft artists (let's leave the customers out of this topic for now...) I frequently over hear them complain about not making ten times their booth fee or the arrogant tone in their voice answering the proverbial question of how long it takes to make their art. If making your art, talking to people about your art, and selling art is not fun, let's face it you're doing it wrong. Ok, I will take the fact that it isn't easy talking to all kinds of people from all walks of life about your art - it gets repetitive and boring. I will even take the fact that selling - the mere setting up and breaking down and selling in all kinds of conditions can easily try anyone's patience. Of these two we do understand it is just apart of the business and at the end of the day still pretty darn happy we are our own bosses and still get to do what we want to do. However, if you find making your art a chore, leaving you frustrated (as perhaps the creative well is drying up???), or just plain disinterested, then why not do something that will make you happy? Far too often people are afraid of trying something new, but the best medicine is just that - trying something new - a new sales pitch, a new booth display, a new art form or even a new method of working in the one you currently are involved in could bring new happiness into your art and your life. Testing out new possibilities could lead to different types and more profitable art fairs or tweaking your work to target a different audience that could be better suited to your work are just two possible outcomes that can come from just a little bit of change. Ultimately, when it comes to happiness, people instinctively gravitate to those who are bubbly, smile often, are polite, and offer words of encouragement - are these not qualities you seek in a friendship too? Artists who are happy are the ones who find success - scratch that! Success finds them. Happy artists are memorable and get noticed - people talk about them to others via social networks (such as become fans via facebook), brag to their friends "you have to come over and see this amazing glass bowl I got from this most interesting artist I met an art fair this past weekend" and most importantly become your fans for life, buying from them again and again. The funny thing about happiness is, it is a choice. You can wake up each day and choose to be grumpy or be happy. You have the choice to give in to laziness or be motivated to get into the studio and start a new piece of art. Art is good for the soul and will bring you much happiness if you let it.

During this time of year, I do wish you are able to find the time to sit back and relax and take to heart what this time of year is all about.... Until the next blog post, may you find much success at your future art fair and tell your friends all about this blog so they too may find success too! - Merry Christmas, Michelle Sholund www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - G is for Grade and Gift Wrap/Bags

2011-11-21T08:42:00.001-05:00

Good morning and happy early Thanksgiving to all! If you are like me, doing art fairs a number of weekends leading up the holidays you'll start to enjoy Mondays - a time to get back to normal and breathe from the chaotic goings on over the weekend. On this Monday I want to get back into the ABC's blog series and today cover more G's - Grade and Gift Wrap.

Grade. Ever get surveys, say in your email inbox to rate a store's performance you shopped in moments ago or or use Yelp or Zagat? Sure, some of us ignore them, but from those who do share their thoughts taking a survey - those businesses involved often learn a lot about themselves. From the customers perspective a store owner can learn everything from what they think of the neatness of the shop, if customers things they are getting a good value to customer service. When was the last time you graded your craft businesses? Never? Just once? Most business owners - craft or not - have an inflated idea of how their business is rated among others in their field. Nearly everyday I see a sign for a restaurant saying something like "The Best Pizza In Town", and then say to myself, "Really? Have you ever tasted your pizza? Maybe 5 years ago your pizza was good, but Antonio's.... now they have THE BEST pizza..." Needless to say, you must often grade how your craft business performs - in the workshop and at shows and leave your pride at the door! The biggest way anyone can compete in today's rough economic times is by offering great quality products. Ask yourself, is the quality of my art consistent? If a buyer ordered 10 of one piece, that is supposed to be exactly the same, would each be exactly the same? If you offer unique one of a kind work - say diachronic glass pendants - would one the size of 1 inch be the same price as one that is 2 inches in diameter? What about pricing - how would you grade your pricing of work? Is it fair to what others offer? Is it drastically low (if it is your customers maybe suspicious as to the quality of your work)? How about your display - how would you rate your display? Is it plain, messy or flat or is it inviting, well lit, with prices clearly marked? Another question to ask yourself is how easy is it for people to find you? Do you have a website (if so how would you grade that)? Do you have business cards with email addresses and phone numbers and give them out to customers at shows (and don't forget at doctor's offices, hair salons, people you meet at grocery stores, church or family functions, etc.)? Last, but not least (as there are more points to which things can be graded) how would you rate yourself as an artist and sales person? Are you open and willing to listen to criticism or suggestions? Mind you, you don't have to accept all suggestions. Do you find ways to hone your skills by taking classes taught by others in your field regarding better techniques of doing your art form? In the realm of sales, do you listen to podcasts (which are free) regarding marketing and sales techniques or read books on the topic? In other words - are you growing as an artist and business person or find yourself struggling and possibly defeated due to trying to consistently force a square peg through a round hole every chance you get? When you honestly grade your craft business you will be able to pin point what is really causing the problematic issues all the while give you insight on how to over come those issues.

Gift Wrap/Bags. Nothing can be more impressive than the use of gift wrap and stylish gift bags when customers buy your art. At every art/craft fair I do (this past weekend was no exception), someone uses an old plastic grocery store bag for a customers purchase. One time I bought a piece of jewelry (a set of earrings) and the jewelry artist put it in a - hold on to your seats... a black plastic doggie poop bag (un-used of course). It is tacky. You wouldn't want a juicy steak cooked to perfection plated on a stinky, used trash can lid, would you? Believe it or not when you put a little effort in your gift options you will find customers will talk. Talk in the sense that the buyer can't wait to show their friend, also at the show, "look at what I just got..." with the friend admiring the packaging and quickly responds with '"where was that exhibitor?". You can choose from jewelry boxes, organza bags, affordable paper and plastic gift bags, boxes with your logo/business name on it... There are a great number of places that offer gift bags and such like Nashville Wraps and Bags and Bows and Paper Mart and are far more affordable than if you went to your local party supply place or craft supplies shop. Just try it! You may find the next time someone is indecisive about buying your work and you show the buyer all purchases come in this wonderful "gift bag" for free, it will be just the reason to get them to buy (because in their mind they might be thinking, "well, now I will have to buy a bag or gift wrap to give this to their friend - but now I don't! I'll take it!")

I believe I have exhausted the G's. Next time we convene - in 1 weeks time - we''' move onto the H's. I have a couple of H words up my sleeve guaranteed to help you on your way to be more successful! May you have a great Thanksgiving and achieve great success at your next art fair! - Michelle Sholund (www.bythebaybotanicals.com, Twitter: @MichelleSholund, mksholund@gmail.com)

ABC of Doing Art Fairs - G is for Gravy and Gestures

2011-11-06T12:25:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to the ABC's of doing Art Fairs! This is a BUSY time of year with more art fairs you can shake a stick at, right? Now is the best time to start tuning in to this blog or other educational art business resources. It is with great hope this blog is a regular one for you as the advice I provide is free, comes from years of my own experience, and from the heart as I would love to see the art field grow and thrive midst a hurting economy. It is hard wearing the hat of the artist and business owner, not to mention take time to learn some of this stuff (especially since much of it can't be learned in a classroom), but hopefully as we go through the alphabet we'll be more efficient, save money as well as make more money by the time we get to Z.

Today I am tackling the words Gravy and Gestures. Very unusual words, right? But I can tell they are important. Here's why...

Gravy. As a perfectionist, it's easier said than done to NOT sweat the small stuff. Mind you there's a good book on this very topic too. But when it comes to focusing - albeit setting up at a show or in production mode - so many artists get wrapped up in the details that they forget the big picture. For example, the goal is to think beyond getting your art just right that neglect the look of your booth display, not making it look like a flea market stand. The idea of "gravy" is to focus on the main things and the rest is well... gravy (falls into place). Another example, have you ever wasted so much time trying to perfect one thing (a stitch, a design, cropping a photograph) that you have wasted way too many hours that could have been better spent doing something else? Or how about when at a show and you start setting up - distracted by all the things that need to get done - you find your storage boxes all over the place, one table set up and ready to go while the rest of your booth half done? One remedy is to recognize when you are bogged down with one item, put it down/aside and move onto another item/task - this way you can still get your work done and by the time you come to tackle the problem item you have a refreshed mind and see a simple answer right in front of you. Let alone, still have all the items on your to do list completed. When it comes to setting up, unload all your stuff first - don't start setting up as you get things to your booth. Next, set up your tables, shelves, etc. Finally organize your storage boxes/tubs by area you are going to set them up and then - and only then, start setting up the rest of the stuff. This plan alleviates rearranging furniture multiple times when there are items on it (having to remove everything and then put it back up) as well as finding all your work too with out opening the same box over and over again. Sometimes labeling furniture helps such as FR for Front Right table/shelf to help save time. So, in other words get the core stuff done and the rest will be gravy.

Gestures. This is a word that has two meanings and will be covering both.

Hand/Communication Genstures. When talking with people, at a show or even video taping yourself if you do so for your website or YouTube, many people find using hand gestures as a great way to communicate. Open handed motions instead of point to show where a certain area of your booth is is just one example. Another is to pick up items and show how they can be functional. People can also read your emotions if you cross your arms, stand with your hands in your pockets, or even if you don't make eye contact. The same goes for video taping yourself - nothing can be more boring than a straight forward video of someone just talking to you about whatever topic you choose to discuss. Move around, use your hands, etc. and you will find your audience will be more captivated and warm up to you.

Gestures of Kindness. Simple, random gestures (acts) of kindness not only can improve your mood, but others too. This could come in the form of advice (start a blog), sharing knowledge (teach - both students or customers), donations - of art or free time, a helping hand, watching someones booth while the owner takes a bathroom break, holding the door for someone carrying a large load to their booth, listen to feedback not argue about it... The key thing with kind gestures is you do it because you want to NOT because you think you will be rewarded for it. I find this topic to be particularly important when talking about art fairs because it boils down to good vs. bad manners. The kinder you are to those you encounter (before, during and after a show) directly affects the way you do business and the results you deserve.

I challenge all my blog readers to give a bit of feedback. Have any of you tried any of these suggestions? What has worked? What hasn't? Until the next blog post, continuing with more G words, tell me what you think of this blog post or others. Don't be afraid to share this blog with others, by printing it and sharing a copy with those who you think could benefit from the advice given! Leave comments at the bottom of this blog or email me at mksholund@gmail.com - I welcome all feedback! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs Blog Series - F is for Frustration and Firm

2011-10-10T12:13:00.003-04:00

I am really looking forward to Monday's (and Tuesday's if I can't get to the blog Monday) as it is you and me time. Time for us to go over what we've learned and to look back on past shows, maybe one this past weekend or get back into the studio to create more awesome art work all the while thinking about how can I be a better artist, salesperson and business owner. One tip, that is off the topic of F's is this... I have been listening to some great audio books on marketing, leadership, social media and so on. One of the best I think all should at least check out are two by Gary Vaynerchuk - both are good but the one I am currently listening to is The Thank You Economy, his second book and most recent one. While Bruce Baker's CD's are great - I find them to be outdated as they don't talk about marketing in the sense of what is going on right now - his stuff is stuck in the 1990's - we're now 20 years in the future. However a good place to start and open your eyes to how to better yourself in the art/craft world is now. Gary takes his life experience as a young entrepreneur and takes you on an in-your-face pep talk on how anyone with an idea can make money by branding yourself and gives you tools and ideas on how to hone your own skills so you too can find success. Upon listening you might not see - this is not about art, but the tips he shares is universal no matter how you want to make money and get ahead of the others... Sounds captivating, right? I am not in no way affiliated with him, but if you want to know something that I like to use as a resource, that is one. Now on to the more important stuff - more F words.

Frustration. It seems more often than not frustration levels at shows run high for artists. Frustration about vendor parking, inconsiderate neighbor artists and then frustrations we get from customers asking the oddest questions.   Maybe the word should be annoyed, but on second thought, frustration is the result of all these annoyances rolled up until you burst. The key is not letting it get to the point where you burst. Really good waiters and waitresses, sales people, and others who work in a stressful job are able to identify the triggers before they burst but find ways to let go and move on before it affects their next customer, etc. As artists selling at shows or answering the phones even, we should take a page from this book. Having a bad set-up, albeit getting to a show late or annoyed you have to truck your items in a short amount of time and now feel exhausted (and yes frustrated) you can't take that out on your customers, neighbor artists, or even the promoter (especially when others can see you fly off the handle). When you are in a public place - EVERYONE can see you and form an instant opinion of you as the girl/guy who you just don't want to buy from or be associated with. I find the best remedy is take a 2-5 minute break and go for a walk, or if you can't take a break, close your eyes and slowly count to 10 taking deep breaths in between numbers. All the little things will be insignificant at the end of the day and 1-2 months you just might forget why you were so hot over the situation in the first place. Above all, the last thing you want is for situations where your frustrations get the best of you to get out of hand - not have any sales that day, get kicked out of a show because you can control your temper or actions, or do something you will most definitely regret later on. It isn't worth it.

Firm as in Be Firm. Being firm equals gaining respect. I have seen some craft artists at shows that have already given up right off the bat - all of this here is 25% off or end of the show sale, 50% off. Some of you might be gasping at this notion - people really do this? But I have seen it am appalled because it tells me THEY don't even have much respect for their own work that they even think it is not worth the original asking price. Being firm means standing your ground and not budging. "Yes, that stoneware serving plate is $24, but all of my stoneware is dishwasher and microwave safe - you can even bake with it!" "The price of my jewelry is higher than most but that is because I use 24K gold findings and I make all of my jewelry by my own hand and they are my own design. Notice how all are one of a kind too?" While humor and being casual helps break the ice, when it comes to making sales, you need to command respect to set the tone of how YOU want the sale to go.   While making friends is great at a show, it isn't the main reason you are at an art fair. It is to sell sell sell. Maybe we can relate to some people as they might not be able to afford the one thing they love that you make, but suggesting something more affordable is one good way of handling things. Do not give in to the.. "well what if I give you $45 not $60?.." Come back and say "If it was worth $45 I would price it as $45, but this isn't a swap meat or Wal-Mart - this is an art fair. This is my craft made by me, a true artist - not a manufacturing plant in China. I get it - my art isn't for everyone, but those who do appreciate good quality work don't think twice about my prices because they know I don't use cheap materials and these prices are very competitive to others who I admire and also work in my medium." It is at that point you turn away from that person and help the next or work on some other busy work. It is at that point they will either accept the challenge and buy it or inquire more about your work or walk on to the next booth. Either way, you have made a sale or weeded out the not-so-serious buyer. The best thing result over that dialog is having others over hear what you say and then either say, that guy/gal was rude, I really think your work is worth the prices - they must have not seen the prices of other potter in this festival (then buy) or get others to question, what's the difference between your materials than others that makes your work more valuable? Thus opening the door to more sales. Hear the respect in these voices - you being firm in your dialoge, prices, etc. gains other's respect. And in today's world - respect is something that is hard to earn and VERY valuable.

Here's a personal story I have to share about frustration. For those who don't know, I work part-time at a store where that sells a wide variety of items - a lot handmade within the state. More often than not customers come in, like an item and then ask, I like this "wine glass", is this the best you can do?"   At the store we do occasionally offer coupons to entice people to come to the shop and have a weekly sale on one item maybe once a month, these folks seem to not get that concept assuming if they simply ask, they can get what they want. To those people I have to say, "I think there is a coupon in the paper for "xyz" but I don't believe it is on the wine glasses. I am sorry". They might press the issue saying can't I make an expcetion, they might not. But there are times I just want to shake them silly and say, "where has that ever worked - liking something and then asking for a discount just because you like the item, but stingy to not buy it?" I do not say that - for the record, but I do think it! At the store about once a week we also get people asking "well, I am with "xyz" charity, needing to put something together for a raffle that is due tomorrow, if I buy 3 sets of 5 different items, can you give me a deal on that?" My response is one of two... 1) Me: "Unless you buy in multiples of 50 or more, then we can give you a discount..." Customer: "But I don't need 50 of one thing..." Me: "In order to get a discount like that you have to have a large volume of items to warrant a discount. (this does happen with wedding favors and such - the store can give a discount on that). Three sets of 5 different things isn't enough." The customers usually understands this. 2) Me: "Do you have any paperwork showing that you are with a xyz organization requesting help with a donation? We need something to prove you are from the organization so we can have it for our records. We do get a lot of requests like yours and while we do support the activities going on in our community, we can't afford to help everyone." Customer: "No but I have a flier" Me: "If you can't provide us what we need, and a flier isn't sufficient, then unfortunately I can't help you today in giving you a discount." Most of the time they will buy anyway, thinking well it couldn't hurt to ask. However my frustration is, in my book, it isn't charitable if it doesn't "hurt" the person donating the items, yet hurting us, the people giving them a deal and do not get any credit for it. For instance, when it comes to tithing at church I personally don't go around to businesses saying I need to tithe $20 this week can you give me $5 to help me? Donating is a sacrifice to you to show you are passionate about wanting to help a charitable non-profit organization - not anyone else, unless they too share the same passion. Morale of the story... It is ok to say no when circumstances call for it - for instance if it hurts you as a business or goes against your morals.

Now that's a lot of food for thought. Next time, I think we'll move away from the F's and go to the G's. I have a few G words I want to get into ... but until then, I hope you all have a productive day and find success at your next art/craft show! Michelle, www.bythebaybotanicals.com Email: mksholund@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter - @MichelleSholund

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - F is for Free and Fabulous!

2011-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

Bartering for a glass vase

F is for Free and Fabulous

Welcome back to another blog post on the ever entertaining and knowledgeable look at the ABC's of Doing Art Fairs. I am betting things are pretty hectic for all who are doing art fairs now or gearing up for more as the holidays come swiftly around the corner. Just yesterday I was at a street/park craft fair, one that I had sold at in the past, but just wanted to go and explore and shop this time around. Here in Maryland we had some pretty hot days but this weekend it was cold (in the 50's) and rather damp (with off and on rain showers). I thought it was perfect weather for an art and craft show - no blistering sunshine and sweating beyond control! So, as we proceed with Fall shows here's a few more words - F words - to ponder over.

Free. Some may view free as a happy word, but among artisans, it can strike fear. Free can mean things like free shipping or samples from suppliers (welcomed words which equal savings!), however if you put "art fair customers" and "free" in the same sentence, we can get nervous. At fairs I often get the "well what can you do for me? Don't you have a sale like those other candle places of Buy 1 candle get a 2nd FREE?" Or have you had some customers even ask if you have FREE samples? I have. Why? Perhaps there is invisible writing on my forehead that only customers can say asking "please ask me what is free".

It is ok, and nearly expected, to bargain at say flea markets, antique shows, yard sales, or ask for freebies at expos. Those same people believe art fairs bleed into that realm too. Not many people realize this is frowned upon in the art fair world. There are polite ways to educate customers about this. I have been known to say, "I wouldn't be surprised that some people here might offer a sale, but, for me, I really can't afford to have sales as I purposely price my work to be competitive with others in my field. Don't you think my work is affordable considering I do make everything here and while materials have gone up, I haven't changed my prices, ever? I understand every one is pinching pennies - including myself, but when it comes to the price of true, handcrafted art I might not be able to put a sale price on my work, I can say not one person has ever been disappointed on the quality of my work. My standards are very high as you can see with this piece... (and start pointing out features that makes my work stand out from others)" It is hard to not have the knee jerk reaction to some suggestions of discounts and freebies. Do come down to their level, understanding by relating to their plight - hoping to save a few dollars on something that they honestly like (but having a hard time justifying purchasing) and then counter offering their plea with a reason to buy it will be enough to get them to see the light and buy at your asking price. People do understand the value of quality over quantity - sometimes we just have to remind them of that. Be the person who talks about how your watches "keeps on ticking" and do not tarnish or why your soaps help repair dry skin all the while stays smelling nice. Mention things like how your paintings or photographs are UV protected or that you can adjust the sizes of your jewelry at any time for free, or gift wrap is complimentary with each purchase.

But then I digress. Free doesn't always have to be negative when it comes to giving something away. When I make my candles, I sometimes misjudge and melt too much wax. Instead of wasting it, I pour 2-3 tea light candles. When I get about 100 I use it as advertising. Using small clear jewelry plastic bags, I put one of my business cards in it with a tea light and give them away at shows. I chalk it up as an advertising expense - giving my business cards added value. Not everyone can do this, but I can see a photographer could make up small stickers of a simple photograph and give it to kids who enter or walk by your booth. Now they are walking advertising especially if you include your website on the sticker. If you find you throw something away, look at it in a new light to see how you can make it a "freebie" to a customer. You may find that this form of advertising is not only affordable but very effective too. Hurray for free - it doesn't have be a bad word!

Fabulous. This is a great word to keep close in your vocabulary as fabulous should be something you use often to describe your work and your attitude! Fabulous isn't fine, ok, or good.... it is beyond wonderful! To some, it is better than you can ever imagine! When talking to customers it is the goal to always use positive upbeat words to keep the mood of your booth and the customers happy. The "yes, I agree too", "how lucky are we to have such wonderful weather!", or "I am so glad you like my work, that really warms my heart." are all perfect examples of happy dialog. Throw in fabulous and then see how possible buyers open up! "Isn't this just a fabulous day?!". "Please come on in my booth to get a far better view of this fabulous handcrafted work I create in my studio not far from here!" "I can't believe how that pin matches you jacket so fabulously!"

Also, fabulous is a reminder of why you are an artist in creating unique works of art as well as being a good confidence booster. Most artists are bashful or humble when it comes to talking up ones work, but treating your art/craft as a fabulous piece of art brings the focus back to you. Don't ever forget that YOU and only YOU made this - what a rare gem YOU are! Next time you are done setting up at a fair, look at your accomplisments - through the eyes of a customer. Admire your hard work because today there will be people standing in that very spot who loves or is moved so much by your work, they are going to buy it and show it off to others! Too often we are so busy working going from one piece to the next, there isn't time to enjoy the finished masterpieces. At the same time remember the feeling of that accomplishment, the way you feel at that moment being able to accomplish something only a few can do (artists in your field I mean), and let that help you be more confident in talking and selling your work at art fairs.

Wow! Now those are some powerful words! We are still going to continue with more F words, but until next time I hope you have a productive week and profitable weekend at your upcoming art fairs. Before I sign off, I ask if you find people at shows, friends, etc. that could benefit from this advice, please turn them onto this blog - www.quickcraftartistttips.blogspot.com. Thanks a bunch and as always feel free to comment and rate this post via the blog website or give me buzz via my email address, mksholund@gmail.com - Michelle Sholund, www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art and Craft Fairs - F is for First and Fun

2011-09-20T07:52:00.001-04:00

Good morning (or good evening - whatever the case may be...) I hope you are well and taking the time to relax, even if it is just a minute between doing shows. In this blog series, The ABC's of doing art and craft fairs, we've made it to the letter F. Since there are a lot of words that start with this letter - that are appropriate to this blog, a-hem... I wanted to tackle two rather important ones - First and Fun. First. While some might not see it as important to be "first" - first to get a deal, first to arrive and set-up at a fair, or even first to make a sale - the idea of being the first helps set a tone or even standard. Just think all the companies trying to be the first at presenting a revolutionary item - Apple is one of these companies we all should take a lesson from. You too can be first though. Strive being the first at an art fair ready to receive customers. You may find you will be one of the "first" to make a sale and attract more people. The same with being the first to offer something different - offering something that is high quality, yet more affordable - photographers offering postcards (don't you already get comments on how postcard perfect your work is?), or funky knitted socks for those who often knit shawls or sweaters or hats. Take a good look at what you do and ask yourself, how can I be the first, at something, too? Those who say "The early bird catches the worm" really does have something there. Fun. I always think the moment you find doing art fairs or creating art isn't fun anymore is a sure sign that you are either doing it wrong, burnt out, or simply need a break. Granted it will never be fun to have a hurting back hauling art to your booth or even having a bad sales day or correcting customers over the purpose of your work. However, those you find the silver lining will find the energy to keep going and can't wait to do so. Just last weekend I did a Seafood Festival which offered everything - arts and crafts, contests, cooking demos, live music, etc. That doesn't sound bad, right? The bad thing is it is an outdoor festival and prior to the event we had 5 straight days of rain where much of the state was flooded - the grounds for the event had minimal flooding. So much so, that come set up there were still 2 inches of rain everywhere in the art and craft area. Many thought the event should be canceled. I was concerned getting my items to my space as not only was there rain there was lots of mud and we really couldn't pull up to our spaces (mind you there weren't any volunteers to help schlep items to your booth either). Let's say everyone was angered is an understatement - it brought down the mood of all artist/crafts people, not to mention wondering how festival goers will get to us - the farthest point in the festival and then walk around in big mud puddles and swampy areas. Yes, the festival was NOT fun, but I took it upon myself to make it better - despite the recs and parks rangers not allowing straw, I did buy cedar chips and put it on the ground in my area and put carpets on top of that. It helped make the area smell better - masking the stench of stagnant water. Doing so allowed people to come into my space, shop and buy. If I didn't do that, they wouldn't have entered. (Just think most people hug aisles anyway, giving them relief for their feet was a great idea). Joking about the situation was good too - while all other exhibitors were grumpy, comparing the height of mud on peoples feet as if there were war scars plus focusing the attention on the reasons they took the trek to the art booths - the art, also helped. Granted, not every show is like that, you must find ways to make a show fun. Customers see it and gravitate to those who are smiling, engaging customers, and often buy from them. If a show doesn't have a lot of artists - take the time to meet and greet fellow artists and talk about future shows and what their best shows were like (not focusing on the negative). You may find a new best friend this way. For those who suffer from aches and pains - get a pedicure where you can sit for 30 minutes in a massage chair - its the best $20-25 you'll ever spend. This goes for guys too - you don't have to get the toesies painted, but tending to calluses and trimming toe nails is apart of good foot health - after all your on them a lot! You never know, you might find it fun! There are many ways to have fun, but the moment you find you are not having fun - reevaluate what you are doing and find ways to get back to that child-like sense of wonder, ready to face a challenge, and have fun with it. This isn't the end of the F's - there is more to come. Feel free to suggest additional words - whether it is an F or Z by emailing me at mksholund@gmail.com or using the comment section of the blog. Until we meet again - have fun and may you find great success at your future art/craft fair! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Art Fairs - Letter E: Entertainment

2011-09-05T11:21:00.000-04:00

Hoping you are doing well with the crazy weather occurring all over the country. Rain, flooding, high winds, hurricanes, earthquakes - makes you think about a lot of things, perhaps how to weather any type of "storm" that could affect a business such as a art/craft business?? As I am in the preparation stage of doing art fairs this Fall, bad weather is always on the mind and preparing for the worst is probably the best thing anyone can do. Over the past few weeks I have been attending Renaissance Faires (as a part of my other hobby - podcasting, www.therenfestexperiencepodcast.com) and have taken particular attention to how the "booths" at those fairs are similar as well as different from art fair type booths. This inspired today's topic with the letter E - Entertainment. Entertainment. Have you noticed the more and more you sell at fairs there is an entertainment factor that is more expected now than ever before? I am not talking about juggling or doing cart wheels, but in order to engage customers there has to be element of entertainment? While I think some artists do believe their art will sell itself, with little or no interaction with the customer. I do think some are wising up, realizing in order to sell art there has to be something more. The question then is how can art be entertaining and should it be? When it comes to entertaining on both accounts, whether you're an artist (photographer, painter, jeweler...) or craft person (furniture maker, candle maker or soap maker, knitter...) I think it boils down to showing and talking about how you became and artist, developed your techniques, why you love art, etc. This was evident when watching a glassblower demonstrating making a glass vase while at The Minnesota Renaissance Festival. The owner of Oulu Glass demonstrated and talked about how long he's been a glass blower, the dangers, how temperature affects forming glass, how to incorporate color, the art of blowing... this all captured the imagination and awe of over 20 people huddled together. You felt like you are apart of the art, albeit you didn't create it - that to me is one of the best ways to create entertainment. Another example is from a game maker of MacGregor games, who not only sells his own historical games (some made on cloth and played with dice and other accessories), but sits with you and shows you how to play the games too. Not everyone buys, but edu-taining - educating and entertaining - does create an everlasting experience that you will remember years from now, not to mention tell your friends, and more often than not - come back and buy. How can you make entertainment work for you when at a show? Here's an exercise to help steer you in the right direction. Everyone has a talent, a story, etc. If a t.v. show producer contacted you today wanting to do a show on you and your art, and give you complete creative freedom to do what you want, what would the show be about? A day in a life of being an artist? Show projects? Let your imagination run wild and jot down these ideas. One of those ideas you come up with, and with some tweaking, will be your own personal way of creating entertainment in your booth. For me, I am a hands on person - most customers are too. As a candle maker I encourage people to pick up a random candle (or help them find their favorite type of scent) and smell it then ask what the scent reminds them of? Already knowing scents are helpful in triggering old memories, playing on that helps connect a customer to my candles. Statistically speaking the more a person picks up something you sell, the more likely they will buy it. They are making the concious choice to learn more about what you make giving you the cue to tell them OR entertain them more. Photos work - especially the digital frames out now. Take photos of a work in progress, photos of your workshop - in all it's glorious mess - finished products (maybe before and afters??), childhood photos where you're creating art (this is great for adding humor)... and put that all in a digital frame. People of all ages do gravitate to visual entertainment such as this (simply because we are more wired that way - no one is ever idle anymore...), especially while a second person shops. I think digital frames are perfect for those who can't demonstrate at a fair or find themselves socially awkward. These are just a few of many examples of ways to entertain with art. What do you do to entertain your customers? All art has a story, what is yours? Next blog post we will move on to the F's and if you have any suggestions of words to cover - ask away. Contact me at mksholund@gmail.com or leave a comment at the bottom of blog posts. Thanks for reading and hope you have a great show weekend! - Michelle Sholund, www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - E is for Entrance and Energy

2011-08-22T08:46:00.005-04:00

Greetings once again. Today begins the E section of the alphabet as we move through the, well alphabet. With this tip and others, I hope this helps you on your own journey of being a successful art fair seller.

E is for Entrance - There is nothing more important than first impressions. Whether it is the first glance of your booth at a fair to even the homepage of your website you need to get them at the "hello"! Entrances to art fair booths should be free of clutter and open, bright and cheerful, and most of all clean - all elements I see in the photo above from Just Ware It. Many times when I walk a fair - and it is usually as soon as the fair opens - I often see boxes and totes still in the way preventing folks from understanding what it is you have to offer. Another thing that can be a real turn off is extending your booth out into the aisle, encroaching on other exhibitors space preventing others from seeing what your neighboring artisan offers. My thoughts on that is if you have so much stuff to bring that you have to house it on the outside of your booth - you are bringing too much especially if you can't keep it in storage containers (say under a table) or behind your booth. Another welcoming thing I am seeing more often at fairs are awnings and signs with booth names. Now that says a lot to me as it offers shade or shelter as well as mimics a cute shop on "Main St. - hometown" - that to me says professional! When it comes to your website - simplicity is key. A banner with your name at the top with your best photo of your work and a link or two to entice views to venture further into other parts of your site is all it takes to reel in potential online customers. This means pass on including music, frilly extras, and fonts that are hard to read. Lastly make sure the links within your site work!

E is also for energy! Think about this... would you shop in a store that is very dated (dated colors, carpet, etc.) that appears to lack love or would you enter a place of business where you see a lot of people coming and going that is bright and vibrant with lots to see? I would choose the "happy" business. The best way to create energy is to be passionate about what you make and show it. That means be on your feet, active (straightening up your display or demonstrating for example) and smiling if not greeting customers. Those who sit the whole time engrossed in a newspaper, texting or talking on the phone or not even present, are the ones who fail at this. At this very moment, on a piece of paper think of 3 things off top of your head that you could do to draw a crowd. Hint: Nothing draws a crowd more than seeing and hearing people converse. For me, it is good lighting, soft background music, and a simple freebie (albeit a mint, a business card, a sample of your work - I offer 1 tealight candle to the first 100 people who come into the booth) that people have to enter the booth to get. However, one of the biggest mood killers is the hoverer and telling a customer so much about your work that it is a turn off. Wait for a cue from your customers first then start telling them what other colors you offer, etc. otherwise you can talk a customer right out of a sale. I have had a lot of luck, when I found the right combination of elements to create good energy that at every show I get several people come back again that day bringing friends to see and buy things. When your work is that good and the atmosphere in your booth is just right that it compliments your work, you really have a win win success that often continues after the art fair is over.

Have a success story yourself? Share it here on this blog under the comment area. Don't forget to rate the blogs too. When we meet again, we'll be getting into the F's. Until then, have a great week and even more successful weekend at your next art fair. Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - The letter D Part 2 - Dreams

2011-08-11T08:53:00.002-04:00

Welcome back to the ABC's of Doing Art Fair Blog Series, a follow up to the 40 Questions Craft Artist Blog Series! Today I am continuing the advice with the letter D, focusing on Dreams.

Dreams. Artists live the American Dream creating and selling what they want in the hopes of supporting themselves and their family. The key is to not loose track of your dreams. So often we get bogged down in producing art, trying to please people, crunching numbers, finding and selling at shows that we often forget to step back and enjoy the accomplishments we make as artists. I believe 10 times out of 10 any given artist would take the worst day working for yourself over working a corporate job any day. There is freedom in being your own boss and tackling the challenges of running your own art/craft business. You get all the credit and all the money (minus expenses) and doing so is a real accomplishment.

Not only is it important to step back and enjoy the accomplishments, it is also important to keep dreaming. Running your own art/craft business doesn't end when you make a line of art, sell it and then it is over - it is a constant cycle. The challenge is to keep it interesting, not just for your customers, but for yourself. This could be exploring a new medium and possibly incorporating that in the medium you specialize in, attempt to add some seasonal art such as a Autumn leaf photographs for fall festivals or used in jewelry. Also, you should feel the push of doing things better - packaging things better, displaying your art where it is more visible and accessible, and most important learn - learn from or work with your peers. It is amazing what kinds of perspectives you find when looking at your work with a different set of eyes, not to mention other artists work. Seeing other artist's dreams or even hearing about their dreams often can inspire you to dream even bigger - perhaps start your own studio, branch out from doing art fairs and get your work recognized and into art galleries, etc. When it comes to dreams, don't limit them, but watch them grow.

Keep track of your dreams in journals or even sticky notes and put them around your work area - whether that is near a computer or your work shop and each day look them over. It helps you get through rough days or bring focus to what you really want to accomplish with your art. It is also, with dreams, you can build on them and create goals so you can achieve your dreams and if you want, expand those goals into a business plan. All that from a dream - neat right?

Come back where we'll be covering the letter E. Oh this will be good. Thanks for reading and if you know of others who could benefit from this - email this blog or share my website link www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com . It's free! If you need help in realizing your dreams, feel free to email me (mksholund@gmail.com), perhaps I can help! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - The letter D Part 1 - Debt

2011-08-03T09:17:00.005-04:00

Welcome back. Today we're working on the letter D in this advice/tip blog series going through the alphabet. I am going to dive head in with the biggest D word of all - DEBT. It is an awful word no one likes to talk about it - it might as well be an "F" word! Regardless the more you talk about it, the easier it is to take control and over come debt.

Plain and simple, debt happens when you spend beyond your means. There is such a thing as good debt and bad debt. Good debt includes college loans and mortgages. Why? Because going to college gives you a boost on getting better jobs (and better pay) and the know how to be successful in whatever career you choose. The same goes for homes - owning a home outright (or taking a mortgage on a home that you can afford) means you have assets and assets are a good thing because assets equals financial security. When risk going into debt items purchased can get repossessed and all the money you paid into things like cars... well, let's say easy come - easy go. It is better to save up money - and it is painfully hard to do, but once it is your's no one can take it away.

Then of course there is bad debt - which pretty much covers everything else - credit cards, loans, HELOC's etc. Let's face it, when it comes to owning your own art/craft business you may have to no choice but have some debt to pay for art fair spaces, equipment, a studio, supplies, are all things necessary to run a business. This can be done through either saving up - working a part-time or full-time job to build up your savings and buy these items as you go along or use a credit card and pay off the credit over time. While this type of credit card debt can be kept under control, it is when you constantly rack it up to the limit and feeling you need more credit cards is when you have a problem with debt.

Some tips on over coming debt are as follows:
1. Set-up a Budget. Look over your expenses and earnings for your business on top of what you pay yourself with each order/art fair. Determine how much on average you spend and save during that period of time as well as each month and set your average as your budget. Strive to never reach your limit and pay off a few more dollars than you set out to pay down your debt.

2. Only have 1 credit card. More than one may lead you down a dark path. Just because you can have many credit cards and good credit, it doesn't mean you should.

3. Pay off one credit card at a time - the one that has the highest interest rate. Paying off one at a time, if you have multiple ones, are like mini little victories to your goal of being debt free.

4. Having control over your debt looks really good to financial institutions when the time comes to take out a loan for say opening a brick and mortar gallery/shop. Showing you can be good with money can be a deciding factor in giving you a loan.

5. The goal for any business is to make money and consistently having debt and more of it shows one of two things - 1) you are not making a profit or 2) you are spending too much. If you are not making a profit, look at reasons why this could be - competition too stiff? You spend more time making art vs. selling it? The form of art isn't marketable and you need to think long and hard on how to change that? Are you keeping track of what money is coming and going? If you are spending too much, merely cut back!

6. Lastly, take control of your finances. The biggest reason people have a hard time getting out of debt is because they lack the ability to over see their own finances and get organized. Balance your check book and other accounts weekly. Be on top of your tax information - keep receipts and other paper work in an folder or binder for easy reference. Hire an accountant, it could be the best investment you will ever make as an accountant can help you also save money and make sense of the money coming in and out of your business giving more time for you to do what you love - making art.

I can admit I have debt. I use one credit card too. I have it to buy supplies and for travel expenses such as food, gas, etc. There have been emergencies like buying a new canopy to replace one that broke - life happens! Regardless, I am conscious of my debt and instead of planning how to spend money that comes in. I plan how to pay of debt and then make goals for when it is paid off. It is at this point it is good to have a financial business plan to not just track your progress with your debt, but put financial goals in motion to afford big purchases.

Have you gotten out of debt? Swimming in debt? Share your worries, ideas and suggestions for those who may be in debt via the comment button. More D words are to come, so until next time have a debt free day and hope you have a successful art fair! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - The letter C Part 4 - Customers

2011-07-30T12:52:00.004-04:00

Greetings once again. Having fun yet on this journey through the alphabet? Today I am finally wrapping up the C's. Today, is all about Customers - how customers have changed over the years, identify what your customers want, and how to make our customers feel special. Without customers we pretty much don't have a art/craft business. It is essential, as artists and sales people, to get in the minds of customers to know how to make a happy buying experience. After all we too are customers as well. The key is to see both sides of the coin to then know how to convert them to be loyal buyers.

Customers. Customers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and with many different interests. While demographics can tell a lot about customers regarding the basics, the one thing that has changed over the years is their different interests. There are more choices, options and ideas to choose from, making a customers job hard - leaving them with the biggest decision - what should I buy? A customers main objective is to buy something (a gift or necessity) for someone they know or for themselves. What is different today is the choices - there used to be Helman's and Miracle Whip in the mayo aisle, today there are many other brands - low fat, organic, generic, etc. With art, there weren't as many artists as we have now vying for attention at any given art fair. However with many artists it isn't just traditional watercolor paintings or stoneware mugs, we now have digital art, multi-media art, recycled art and thousands of different kinds of jewelry and that is just the tip of the iceberg. One thing is for sure, customers go to art fairs for good art, while the rest go for entertainment or as an escape from the everyday routine. The serious customers however, are attracted to the unusual, the edgy, the colorful (and sometimes non-colorful), and the unique. This is where you need to look at what you make and look at what your customers want and find the connection.

You need to know who your customers are. In the marketing world this is called your target marketing audience. Think commercials for a second - have you ever seen feminine hygiene products advertised during football games? When was the last time you saw commercials for kids toys during prime time dramas? Of course the topic isn't about commercials, but knowing who your average, typical customer is. Take a picture of your typical customer and have his/her photo in your workshop or by your computer to really keep focus. From time to time "ask" the picture if they would like your latest creation, price, etc. and come up with pros and cons of what he/she might say. If you make purses think about the average woman who buys purses and what they like in purses - do they small or big purses? What is the best material to use? Long straps? Is there a place to put an IPhone or smart phone? What about safety - would a zipper be better than simple snaps? This could go for any art or craft anyone creates. Always think about whether it is simple enough that it can be re-created, if it can they will. Also, think about what your typical customer's issues are and with your art, fix it. A lot of people love art, but more and more want it to be functional too giving added value to your art/craft. Without knowing who your typical marketing audience really is, you will never be able sell to them.

Another focus, when customers are concerned is how you treat your customers. I personally believe customer service is on death's door and the businesses that close up for good, isn't always about money, but how they treat their customers. If you ignore their wishes, are rude (and many never see themselves as rude), or just plain ignore them, you are hurting your business. Listening to suggestions from your customers about your art at a fair is one thing, but what about making them feel comfortable in your booth too. Have an extra chair - offer the seat to a person who has achy feet. Customer appreciation perks go a long way - giving loyal customers a discount (even if it is small) will make them come back for more as they feel as though they are apart of an elite few and you care that they choose you over your competition. Gift wrapping, using special gift bags, or offer a service of helping them with their purchase to their car also shows customers you are thinking of their needs. What about offering to fix any jewelry (like replacing a clasp) - on the spot (and having a sign by your check out area for instance saying so) while they shop in your booth is something that speaks volumes. The more you make customers feel special the more they will reward you.

I must ask, what have you done that makes customers keep coming back to you? Feel free to use our comment area of this blog to post your ideas and thoughts on this topic or others! I invite you to suggest ideas on future alphabet words or even if you need help with whatever art fair issues you are having trouble with. Of course come back in a few days to see what D words can help you at doing art fairs. - Michelle Sholund www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - The letter C Part 3 - Canopies

2011-07-26T21:38:00.004-04:00

Bear with me, there are more C words I just can't ignore. For instance canopies. So, before I tackle the D's, I want to take this blog post and cover canopies.

Canopies. This is a topic I go to frequently. Ok, maybe not frequently, but do come back to it from time to time. Why? It is a topic that doesn't get old and is changing. Changing because just when you think you have it all figured out, Mother Nature (or some other "thing") throws you a curve ball and then it is back to the drawing board. Here's my best advice when it comes to canopies.

1. Whether you think you need one or not - if you are doing to do outdoor fairs, you DO need one. At the same time, consider ways you can use it inside - for instance, using the frame work to mount lighting, create space guidelines for your neighboring artisans, or to set up side walls. Make it do double duty.

2. You get what you pay for! This bears repeating - you get what you pay for! The cheapest ones will fall apart on you - the simple pop-ups that generally come in tans, greens and blue tops. They are made of cheap aluminum metals which easily bend, bow and break at the slightest breeze, child playing, or customer leaning on a leg. When shopping for canopies - notice the metals and even more importantly - read reviews of canopies on multiple art/craft fair forums to help you make a wise decision.

3. Weigh them down! With becoming a canopy owner comes responsibilities. The biggest - weighing down your canopy. Some fill water jugs, use cement filled pvc pipe, others sand bags. Each leg should be weighted with at least 40 lbs. and hold up to 25-30 mile an hour winds or more. Why this "formula"? Think worse case scenarios - tornadoes, pop up summer thunderstorms, torrential rains then ask yourself, will my canopy still stand and hold its ground under any AND all conditions? If you don't test out your weighted canopy it could spell disaster, not just to your work, but your neighbors work because at every (or 9.5 shows out of 10) at least one canopy takes flight and comes crashing down, destroying that canopy and the work it happens to crash land on. Could you afford all that damage?

4. ALWAYS set-up your new canopy a couple of times at the comforts of your own home first - not when setting up at an art fair. This also seems to happen at every show I go to - a newbie artisan or person who just bought a new canopy to replace their broken one, decides to take it out of the box and try to figure out how to put it together - by themselves. Canopies can be put up by one person, but usually under good conditions and with practice. Granted there will be a need for a little help to pull apart a pop up to lock in the legs or raise a dome top canopy, but it isn't fair to have someone do it all for you when neighboring artists have their own set up to do too. Mind you there are "art fair angles" who don't mind helping, but still, don't bet on them being at every show you attend.

5. How to pick out the right one. First look at your work and figure out how many times a year you intend to use the canopy. If you are starting out and not sure if you are cut out for doing art fairs - albeit you find yourself bored, discouraged, moving onto something else, etc. - you may want to try a simpler, more cost effect model as it wouldn't be prudent to shell out $1000 for a canopy that might only be used once or twice. If you are in for the long haul - doing 3 - 4 shows a month, go higher end. I mentioned some qualities of the low end ones above, but higher end models tend to run at least $500 - $2000 depending on size and so on. Higher end canopies have steel legs and frames and very durable sides and tops. They weigh more, adding to their sturdiness as they are less likely to buckle under pressure or rip in a storm. Another thing to consider is going with the pointed top - like an EZ-UP, or domed top like a Trimline. Pointed top canopies don't take as long to set-up and collapse relatively easy easy transport and storage. The down fall is they are compared to parachutes as their design easily captures wind lifting them up and over. The domed canopies are more durable and are built to divert wind through the canopy to the other side, heavier, and do cost more.

I recommend checking past blog posts here on this blog, articles via Crafts Report Magazine and other art fair publications as well as artfairinsiders.com forums for more reference material on the topic of canopies. In case you are curious, I own a Trimline after having owned 4 different canopies in my 9 years of doing art fairs. I have had the Trimline for 2 years and love it. The first time setting it up was hard, but there are videos on how to do it and the company offers great add ons like stability bars, awnings, an extra leg to allow one person to set it up themselves, and more. My canopy has stayed up in one of the worst thunderstorms I have ever been in, while others around me were like twisted metal and "sheets". I also like that I never feel hot in my booth as they are white and there is a lot of ways for the air in the booth to escape.

In summary, each persons needs in finding the right canopy for them will vary. Do your homework first and don't buy the first one you see, you'll regret it. I have one more C word, which I will post Thursday or Friday morning, which is all about customers. It is after this one, on customers, that I will be moving onto the D's - honest! Feel free to contact me with any comments, suggestions, and ideas! - Michelle Sholund www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com , www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - The letter C Part 2 - C is for Cash/Credit and Confidence

2011-07-24T08:51:00.007-04:00

Here's some more C's words, as there are a lot of words that start with C that pertain to art and craft fairs and tips on how to make the most of them. (Photo by Andres Rueda - www.flickr.com/photos/andresrueda/ )

Cash/Credit. What can I say, cash/credit is essential when selling at an art fair. The most common question - regarding accepting cash is how much to take (especially those who are just starting out)? With any till - albeit a register, cash box or money apron, you need change for $20's and $50 dollar bills (not to mention coins - yes another C word). Since each artist offers a large array of prices, the amount of change can vary. As a rule of thumb though you don't want to have less than $25 in ones, less than $25 in fives, and less than $20 in tens. In most instances you should shoot for at least $100 in change ESPECIALLY if you are going to be doing a 2-3 day event. Change is important too as you have to figure in tax and so on. To be on the safe side $18 in change is wise - 1 roll of quarters, dimes and nickels and $1.00 worth of pennies works. Again this could vary so it wouldn't hurt to have extra $1's and $5's handy.

When it comes to credit cards - just do it. Many folks are wonder if it worth it - oh it is! According to creditcards.com statistics, as of January 2010 609.8 million Americans own credit cards - on average each person owns about 3 credit cards. Not to mention only 29% of American's claim they do not own one and that number is decreasing each year. Two main reasons people use credit cards? They are easy and convenient. Funny enough, customers want an easy and convenient experience when shopping. It is only advantageous - especially now with so many different options in accepting credit cards available - to start do so when selling at fairs. If you don't, you will - mark my words - YOU WILL LOOSE BUSINESS. Generally speaking, those who are 50 years old and under, who shop at art fairs, carries enough cash to pay for food, parking or admission fees and a little extra - approximately $20 extra. They intend to use credit cards for the rest of their purchases. The trend for those over 50 years old, they carry a combination of cash and credit for purchases. The bigger the price of art, the more they will pay with a credit card, especially for security reasons (no ones likes carrying hundreds of dollars knowing there is a risk that money could get stolen). There are smart phone aps, credit card machines and the old paper swipe machines that can be used. Shop around for what will work for you - many artists use either Square or Intuit services for their IPhone/IPads or other smart device as those companies do not have monthly fees, PCI fees, etc. - just a transaction fee. There are many companies out there - check on art fair/craft show forums for reviews of different credit card merchant services to pick out what is the best for you. Most important READ THE SMALL PRINT when doing your credit card merchant shopping too.

Confidence. What separates successful craft artists from those who quit is confidence. Confidence starts with believing in yourself, then believing in your work. Today's successful artists are the ones who work night and day always trying making art, trying to get their work noticed and then sold. Think of all those feel good stories of hardship and courage and the "... but through all of that hard work I knew I couldn't give up and look where that has lead me..." stories where the tales ends with a happy ending giving others the courage and confidence to "follow their dreams" too. When you are confident, you become focused and passionate about how you love being creative and creating something you love and can't wait to tell the world about it. Confident people carry themselves with a good posture and attitude, smile, are cheerful, not afraid of change and getting their hands dirty. If you find yourself worried, distracted, wonder if your work is good enough as others in your medium, etc. take a good look at yourself and of course your work. Ask yourself, is this the best piece of art I can make? What else could I do to make it better? What is the biggest reason "my" customers give me when it comes to not buying the my art? What is stopping me from being a better artist? They are hard questions and ones that I ask myself each time I am in my workshop, at a fair, or just out in public. Use that as a platform to which you can build up your confidence in your work - or spark a new type of confidence you never knew you had! Try creating something new, today in your workshop (NO EXCUSES!) then take a photo of it and share it on Facebook (Twitter, guild, etc.) or put the one of a kind object front and center at the next art fair and talk about it.
So there you have it - a bunch of C words that hopefully point you in the direction on becoming a better artist and sales person at your next art fair! Next week - the D's! Feel free to chime in on any D words or other words using various letters of the alphabet you would like to see covered in a future blog post. Email me - mksholund@gmail.com or use the comment button. - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com , www.bythebaybotanicals.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - Thge letter C Part one - C is for Comfort and Collections

2011-07-17T20:37:00.004-04:00

Welcome back to the ABC's of doing art fair blog series. I am having so much fun sharing this info with you that I couldn't wait to get to the C's. Since there are so many there so many C inspired art fair related words, I am doing this in two parts this week. Today I am focusing on Comfort and Collections.

Comfort. There is nothing more important than finding comfort when working at an art fair. Whether it is finding ways to keep cool on a hot day or knowing what the best shoes to wear when on your feet all day one thing is for sure, comfort can make or break your attitude when working at an art fair. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to finding comfort when selling at an art fair. Go with a white canopy - not only do most art fairs require this to keep their uniform, they are often bright (allowing in natural light) and do not absorb heat. At the same time arrange your display to promote a good air flow - for instance roll up sides half way. Another tip is to dress in comfortable clothes - rayon, silks, and light cottons during the summer months and layers in the Fall or winter. Bring a cooler of refreshments and snacks - perfect if you can't break away for lunch. While the goal should be to stand as much as possible when at an art fair to engage customers, having a high directors chair handy to sit when eating or just as a quick break to get off your feet also helps. Whatever the discomfort, just know comfortable solutions are available with a little creativity and forward thinking.

Collections. Here's some food for thought - think of your customers as collectors. Everyone collects something - young and old. Marbles. Buttons. Cameras. Recipes. Movies. Baseball cards. Coins. You get the picture. If you can find a way to show value in "collecting" your work you'll create not just buyers, but repeat buyers. You can do this a few ways. 1) Offer sets - earrings and pendants, sets of pottery dinner ware, or a series of photographic prints. 2) Find out what your target customers collect and find ways to connect their habit with your art. For instance, people who often take vacations take photos of their travels. Convincing travelers that your photographic work is like a picture perfect postcard without the trouble of the timing of day just right, waiting to get it developed and so on - not to mention, all your work is guaranteed to not fade... You are then showing them value and a reason to buy your work and not just one piece! 3) Give a discount for sets of your work and reward your current collectors. People do love discounts and while artists aren't discount warehouses, sometimes offering 2 items at 10% off might be the push to get people to buy. Trust me, you can take a 10% hit if it means selling more work! At the same time rewarding current collectors with a discount, informing them a certain limited edition print is about to end forever, or keep them posted on where you will be in the future is enough to make them keep coming back and buy. You may find seeing your customers under this new light just might spark some ideas in getting better quality buyers.

More C words are coming later this week. Stay tuned for that. However, you can be apart of the ABC's - what D lettered (or other lettered words) would you like to see covered in future blog posts? Use the contact button or email me with your suggestions! - Michelle Sholund, www.bythebaybotanicals.com and www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - B is for bank fees and beauty

2011-07-15T08:17:00.006-04:00

Today on the alphabet letter of the day for art fair folks is B. While there are a lot of "B" words to have lengthy discussions on, today the focus will be on Banks - and more important bank fees as well as beauty.

Banks and bank fees. As many artists are trying to cut art fair costs, let alone the costs of running a business, one way to do is really look over your bank statements. On occasion you just might find a few very random fees and these culprits are hoping you don't see them. For instance, I use Vista Print for printing of my business cards and banners for when I do art fairs. About one month after I placed an order I found an odd charge on my credit card. I questioned it and come to find out, I was signed up with an affiliate program (some how connected with Vista Print) and the program was charging me a monthly service fee for using their service. After a quick talk with them I disputed the charges, saying I never authorized the service nor use it and the fee was taken off. Just think though, what if I never really looked over my credit card or checking account statements carefully? Another example is with PCI fees - got your attention!? PCI fees are the killer of all bank fees and I also, just recently learned I have been charged anywhere from $60-80 in non-compliance fees from my credit card processing company each month. I had no idea, until I disputed the fees, how much money was going in the toilet over something I could have fixed if I read my statements thoroughly. Simple mistakes can be costly and in this "economy" every penny counts. So, starting today REALLY look over your statements, question odd fees and it couldn't hurt to shop around to different banks if you find your fees rising - atm fees, checking fees, PCI fees, fees charged if you go below your minimum bottom line for your account... In that sense, by shopping around you could be saving anywhere from $10 - $100 a month! By switching from one credit card merchant to another I have saved myself $45 a month and it feels great!

Also, B is for Beauty. Art is about beauty or at least in the eye of the beholder, right? One way to ensure you attract buyers to your booth is the appearance of your booth, yourself, and your artwork. For instance take a look at the photo I took and included in this blog. Wouldn't you say it looks clean, crisp and well, beautiful? When it comes to your booth, keep it neat, toss candy wrappers or orphaned water bottles, as well as wipe off fingerprints on framed glass prints or jewelry kept behind glass. As for yourself, you are representing your work and your business if you work looks great but you look like a person who just came out of a sauna dressed in torn or beat up clothing, you will turn off every single person. When it comes to your art work - use the best and show your best. The most popular seller should be front and center to capture your customers attention at first glance. Proudly display your ribbons and awards in a highly visible area too. Ribbons and awards are like eye candy and the simplest of buyers often are attracted to them. Use the awards as an ice breaker - not to boast about how awesome an artist you are, but to validate that your work is good - really good. When it comes to your work do better than cheap frames, cheap jewelry clasps or cheap fabrics. Customers are smart when it comes to dissecting work - figuring out if they can do it themselves with a quick visit to the local craft store (you know you do it too when sizing up competition within your medium). To beat this attitude go with a cherry or walnut over pine when creating wood furniture or 24K gold over the cheap stuff - this adds value and tells your customers you provide the best, and they deserve the best. Beauty - the more beautiful you present yourself and your work - people will take notice AND open their wallets a little wider.

Join me for next week's discussion with the letter C. What C words will I choose to cover - tune it to find out!

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - A is for Advertsing and Advantage

2011-07-08T08:08:00.004-04:00

The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs - A is for Advertising and Advantage

Ahh! Let the knuckle cracks begin as I tackle what I anticipate to be a fun and more importantly INFORMATIVE new blog series... The ABC's of Doing Art Fairs. From time to time I might have a few words that fall under a letter of the alphabet today is one of them.

1. A is for Advertising. Now I am not necessarily talking about billboards, t.v. commercials and news print ads, I am talking more about word of mouth advertising to get people to know you will be at a fair or for that matter to gain people's attention via various internet sites. Most people have a blog, belong to Facebook or Twitter - take full advantage of this and let your followers know where you will be - do a count down each day until the event or let people know if they heard about you via one of these outlets - at a fair - you will give them 10% off their entire purchase that day (or something like that). The next step is to see if those fairs have social networks and post your info there, but not spam it. Try, "Can't wait for this show, looks like the weather will be great. I hope you all get a chance to visit my booth, #123, I make ____." With any luck people will check out your profile and maybe become a fan that day AND see you at the fair. At the same time don't forget to pass out fliers with upcoming events at fairs leading up to others and always keep in contact with those on your email contact list - whether that consists of fans, friends or family members, all generally like to know what you have been up to.

A is also for Advantage. You always need to know who has the upper hand whether it is the high traffic booth spaces at an art fair or knowing what you competition is doing. How else will you get the sales that your competitors are getting? Go to shows and see what your competition is doing - how they price their work, display it, treat their customers, if they are doing any promotions, etc. Funny enough it is better to be friends with your competition than be enemies. The reason is pure and simple - usually your competition does something different than you and if they get a buyer that is looking for something you do and not what your competition does, you might get a referral. Reciprocate. You may find each of you have stories the other can benefit from, learn of different suppliers, join a guild in your medium that helps like minded artists in many ways, or even learn more about different art fairs - whether to stay away from shows they do to not compete with them or vice versa. The goal is to be different from your competition and if you know what they are doing and see loop holes then you can find your advantage over your competition. An example is when at shows you often see a lot of jewelry - how do you find the advantage here if you too sell jewelry? It isn't by branching off to another medium and still sell jewelry - it sends the wrong message to customers and irritates promoters who are trying to offer a wide variety of work for fair patrons. The answer is to show off how your work doesn't break, comes with a lifetime warranty, you offer resizing on the spot, will clean it for free for life if your work ever tarnishes or gets damaged, talk and show off your new original designs that is so unique no two are a like, share knowledge about special properties of different gemstones, or better yet label yourself the fair's jewelry expert and make it known that you can answer any jewelry question anyone has (or at least the best you can) to win people's confidence thus getting customers to open their wallets a little wider.

Next up B's. Each week I will be running down the letters of the alphabet so stay tuned to what B words will be covered. In the meantime - have a great show this weekend and for those who aren't doing a show - gets some well deserved R&R!
- Michelle Sholund, www.bythebaybotanicals.com

Happy Summer and Blog News!

2011-07-07T22:17:00.005-04:00

Hey All! I just want to shoot off a quick note to all who follow me to let you all know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I am here, just finding myself lost in time... So much so, a lot has happen. The short story is I did have several back to back weekends of art fairs here in Maryland including a Flower show in Westminster, an Art and Craft Fair in Arbutus, and one in Columbia - my favorite - Wine in the Woods! On top of that, this June my dad passed away. It wasn't sudden as his health had been on a downward slope for years, but it when it happened I (and my mom) certainly were not ready. He had a history of heart desease (had quad-bypass 9 years ago plus several strokes), was on dialysis for 5 years or so and add all the complications from that and you have my dad. Not a picnic, that's for sure. Which reminds me, this is a topic I hope to get into more down the road - not so much about death, but how to come up with Plan B's and C's for those who are not only craft artists but caregivers to boot.

I ran into a friend and fan of this blog this past week at Kutztown. Her name is Lisa and does amazing glass work with vintage china and glass and making them into wind chimes, butterfly feeders and art deco pieces. After talking to her, and on the ride home just this past Tuesday, I realized I have truly neglected this blog. She mentioned what else is there to do, you have done a 40 Questions series - is there more? I thought well, should I do 40 more? But was then struck by a bolt of inspiration - why not go through the alphabet and run down the "A,B,C's" of doing art fairs! So, I want to make the official announcement that not only am I back, but if you want to join me on an additional journey going through the alphabet - one letter a week, we can have a lot of fun with this. I am going to start this off tomorrow - as I am sure having a little inspiration before heading off to an art fair, my proove to be real useful!

Thanks Lisa and to all the other faithful blog readers out there! - Michelle Sholund

Craft artist tip of the Week - Emphasize Spring Holiday's Gift Giving Needs

2011-04-23T13:38:00.005-04:00

Hello and Happy Easter, Passover and belated Earth Day all! It's amazing how so many holidays seem to occur in the Spring, not to mention Mother's Day and Father's Day. Despite the economic woes the media tells us on a daily basis, the fact of the matter is people will always need to buy gifts and when it comes to Spring Holiday gift giving - the show will go on. It is important to NOT ignore opportunities to plant the seed of inspiration to all those gift giving needs - even if some customers don't think they need to buy anything. So...

My Craft Artist Advice for the Week is Emphasize Spring holiday's gift giving needs. As I have mentioned in the past, I work part time for a gift shop (as well as sell at shows) and it baffled me that we had so many people coming in this week for truly unique things to include in various family member's Easter Baskets - say gourmet foods to cute nick nacks. While many love treating mom to brunch on Mother's Day more and more are opting out of that as restaurants are SOOO crowded and then with giving flowers - they die within a few day's of receiving them, so more and more mom's are preferring to just have quality time with family (cost effect yet...) opening the doors to gift giving opportunities. Photography and paintings of flowers and landscapes, jewelry of all kinds, candles, gourmet soaps, hankies, handmade baskets, anything garden related, and so much more attract buyers in the Spring time gift giving needs.

Pick up on reasons people would be buying gifts during this time of year. Spring time is HOT for weddings which means gifts for the bride and groom, out of town guests, gifts for the groomsmen and bridesmaids... see where I am heading. Another gift giving reason are souvenirs. Art that reminds people of their trip to the town where art fairs (or even their hometown) buy locally made art at local art shows. The key to finding the "hot button key" to turn a looker into a buyer when it comes to Spring shopping, is learning if they need to find a gift for themselves, a wedding, thinking of you, Easter, Mother's Day, etc. To do this simply ask your customers at your show - people won't hide the fact that they are looking for something unique - when asked!!! Everyone needs to give a gift for some reason - whether it is to treat oneself, a birthday, etc. and remind people of this - it makes passive browsers snap out of it and become active buyers. Remind the customer you're here now, why not browse for something in my booth and if you would like "me" to suggest something, feel free to ask - "I have something for everyone, even those hard to buy people!" This is where offering small things to large things with various price points comes in handy.

So, as we are traveling and setting up at shows for April, May, and June, think of ways to mention how what you make can benefit each and every customer. It wouldn't hurt to have an 8x10 sign or larger mentioning - "Mother's Day Gifts Here!" or "Wedding Gifts to fit anyone's budget HERE!" or better yet "Local, handmade art sold here!" What is also equally important is think like your customers, and be one step ahead of them! If one says "I could use that like hole in the head" - you say, "The good news is I don't offer hole's just art/craft and there is nothing more uplifting than giving one of my pieces to a friend or relative to remind them of how precious your friendship is to one another. Can you think of someone who could use some cheering up?" Nip the negative thoughts with humor and offer a different avenue of thought to get them thinking on reasons TO BUY vs. not buy. The best way to do that is challenging customers so it is THEIR idea to buy not pressure pressure pressure to buy from me and now.

Ahhh.... I have so much more advice, but that will have to wait for another week... Until the next blog I hope all are able to enjoy the Spring flowers and make big sales at your next art/craft fair!!! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicals.com !

Advice for the Week: Finding Middle Ground Selling At both Art Fairs and Art Galleries

2011-04-03T13:09:00.007-04:00

Hey Everyone! I have been having a nice break from blogging to take some needed R&R time. During this time I have focused my attention to my business - a good thing, right?! Also my husband, Mark and I were able to take a vacation to Phoenix and locales around Phoenix upon the invitation of a great friend from High School Pete, and his wife Alison. During that vacation we say a lot of awesome things one of those things was a to visit Scottsdale - Old Town to be specific - where we walked around and saw some impressive galleries and shops. The food?? To die for too! For those who haven't been to Scottsdale, it is just minutes from Phoenix and a very relaxing town often frequented by retirees, golfers, and those who love art. One part of Old Town is devoted to art galleries and even has an art walk. I got to go in about 15 or so galleries and they all are different, yet kinda the same. Nearly all have a focus on Native American art and Southwest inspired art. The difference is how some of it was displayed and it was refreshing to see a handful with a plethora of traditional art, southwest art, and contemporary art all in one place. I did have one bad experience with a gallery owner that I won't get into - he was a vulture who also was full of himself to boot, yet the other gallery owners were very pleasant and it was clear customer service was their main focus. Imagine that! Feeling like a king/queen the moment you enter a gallery - greeted, offered refreshing water with lemon, help if you have questions and top that all off ... service with a smile! I was most impressed with the customer service in Scottsdale and all of Phoenix and Arizona. This experience did get my gears grinding. Despite seeing all the lovely art, I couldn't help but notice the price tags. Some of the prices for the art was outrageous - $6,000 was a common price for some oils/paintings. Some of the furniture that has half that price I thought was worth it the price, but maybe that is just my taste... In all seriousness, I personally would rather take a piece of art home than a souvenir - especially a nice photograph and I believe the gallery owners understand this too. However, I couldn't help but wonder - for those who sell both at art fairs and galleries - do you keep your prices (the retail price) the same? Are you selling a $6,000 "masterpiece" at a gallery yet only asking for $5,000 at an art fair? I certainly don't want to be cheated - as a customer, but wouldn't be surprised if some artists do not see it that way.

In transitioning from the 40 Questions Blog Series, I have decided to continue this blog as an Advice Column. This week, my Advice for the Week is to find middle ground when it comes to pricing your work for both retail (at art fairs - as this is your retail setting) and wholesale to your gallery or other wholesale clients.

To do this you must think outside the art studio and into the minds of the gallery owners head and those of your customers. Your desire is to touch as many as you can with your art (getting them to buy) and doing both types of selling venues is probably the best way to achieve this. The gallery owner's desire is to promote artist's work and keep their business healthy and thriving center in the community so more can come and buy - like Cheers (the t.v. show), the idea for the gallery to be a hangout "where everyone knows your name". Customers like those you encounter at art fairs seek that one on one personal attention you get from directly talking to the artist creating a personal memory for many and bragging rights to others - "I talked to the artist of "this" piece at "xyz" show - he/she's so nice! That experience usually develops into a business one as well as social. The one thing that should remain constant between both encounters is the price of your art. A gallery owner cannot compete with the price of your art at fairs or on your website if you offer them at two different prices. A gallery owner needs to make money to pay their rent, employees, utilities, advertising, etc. - just like you and you must find a wholesale price that makes it worth both of your time and money. The art fair experience is fleeting - you might only be in that town once a year, but where else can they find your new work? A local gallery. If your work at a gallery is more expensive than at a show, customers will wait until you come back to town - money can make or break a sale. There is also a big possibility that customers after finding your work at a gallery will try and find you online to see if there are other opportunities to find your work cheaper - again driving traffic away from galleries.

I have a personal story that may help illustrate this better. While working - I have a part time job at a specialty shop (which I L-O-V-E!) - usually once a week we get a crafter/artist who wants the shop to carry their work. One couple who makes an unusual pecan candy gave us two size samples to see and try. The small - 4 oz. retailed for $6.00 (I think that was the price - and I might add 4 oz is very small). The asking wholesale price was $4.00 and require the buyer to buy them by the dozen. So, I ask all of you reading, what is the incentive for the buyer to buy these nuts? Dishing out $48 to make $18 is not a good deal. Not only that - would you pay $6.00 for a handful of nuts? Also, think about if the buyer wishes to do a sale to let the community new we are now carrying a new product. The buyer would loose money because the biggest sale you can do is 10% or else you will be losing money. Needless to say, the store's buyer didn't go with them and told their prices were too high.

My point? Galleries need you. Most importantly they need you to be fair. A good business relationship with a gallery will give you repeat business, fill in the money costs with extra income especially if an art fair doesn't yield a profit, and is a way to get new customers to stumble across your work especially if they are the ones who don't typically go to art fairs.

Tips on how to find that middle ground.
1. Know your wholesale and retail price. Wholesale covers your raw materials, time in making the art, electricity, rent, etc. - not your time as a sales rep at a show, setting up and breaking down at a show, travel expenses, etc. - the extra is how to figure your retail price.
2. Learn about the galleries you want to have your work in. For instance, how is the work priced, ask what are the big sellers in the gallery, how often do they get new artists work, what are their typical customers like - are they locals or tourists? This information provides valuable insight as to what makes a gallery tick or shed light on things that are lacking.
3. Know what the gallery owners tastes are in art and any requirements they expect from their artists - especially price wise.
4. Lastly, what can you offer the gallery owner than others can't? The saying "what have you done for me lately" can apply to this setting as you are competing with other artists and if you can offer an artist photo and bio to go with your work, free shipping to the gallery, a discount if the person buys a series of your work vs. one or two pieces, exclusivity rights (where you agree to only sell your work at that one gallery within a 30 mile radius - for example), the availability to come into the gallery for a talk, etc.

A healthy relationship between gallery/specialty shop owners and selling at art fairs is one everyone should strive towards. Not doing so can cause stress between customers and shop owners making you stressed trying to figure what went wrong. When all are happy, not only will your pockets be full, but those of the gallery owner and helps spread the word from one customer to the next. I hope you all have great business relationships with the people you work with - albeit a supplier all the way to a regular customer. Stay tuned for more advice in the coming weeks! Have a question or need advice?? E-mail me (mksholund@gmail.com) or leave a comment! Until the next blog, I wish you a happy and successful craft/art business!

40 Questions Craft Artist Blog Series - Question #40 What is your craft artist story

2011-02-19T19:52:00.002-05:00

What a journey! Personally, I can't believe I stuck with the discipline of doing a full 40 questions. Second, I can't believe the following from all the readers of this blog. I must say a big THANK YOU to all who have followed me on this journey of advice and tips to help make any craft artist a better business person, salesperson, and a better artist. I thank everyone who emailed me for personal advice, rated the blog posts, took the time to comment, asked questions, shared this with fellow craft artists, etc. This blog wouldn't be a success if it weren't for you! Now, onto the question...

Question #40 What is your craft artist story?

I had a hard time deciding what to do for the last question for this series. I have thought about summarizing or adding some final thoughts on past questions, but then it hit me... Your personal story. I have one and you have one and most are better than fiction or movie from Hollywood, whether you think so or not. The romantic idea of going from rags to riches IS the American Dream. The story of finding your passion as an artist to how you developed your own personal style of work is all apart of your own unique story. That story will sell yourself to a jury through your artist statement or edu-taining customers via your website or at an art fair. Let's talk story. It is powerful and you shouldn't be afraid to share it.

What are the makings for a good craft artist story? It must be factual, personal, genuine and short.

Just the facts. If you were laid off of work, became a cancer survivor, or came from a family of artisans then go with that. At the same time, if you are say you go all over the world to get the best gemstones for your work, you better have pictures or other proof (say jewelry pieces inspired from your travels) to back that up. A good story is based on facts which ends up being the “meat and potatoes” of your story.

Personal. The personal touch includes using your own dialogue and perspective on your story. Most importantly this includes emotion - how you felt when you first touched felt, painted your first stroke, sold your first piece, captured the perfect moment in time after waiting and waiting to take that perfect photograph. The average person thinks being an artist is easy, sometimes glamorous, but it is up to us to show these people that it is hard work and with hard work comes some nice rewards albeit financial freedom, a creative outlet, the joy of knowing you are able to make someone smile or give hope to others.

Genuine. This refers to the reputation of yourself and your work as well as your experience that makes you, well... you. To be genuine means you have a unique style, attitude, ideas, quirk, skill, etc. that you developed and created all your own proving what you create Is one of a kind.

Short. No one wants to hear your life story in a 3 part novel form. Your story needs to be simple and short, say a paragraph or two that has a lot of punch, yet no longer than a page. In other words you should easily recite it to anyone and they will be able to relate to it immediately.

The amazing thing about your story is that it should be changing as you learn more or experience new experiences. Here's my story...

I am Michelle Sholund, the craft artist and owner of By the Bay Botanicals which is run out of my 1930's farmhouse just outside of Baltimore, MD. I was an only child and found myself entertained for hours experimenting with different art forms such as making large pine cone wreaths from an artist in Pennsylvania, to floral arranging, drawing and playing the violin all while in elementary school. I continued in the arts through college having earned a degree in Fine Arts. A few years later I got married then pursued selling my homemade creations at local art and craft fairs.

In 2007, my husband and I moved into our dream home, a farmhouse on 1.2 acres of property – that is when I really found my inspiration and calling. That calling was gardening and working with all natural materials to create aromatic art. I taught myself to dry the flowers from my gardens creating my own style of potpourri and other scented products all inspired by various places in Maryland. The high end palm wax candle line, called Destination Scentations, is a new addition after a local store owner (and friend) nudged me to try making candles. Six months of frustration in teaching myself how to make candles, I started to experiment with waxes, unique jar styles, wicks, as well as creating my own fragrances through blending techniques. I also learned about the benefits of eco-friendly palm wax and why it is important to choose and use renewable resources for the betterment of our environment and our health. The result? Colorful frosted candles that captures the haunting aroma of popular travel destinations all over US and the world. Through handcrafted, aromatic creations, I hope others will learn that investing in Made in America ,eco-friendly products isn't just a great gift, but a step in the right direction to help make the world a better place for future generations.

What do you think, did I follow my own rules? After reading my story does the story make you feel more open to want to know more about me or learn more about the items I create? Will this example inspire you or at least give you an example on how to write your own story? I certainly hope so.

While this is the last question to this blog series I encourage you to continue to follow me on my blog, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com , as I intend to share even more ideas and advice on topics that craft artists often wonder, yet may be afraid to ask. I certainly will try and stick to my more original intention “quick” bits of advice. Another reason stick to following my blog – click on the RRS feed button to get quick updates – is that I intend to start doing audio and video blog posts. I am always available for questions if you would like to seek my art/craft related advice, and will do my best to answer them to the best of my ability. Thanks again for your support in this blog series, until the next blog post.... Wishing you much success with your craft/art business... - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com www.bythebaybotanicalsonline.com

40 Questions Craft Artist Blog Series - Question #39 What are the Top 10 Mistakes Craft Artists Make?

2011-02-10T17:19:00.005-05:00

40 Questions Blog Series – Question #39 What are the top 10 Mistakes Craft Artists Make?

As this blog series is nearly complete I want to make sure these last two questions are really insightful. One of the reasons I started this blog – not just the blog series, is that through frustration seeing how some craft artists, both new and seasoned vets, consistently make many mistakes preventing them to reach their full potential. So, I thought I would take it upon myself and help those looking for help, ideas, and advice – hopefully everything up until this point has met your expectations! This question is one where I want to highlight common mistakes craft artists make.

Question #39 What Are the Top 10 Mistakes Craft Artists Make?

In no particular order, here's my top 10...

1. Underselling yourself and your work. While many feel the only way to grab customers attention is to have super low prices because the biggest competition are the Big Box Companies. Know this – YOU ARE NOT A BIG BOX CO.! The best way to compete is to offer great quality craftsmanship at a price fair PROFITABLE price. You have costs and you're only satisfied if you earn just the bare minimum, you will never earn a profit and stay in business as you have costs to recoup such as booth space, supply expenses, credit card processing fees, travel expenses, shipping fees, etc. This can't be done if you undersell yourself.

2. No website. A website, not an Etsy account or blog site, is crucial in this day and age to attract buyers. A website answers the who, what, when, where and most importantly the why's of your work. Costs of starting super low espeically if you do it yourself say with places such as weebly.com, squarespace.com, intuit.com, and many others. Choosing to not have a web presence drives business away from you and into the laps of your competition.

3. Set up your art fair display for the first time at your first show. Given the option, would you rather be stressed out trying to figure out how to set-up a new canopy or figure out proper placement of your tables or have a well thought out plan of action on how to set up your art fair booth? This is a no brainer – the efficient and fast way is my choice. The best way to do this is by practice setting up in your back yard once or twice. Also don't forget to be flexible with your display some shows offer odd space dimensions.

4. Dressing inappropriately. No, I'm not referring to dressing suggestively, but direct this to those who pay no head to forecasts and dress too casually. Know what the weather report will be like during the whole day of the show. For example, if it might turn cold, have a jacket or sweatshirt handy. The best advice here is to dress for both professionalism and comfort.

5. Ignoring customers. Most don't realize this but, customers hate it when they see you on a cellphone, reading a newspaper, texting, socializing with craft neighbors or old friends, etc. and ignoring their needs. Customers will not interrupt a person who is preoccupied – they just simply leave. One memorable experience I had was with a jewelry artist who chose to read a newspaper the whole period of a show. I stood in front of him staring for 5 full minutes at this guy who was hiding behind a newspaper and not once did this person look up or make any effort to ask if I needed any help. Don't be this guy as every missed selling opportunity is money lost.

6. Inconsistency. Craft artists who are inconsistent when pricing work – say one item has a web price, show price and gallery price – buyers will question the quality of your work. At the same time customers doubt the quality of an artist's work when one piece of high quality fiber art is perfect, but another is frayed or a photographers prints are faded due to exposure to the sun or due to poor quality paper. Quality control speaks volumes when an artisans work that is consistent will have more repeat buyers.

7. No Goals. Without having goals you cannot measure success nor find the ambition to strive to do better. Goals don't have to be financial goals, like some believe. Some simple goals include learning more about your target audience through online research, re-organizing a studio, apply to a different type of art show – say Renaissance Festivals, sign-up or explore social networking, or start an educational podcast. My most recent goal was to reorganize my whole workshop (photo included with this blog) as it was something always put by the way side. Seeing it get cluttered and disorganized hurt my business, but implementing the goal allowed me to get a rid of countless supplies that were just hanging around never to be used and have all items in one place making work flow more efficiently.

8. Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve. Artists, by nature, do not take rejection or criticism well. My favorite motto? It's nothing personal, just strictly business. A rejection letter from a juried show could mean the medium had been filled. A store/gallery may say they are not interested in carrying your work, but it could mean they just don't have room for one more thing, it won't fit the clientèle that normally comes in, or they just aren't buying as sales are down due to the economy. Don't take comments too personally, but find opportunities to grow from advice and suggestions given.

9. Be Fake. Customers, sales reps, art fair jury members - all these people can pick up on exaggerated sales numbers, handmade vs. made in China and so on. The same can go for artists when finding out info about art fairs they hope to apply to. Buyers are attracted to those who exhibit the 3 H's - honest, helpful, and humbleness. People really want to know why you like one piece over another or how something is made to see if you really know your stuff or possibly to see if your work comes from China. In other words, know your stuff and if you don't know, be honest and say, “I have never been asked that, I really don't know... but I do know...” changing the topic to take control of the situation.

10. Plain Jane. Nothing is more boring than a uninviting, plain booth display. Utilizing eye popping colors, shelving, highly visible large format photography (albeit jewelry or silk scarf on a model, a child hugging a handmade doll, an elderly person taking comfort in a warm handmade quilt...) or display theme will engage attract people verses repel them. You bought the space you can either make it look like something at a flea market or like a high end mini boutique people can't wait to enter and shop.

Have you made any of these mistakes? Have you learned from any of these mistakes? Do you know of other mistakes people make not mentioned in this blog post? I want to hear them! Share your thoughts on this topic using the comment button. Thanks for reading this not so quick blog posting. Take the time to catch up on older Questions before the last one becomes available – you won't want to miss it. - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartitips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicalsonline.com .