Marketing Your Craft: Give It Value!

Okay you guys.

I'm getting real tired of seeing under-priced items riddling the aisles of craft shows and covering the pages of Etsy. While overpricing may hurt the individual seller, underpricing hurts us all.

WAL-MART MENTALITY
You don't have to be a marketing genius to understand that if your price is too low, the buyer is going to think your products are cheap. And "cheap" is the last thing we want people to associate with our handiwork.

When the general shopping public is exposed to an abundance of under-priced handmade work, they are going to start believing that handmade work is tantamount to bulk generic diapers at the Shop & Save. We have got to banish this Wal-Mart mentality when it comes to the art and craft we work so hard to produce.

A DELICATE BALANCE
Keep in mind, you still want to price your items fairly, and not alienate your potential customer base. Here are the things I consider when pricing my items:

+ How much do the materials cost? Include the gas it took you to drive to the place where you bought them, the postage you paid to have them shipped to you, and any other costs associated with acquiring the raw materials.

+ How much is the design worth? If you're working off a tutorial or pattern, this price point should be lower than if you designed the item yourself.

+ How long did it take you to complete the item from start (design) to finish (completion)? At a bare minimum, you should charge yourself no less than $10/hour. Making an item by hand is worth more than flipping burgers - give yourself a proper wage.

+ How are you selling your product? So you have your finished product, but you aren't anywhere near done. Build into the price the cost of maintaining a web site, creating good product photography, and selling at craft shows.

+ What about all that other stuff? Yes, long-term overhead costs should be built into your pricing. Think: business cards, office/studio space, gas/travel, paper, ink toner, computer, internet service, utilities. In other words - all the things you expense in order to create and promote your handmade product.

+ Finally, as a person who appreciates and understands handmade art/craft, I ask myself: What would I pay for this?

GET YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT
If you still feel uncomfortable paying yourself a fair wage for your handmade work and (gasp!) actually pricing it so you make a profit, do these three things:

(1) Say this out loud, "My art/craft has value. If I believe it's cheap, everyone else will, too." Repeat this to yourself until you get it.

(2) Tell the world your story. It's time to get comfortable talking to strangers, y'all. Do craft shows, work on your web copy - tell your story so everyone knows exactly why they should pay $35 for this handmade, originally-designed t-shirt.

(3) Pick up a book at the library on shopper psychology and read it. You'll soon learn why the same shoppers who shell out $98 for a mass-produced necklace at Anthropologie balk at your better-crafted $30 handmade necklace. It's the perception of value. Make people believe your stuff is worth buying, and they will buy it.

I'M BEING SELFISH
I'm not writing this to help you. Really, I'm not. I want all the sales for myself. Okay, that's not entirely true, but I'm not going to lie to you and say I did this altruistically. I want the handmade market to improve, and the only way to do that is for us all to collectively improve the way we sell our items and the story we tell the public.

So get to it! You have a lot of homework to do and the clock started ticking 2 minutes ago.

Overheard at Craft Shows

The following is a list of customer comments I've heard time and again at craft shows, and what I dub "the kiss of death". Craft show organizers - take note (please!).

"I didn't know this show was going on." Uh-oh. This means the organizers didn't market to the immediate area, which are the people most likely to support locally-made goods. It also doesn't bode well for their marketing strategy in general. In other words, if they didn't reach people who live nearby, did they also miss those living in surrounding areas?

"Oh darn, I didn't bring money."Um, excuse me what? If this is a larger, broader type event (where artists are only a small part of the fun), the people who come out to the festival likely didn't know there would be art for purchase, and thus only brought their sunscreen, walking shoes and dog. Make sure festival-goers know there will be art for purchase, target people who appreciate buying locally-made goods, and make sure everyone knows to BRING CASH!!

"This is cute" or "You have nice stuff" or "I like your work" So sounds good, right? Not if you hear this over and over aaaaand...no one buys anything. This means the target shopper was not marketed to. Artists don't give up 9+ hours of their weekend just to "exhibit" their work. They woke up at the crack of dawn, loaded the car, hauled their stuff to their booth, set everything up, plastered a smile on their face, then gave up bathroom breaks and a real meal in the hopes they would sell their handmade goods. Make it worth their while or they aren't likely to return for your next show.

The season is heating up and spring/summer shows are in full swing. Carry plenty of cash with you in case you are lucky enough to make it to a local art/craft show. And remember that the things you see were made with love, care, and lots of work. The next big thing? 3rd Annual Spring Bash on April 30th in Dallas TX. More info: http://www.handmadebash.com/. See you there!

Tefi's Craft Show Survival Checklist

With the spring show season kicking into full gear, and the amazing 3rd Annual Spring Bash just around the corner (April 30th @ South Side on Lamar in Dallas TX), here's my crafy show survival checklist, culled from years of doing shows and forgetting this and needing that. If you've got a "must have" that I've left off, let me know and I'll add it! Tefi’s Craft Show Survival Checklist
calculator
cash box
small bills and coins
sales receipt book
clipboard
business cards (lots!)
price tags
product signage
pens
Sharpies (black, red)
glue stick
clear tape
duct tape
stapler
scissors
note pad
envelopes
safety pins
paper clips
clothes pins
Kleenex
paper towels
hand sanitizer
wet wipes
lip balm
hand lotion
first aid kit
paper sacks
gift tags
tissue paper
ziplocs
zip ties
bungee cord
screwdriver
pliers
hammer
tape measure
power strip
extension cord(s)
garbage bag(s)
rope/twine
snacks
bottled water
charged cell phone
umbrella
deodorant

Consignment Advice

Today Etsy Dallas members have been chatting on a group post about our consignment experiences and advice, and here's what I told the group. It was good to remember my experience and be able to share it with others. Wish someone had told me these things a year ago! (1) Never put your items in a shop without first signing a contract. Yikes! I made that mistake. (2) I would never put my stuff in a shop (again) that does not assume theft or damage liability. I had my jewelry in a local shop for several months and when it was all said and done, I lost about $120 worth of goods that were either damaged or "missing." Bad news bears, my friends. (3) I won't consign with someone who does not have merchandising experience or isn't open to letting me collaborate on displaying my goods. I had my stuff in this same shop and cringed whenever I walked in and saw how they were displaying my items. Horrible! (4) If you get a feeling that the people you are dealing with aren't exactly professional, you're probably right. Listen to those instincts. Basically, don't be so desperate or star-struck to get your items in a shop that you don't first think about what's right for you. You are doing them a favor by letting them sell your handmade goods and keeping a cut of the price! Right now I have my stuff at The House of Dang, and let me tell you those boys are simply awesome. Stop by and get you some cool vintage and handmade goods...uh, like my fabric button bobby pins!