Sales & Marketing & Pricing

[Patricia]

Sales and Marketing and Pricing  - often difficult areas for potters. But for those of us who sell our work and expect a certain level of income to be generated from our pottery - They become extremely important. I am fortunate that in my dual life as potter - I possess many years of Marketing and PR experience coupled with an MBA. Hopefully that experience helps me weed through my 4 P's.

 

I wanted to share some reflection on the past 2 Day Holiday Show and Sale I had. I spent very little on material marketing - it was more grass roots. I advertised the sale through social media, my email list (icontact) with an attractive email, preview video, postcardsgiven out ad hoc by hand, signs in local cafe and fruit market, a few large sidewalk signs the days of the sale. People came from all methods.

First it was a success both from an artistic perspective and from a financial one. I sell a variety of work that I can categorize as

• $20 to $40 items that have companion pieces ( creamer/sugar sets, pitchers, little plates, mugs etc.
• $40 to $60 Bigger Serving pieces, more elaborate handbuilt work (functional)
• $75 and Up Big Big and Clearly more work and some more decorative pieces that have a dual purpose.

People like to see how things are used. Butter Keeper shown with butter,garlic on a plate with oil, big centerpiece bowl with fruit. That all helps people see it in action - says I need this more than a black slate.

It's hard to sell to an audience with Big and little. People who came to my sale were looking for holiday gifts for themselves and for others - so the indulgent vase was a non seller.

Walk a careful line between - buy what I have and - you can get it custom. A few people probably would have bought from stock (preferable) if I had not talked about placing an order.  Other people placed orders because they loved the idea of it being made for them

I keep detailed records of their purchase and their emails etc and will follow up with a thanks you note to my buyers.

 

I sold about 2/3 of my total inventory - more, if you figure I put out a number of gallery quality - very large centerpiece type work - knowing they would not sell at this particular time.

Anyone else having their holiday sale? Love to hear from you!

Patricia Bridges

Bridges Pottery

website

blog

 

 

 

 

[George Lewter]

Good article, Patricia.  I took 41 of my pieces to the local Greek Orthodox Church on the invitation of a member who had previously bought my pottery at work. (I've displayed my work for fellow employees around Thanksgiving time the last two years and sold a lot of it.) This event was an annual luncheon, bake sale, and craft sale. Seventeen of my 41 pieces sold for $14-50 during the 3-hour event. I was not there to do the selling, so I was very gratified with those results. It tells me that my pottery is at a quality level that it can sell itself, if the pricing is right. 

Bowls - 9 sold at $14-33

Cups & mugs - 4 sold at $8-20

Plates - 2 sold at $12-14

1 pitcher sold for $32

1 lg planter with a living jade plant sold for $50

This is good because I'm retiring in the spring of 2012, and at that point my pottery at minimum must pay for itself, and ideally, could contribute a bit to our income. Finding a good consignment outlet seems like a good way to go, if I don't want to have to do all the selling myself. Making robs from selling time, and selling robs from making time.

[1ritda7ul2sfr]

 Thank you for the great information. As someone wanting to do some shows in 2012 this was a very nice read.