Why Deep Discounts Don’t Benefit Your Artisan Business

bag from Iragrant

The Handmade Revolution was founded to support indie artisans in making a fair wage living by selling retail without a middleman or working for a corporate chain. As part of the New Economy, “a fair economy that works for people and the planet”, artisans have unprecedented opportunities to connect with an avid and growing sector of buyers who want to change the world by changing their spending habits; by voting with their wallets. As part of the New Economy, I buy free range organic eggs from a local farm. I buy luxury quality handmade bags from an indie designer, one of a kind individually made jewelry, and hand stitched home decor.

Jewelry from PoleStar, hearts from SewnNatural

These things are not selected because they are the cheapest available. Each of these small business owners has a family to support, and, just as I buy fair trade coffee, I expect to pay a price for these quality goods that supports the modest lives of the makers and allows their dreams to grow.

As artisans, we can compete on price or quality, and competing on price is a losing proposition, as factories can always sell their soulless goods for less. Discount shoppers and bargain chasers are not our target market. And this is why Heartsy, which is a Groupon version for Etsy shoppers, cannot deliver on their promise to grow your indie artisan business.

If people want to support indie handmade businesses but want 65% off in order to do it, they are highly unlikely to  return for more at full price. They are far more likely to simply use the next Heartsy coupon available, which is what happens with Groupon shoppers overall.

It is infinitely more worthwhile to advertise and promote the quality of our work, and to reach out to buyers who are looking for that. 70% of my Etsy buyers return for more, and I offer no discounts. I give the best that I have at the fairest price to everyone, and this is building the kind of customer base that allows me to make a living wage. Offering a modest (10%- 15%) discount is all a good indie business needs to do when an incentive seems necessary. This business model works for me, and I recommend it to other artisans. When you put your heart and soul into making an honest and conscientious business, you deserve to profit from it, and slashing profits drastically isn’t necessary to gain attention.

editorial by Lee Wolfe

AGTeam Mother's Day Gift Guide

 

MOM Little House Ceramic Village by TheLittleRedDoor

With spring blossoming in the Northern Hemisphere, one of the season's most wonderful holidays, Mother's Day, is just a few weeks away.  You don't need to look any further than the beautiful shops of the Artisans Gallery Team members to find lovely handmade gifts for every mom.  Whether you are shopping for jewelry, home decor or artwork, you are bound to spot something wonderful for the special people you would like to treat to an artisanal gift this Mother's Day.  Here are just a few suggestions to get things started. For more ideas, please browse the international Artisans Gallery Team shop categories on the right or search for keywords "agteam mother day" or just "agteam" on Etsy.

Single Flower Earrings in Sapphire, Rose Quartz and Mandarin Garnet

by FussJewelry (Connecticut, USA)

 

Blue Bells 8x10 Fine Art Flower Nature Photography Print

by TheEye (British Columbia, Canada)

Little Nut Necklace
by PoleStar (North Carolina, USA) 

Tea Time original watercolor painting

by TheJoyOfColor (Tel Aviv, Israel)

Hand Textured Porcelain Vase

by NewMoonStudio (Rhode Island, USA)

Handpainted Scarf

by Birribe (Stockholm, Sweden)

 

Reef bracelet

by JibbyAndJuna (Pennsylvania, USA)

 

Pie Plate Footed Cutting Board

by GrayWorksDesign (New York, USA)

 

Wool felt Kangaroo Mom and Joey 

by EvesLittleEarthlings (Ontario, Canada)

Noodle stoneware Serving Bowl

by OneClayBead (North Carolina, USA) 

Lavender Hand Pulled Linocut

by PeaseBlossomStudio (Texas, USA)

Pear Small Funky Vase

by RomyAndClare (Indiana, USA) 

 

Children's Names Necklace Personalized

by moonovermaize (Virginia, USA)

fine art giclee print

by gretchenmist (Melbourne, Australia)

Bel Fiore Ring

by BeyondTheRockz (Connecticut, USA)

 

2 Crocheted Macarons

by Beliz82 (Paris, France)

Dandelion wish necklace in silver

by LuluBugJewelry (California, USA)

LOVE Languages - LongSleeve T-Shirt

by BuckToothedBunny (Massachussetts, USA)

Honeysuckle Baby Alpaca & Silk Knit Scarf

by TickledPinkKnits (New York, USA)

Peek. Bought. Handmade.

Today is part 3 of our new series about some of the handmade pieces Artisans Gallery team members have in their own collections. Jen from Polestar shares one of her favorite pieces of jewelry with us - a ring made by AG team member Monica from moonovermaize.

Last week, Genevieve commented "It's cool to see items I have seen on Etsy in their natural environment, in a home, being loved, being used." So very true!

Jen said: "I really wanted a simple moonstone ring so I approached Monica of moonovermaize about making a custom ring for me almost exactly a year ago.  She offered to trade which was awesome, and she made this gorgeous ring for me.  I wear it quite often and just love the glow of the blue moonstone."

What are some of your favorite handmade Etsy pieces?

Selling Wholesale: How to Approach Galleries

Set of Glacial Stone Tealight holders by Brooksparrow

If you’ve never sold wholesale before, and the thought of asking a gallery to represent your work sounds akin to dental surgery with no anesthetic, you are not alone. We all have strong feelings of vulnerability when it comes to our art. Keep in mind that it is free to ask, and that a gallery buyer will make a business decision, not a personal decision, regarding your work. Take a notebook with you to your presentation, and record all feedback, positive and negative. It helps to keep accurate notes on what each gallery is looking for.  Both rejections and acceptances are valuable learning tools.

The best way to begin is locally. Make visits to all your area’s galleries. Don’t introduce yourself as an artist at first- just look around at price points, style, and the amount of work in your media. Make notes.

When your gallery tour is complete, eliminate the galleries that are obviously not a good fit for you. Then rate the rest- first pick, second pick, etc. Remember that galleries in a mid sized town will want exclusive representation for that city, so if your work is in one, the rest will not want you. In a large city, the exclusivity is by neighborhood. Approach your first pick and get a reply from them before moving down the list.

Next, call the gallery, and ask to speak to the buyer, or get contact info for the buyer. Call or email that person. Ask if they are willing to view some images of your work, and tell her the name on your email account. Most people are reluctant to open images from unknown sources. If this is okay, email 3-5 images with info on the pieces, including wholesale price, size, name of collection.

 

Grapevine Cowl by Tickled Pink Knits

Follow up in a few days with a phone call if you don’t hear back, to make sure that your images arrived. If the buyer likes your images, ask for an appointment to show your portfolio in person, even if they are not buying in your media at this time. Let the gallery buyer know that you are willing to make a presentation anyway, and that you value her opinions and insights. I can’t tell you how many sales I’ve made to galleries who said they were not buying at that time! Buyers are generally very cautious with money, but will spend for something they are excited about.

sterling silver and gemstone necklace by polestar

Next Wednesday I will cover how to make a successful in person presentation. I am happy to help you succeed at wholesale marketing to galleries, so ask me anything and I’ll reply in the comments.

Lee Wolfe/ OneClayBead

Creative Fire: Rumi

The 13th Century poet and mystic Rumi has been a touchstone of mine for decades. My own blog The Beauty You Love is an ode to his famous line: Let the beauty you love be what you do.

Rumi uses words the way that I use clay. He takes me places that are peaceful, pure, and sometimes, only music or Rumi can soothe the places that ache. It won’t make sense. And maybe the lesson here is that what we really need is something that doesn’t make any sense at all.

Do not grieve for what is lost.  Anything you lose comes round in another form.

Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.

We are the mirror as well as the face in it.

We are tasting the taste this minute of eternity.

We are pain and what cures pain both.

We are the sweet cold water and the jar that pours.

I want to hold you close like a lute so we can cry out with loving.

You would rather throw stones at a mirror?

I am your mirror, and here are the stones.

When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.

………………………………………………………….

Click on any picture to find the artisan’s work.

Lee/OneClayBead

Creative Fire: Money

 

Polestar

This week’s focus is on the subject of money,  income, abundance. It is unique to artists and artisans that we often sort of back into our career. There are few doctors or managers who started as  hobbyists! Most of us are confused, fearful, or upset about money too much of the time.

loveanddream

I loved this : Artists: A Natural Eye for Business, which discusses how our creative strengths make us good business people. Our task in art and business is the same; to uncover our own unique expression of it, and to use our creativity.

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.” –Julia Cameron

“Shoot for the moon! Even if you miss it, you will be among the stars.”  Les Brown

Donauluft

I’m not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money.~ Geoffrey Beene

Successful people make money. It’s not that people who make money become successful, but that successful people attract money. They bring success to what they do.~ Wayne Dyer

Aliherman

And finally, my advice. As I look over my 34 year career as a studio artist, I see that I had a visceral, gut reaction to every business proposition. I’ve succeeded to the degree that I went with that feeling. So my advice is to listen to your own advice. Believe in your authentic self.

Xenotees

Have a prosperous week!

Lee Wolfe /OneClayBead