Showing posts with label business tips for makers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business tips for makers. Show all posts

Navigating Change for Makers Part III - doing what you love is not supposed to make your life 'safe'

Now, I have always been the girl with more trust in confusion than trust in confidence.

Tell me about the sure thing - the fact that you know best - the million dollar idea - that you are absolutely right, what I should do, what you should do - yadda, yadda - and you are certain to see my eyes glaze over and my feet inch toward the exit sign.

Tell me that you are not certain but your heart is stirring - you are unsure of what to do next - you have done no thing for yourself in so long, you have no idea what you even want to do - you do not know if this will work - you aren't sure - and I will be listening ...

I will be right there with you!

Following our heart does not mean we will never lose money. It does not mean we will never get hurt. We don't work from our hearts to make our lives safe.

All the tens of hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work were not fired or laid off by chance.

(and I am not talking about jobs moving offshore and corporate greed and stagnating money and underwater mortgages because although on one level all those things are happening, on another level this unraveling of our safety net - a safety net that has always been made of our intention for safety and need to be cared for, which we are evolving (kicking and screaming) past - is so much bigger than all of that)

Doing unpalatable work soley to earn money is no longer in harmony with the energy sweeping the planet - but if we lose that job that if we were honest with ourselves we didn't love anyway and we spend hours and days and weeks and months running around in circles applying for similar jobs to the ones that left us -

this is kind of like when you want to break up with that boyfriend, you know the one who gave you something to do on a Saturday night and someone kind of presentable - well, except for his stupid bulldog t-shirt collection - to bring to your parents on holidays,

but the one who didn't make your heart sing and you knew that and although you knew you were going to have to change this relationship because it really wasn't working, you didn't want your life to change just then and of course what happens is the guy with the bulldog t-shirt collection

who has most likely been feeling exactly the same way about you that you have been feeling about him - well, he dumps you on your ass and suddenly you realize (fall into your fear) just how great he was and how adorable those t-shirts were and then you run around in circles trying to get the t-shirt guy back or finding someone else equally un-challenging


- when what is really happening is that life is calling on us to expand, to raise our vibration and clear away the cobwebs so the right stuff can find us.

Life got tired of waiting for us to leap and finally just pushed us, ready or not, off that damn limb

and, depending on how awake we were before that push, we may have landed in a pile of leaves or a pile of snow or if we were really in a deep sleep - the sleep where you are so deep and snoring so loudly that you don't even stir when your wife smacks you in the head with her Nook - not that I have done this - well, maybe it has taken a hard landing in a field of desert cactus or a rocky cliff to
wake us up!

I know so many people who tell me they don't watch the news because they don't want to see any bad news and this is exactly the way of thinking that brings this bad news to our door so we can see it.

This isn't to punish us. Everything in life is showing us our connection to every other thing - the wheels are set in motion for all of us. We can barricade that door and spend weeks, months, maybe even years holding at bay what we think is out there - but it is absolutely coming in anyway - or we can open that door now.

So the second thing I do when I am at a crossroads

(after getting rid of something - see Part II) -

I make something.

(making things is not just for professionals named Martha in Connecticut or skinny people in Brooklyn who wear black - this is not about making something perfect or something amazing or something that says anything other than I made this)

The act of creating anything is a spiritual act. Our grandmothers instinctively knew this because this is how they spent their days - they made bread, the made sweaters, they made friends with their neighbors, they made a life with what they had.

I will finish up this series tomorrow with Part IV of Navigating Change for Makers -

here is a wonderful link to the amazingly talented artist, musician and writer Kirsten Cram's blog as she tells the tale of the beginnings of her little adventure called Tollipop which started with a voice that called to her with the words "you should make something".

* keep your coins, I want change photograph by YMPhoto

staying "in tension" until our intentions are clear so our arrow flies straight and doesn't do one of those wobbly, bobbly freefalls

If we were archers -

we would gather our energy.

We would pull back our bow.

We would take aim.

We would hold our bow "in tension".

This holding position is important to landing our arrow where we intend it to go; to hit our mark.

(of course, if we are in some kind of life and death battle with that arrow then I guess we just let it fly and hope for the best, but most situations we makers are facing today are not quite so dire)

The same way an archer's "in tension" allows her arrow to hit her target, our own intentions release our energy where we need it to go.

Intentions are not wishes; they are not hopes - wanting to do something is 180 degrees from intending to do it.

Intention releases the potential that makes things happen.

That's why we need to get crystal with what it is we are intending with our maker businesses. Asking ourself, "what is my intention with this?" helps us get clear.

Sometimes our intention is clear but we are held up for some reason.

It is like we have our bow drawn and we are focused on the target, but suddenly the dog barks, the phone rings, the guy next door starts blasting Adele and you know we have to stop and listen to that.

The archer stays focused and holds herself "in tension" through all the noise.

(and sometimes this noise can last a while and sometimes life sends us noise to test our intentions and see how badly we want something or sometimes the noise could be there to delay us because there is something better for us later)

Of course, we always get to choose because it is our life after all - and there is no one thing we just have to do, in reality life has back up plans for our back up plans lined up for us.

Because once that arrow is released, it is released, there is no grabbing it midair

(unless you have some super power that I would be totally jealous to find out about)

and straightening that baby out.

Better to stay "in tension" and get clear (I know our shoulders hurt, but we are strong, WE CAN DO THIS) than send out a wobbler and stab ourselves in the foot.

* the headhunter tee from blackbirdtees

why it's ok to be wrong .... and not in an "i'm ok, you're ok" stuart smalley kind of way either

It is easier to be amazing when we give up the fear of being wrong.

(maybe it's the only way to be amazing actually)

And this should be easy because life is not a contest and no one wins and no one gets famous (for more than a second) and no one is ... well, no one is ... right actually, but somehow (like most of the really important stuff) it isn't easy.

Sometimes trying to be right feels like the smart thing to do, the less risky thing, the safer thing ... but maybe it's not really any of those things.

And maybe eliminating the criteria of what is "right" and making the only criteria what brings us joy - what we love to do or what we have never done before - can keep us in the present moment - the only place we are ever in the presence of something greater than ourselves.

The place the magic happens.

Being wrong is a risk - we could look stupid, we could lose something, we could ... well we could really blow it, maybe big time.

(although when we get real with ourselves what we have to lose most of the time is more about ego and less about any real loss)

And being always right or being smugly right or doing work that is right or righter than someone else's work -

maybe work that is different is more impactful than work that is better - we would probably never say someone was the best potter or seamstress or metalworker because what would that mean anyway?

but we would remember the potter or seamstress or metalworker that showed us something different or made us feel something different and I am not talking regretsy kind of different, but if that's where we need to start to get to amazing then wth let's go with that


or making right in any way a criteria for our creative work is fear based.

It is also that inward polarity that takes our focus from the outside world and puts our attention (and intention) on ourselves and what we are going to get - attention, applause, money, etc, rather than what we are going to give - which is our amazingness, passion, enthusiasm and talent to the world!

(which will inevitably lead to attention and applause and money and most importantly happiness and I offer a complete money back guarantee on all of this - as I do with all my posts actually, of course, I pay out in milkbones - which are like dog money - this is a dog blog after all)

Being right is sometimes about looking backwards to prove where we've been, to prove that we know better - the risk of being wrong isn't about where we've been or about where we're going ... it's just about the now.

The place we have to be as makers.

(and this is not a post about the lessons learned from failure - the real value in failure is that it builds the stength in us to take more risks!)

Yup, it's a process. Yup, it's work. Yup, no one can tell you where taking a risk will land you and yup, it may be on your ass (that's why most of us have extra padding there), but not to risk being wrong when there is even the tiniest chance of being amazing is maybe the only real risk anyway.

* everything will be ok print by PrintedInc

stop waiting for THE opportunity, the one you have IS the opportunity

We may be waiting on the perfect job for the perfect customer

(the job that will make us a household name like Windex or Brillo or ... uh, wait, not them, like Martha, yeah that's better like Martha or the project that will keep us busy with something challenging for awhile)

the problem with waiting is that it leaves us ... well, waiting. It is a pretty reactive place to be.

And I am not talking about going out and making it happen in this post

(although yes, we do have to do that sometimes, although maybe not as often as you might think)

but about just taking the job that you have in your hand, the one that you have done before, the one that you could do in your sleep, the one that is on your work table right now and making that job THE job.

Get out of that ego place that tells us that we are not doing enough - be joyful about that bird in hand.

*bird in the hand print by Tammy Olson

NOTE - I wrote this post several weeks ago and for some reason never posted it. I pulled it out today because I still feel it is valid and timely and hope someone will resonate with it.

The truth for me these days, is that there are so many bigger things going on in the world that talking about business right now feels very small potatoes

(as my grandma would have said - sniffle)

and I feel a certain sense of disconnect with it. At least in terms of posting about growing our businesses - what I really want to be writing about is this incredible opportunity we have as creators to be helping the world evolve into something better ... and maybe I will ....

xo

15 Craft Shows Tips & Tricks to sell more, stress less and have more fun - part trois

11. Accept Credit Cards

With propay it's easy and inexpensive - paypal also has a virtual terminal that can be rented monthly as needed. I bought a card slider (aka knucklebuster) for about $20.00 on Amazon. I imprint the cards and then put them through after the show - this is a little risky, but I haven't had a problem. If you sell pricey stuff you probably need to be able to process the cards at the show. Google it - there are lots of options - you can even process cards with a slider attached to your phone.

Alot of people do buy with cash at shows, but I find customers with larger, multiple item orders pay with credit. Your average sale $ will increase when you accept them.

Make sure to put up signs that credit cards are accepted - it costs you money to accept credit cards so make sure you advertise it.

12. Get a cash bag - keep your eyes on your moulah.

My niece once had one customer distract her while their accomplice walked off with her cash box. She didn't notice until they were long gone - she lost hundreds of dollars. Alot is going on at a show and, especially if you are working alone, you need to know where your cash is.

I have an amazing traveler bag (this is so not a fanny pack!) from JennyNDesign that is perfect.

13. Be nice to your neighbors.

Say hello. Tell them your name. Don't encroach on their space. Be considerate. If you ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your booth so you can run to the restroom (something I don't really recommend, but it can happen) - realize their commitment is to their own booth, not yours, so make a run for it and be sure to thank them.

(at Art Star last weekend after setting up my tent I noticed my neighbor staring at my wall - on her side - and realized hubby had stuck an X made with duct tape on the outside to cover a hole - I rarely use the sides and hadn't noticed it - since my outside wall was about to become her interior wall I quickly ditched the tape - the hole BTW was about 1" and the duct tape a gigantic 6" X!)

14. Don't be afraid to do a show alone.

You can do it! I've done it many times. It's more fun with a partner, but don't let your inability to lasso a friend into helping you (I bribe people with free jewelry and cookies) stop you. The set-up and take-down is a little tiring solo, but no one knows your work like you do - it isn't that hard.

15. Try to offer a freebie.

When I'm offering up a little free something or other to someone (usually a cork stopper with my logo) every head near my booth whips around - people love freebies! You could give out a sticker, pin, etc - I once saw someone giving out free teabags with their logo - people drank it up!

16. Oops I have one more - After KJ reminded me yesterday that buyers like to tell people they know the artist it is a good idea to save a part of your display area for a little self promotion - set up newspaper stories, any articles you are in, any books you are in - you can put pictures of your work in a book (think Blurb) very inexpensively and it makes you look very impressive.

(I know I would be impressed or depressed since I've never done this)

Photos of your work being worn or used are a must; a photo of yourself with your own story - makes your handmade item even more personal. You can set up your laptop and flash pictures of your work and draw people in.

We could go overboard with this - remember we are not DaVinci - but we are the creators of our own amazing work and if we are not impressed with it no one else will be either!

Hope some of these tips help someone - I didn't focus on our displays since being the crafty mavens that we are, we can most likely come up with something amazing - just think staging areas (grouping things in different areas) and using various levels and especially having items or photos at the customer's eye level.

I made my first magazine ad yesterday directed to retail stores - whatcha' think? My brother, the artist, said "very nice - the only thing that is unreadable is your studio name in your logo" - ha!


* be nice typography print by tiny bungalow

Leaving the Poetry in What We Make - embracing wabi-sabi

At its most nakedness, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and wisdom in nature. It's simple, slow, and uncluttered and above all it reveres authenticity.

It is the gift of time and the thing that can't be rushed.

It is the reason we love real flowers instead of plastic ones, even though we know they will wilt, flea markets instead of big box stores, barnwood instead of pergo. It's the reason those botoxed, un-naturally smooth faces on television make us so uncomfortable.

(and as pretty as Target's colorful little plastic thingie is and how much it is calling my name at times, I can leave it in the store because I know my soul just doesn't embrace this stuff anymore - it has no essence, it has no poetry - I know I will forget all about it 10 minutes after I get it home)

It isn't about laziness or letting things come together or fall apart in a messy or sloppy way. It's kind of the opposite of that. The beauty of the frayed edge of grandmas's quilt can only be appreciated in a clean and unencumbered setting.

(this is why the vintage sellers do so much better with empty space in their photos and clean, simple backgrounds - trust me on this vintage sellers)

I have been thinking about Japan alot these last few days (I know we all have) and this concept stands out to me as one of the most wonderful of all Japanese principles.

And for small maker companies it means not being afraid to show the flaws in ourselves and our work because real is never perfect and that is why people connect with it.

It's OK that we're not perfect - it's more than OK actually.

* Secret Door print by SeaLilyStudio
xo

Why Listening is Just as Important as Talking and why your target market may be able to avoid you - Marketing This Thing Part II


There are 2 types of marketing that those of us with maker businesses have to be thinking about - there is strategic marketing (this week's topic) and operational marketing.

Strategic marketing is about positioning our businesses to make money.

One of the ways to do this is to put the customer at the center of our core business thinking and decide what products and services to produce in the first place based on them.

This is no different than what any other type of business has to do to make money.

Now for makers this is not about selling just to be selling -

if we are not creating a business selling something that we are passionate about and is uniquely our own than we are not creating anything anyone will ever miss when it is gone and it soon will be ...

to make room for the passionate stuff that someone willing to put the time and energy and hours into discovering and working and reworking is dreaming up right now in their pajamas or their office suit or their McDonald's bright red shirt -

someone (to quote Will from Monday) who is not afraid to die on that treadmill.


A photographer who's soul yearns to roadtrip the country and photograph rusty cars in junkyards and battered old street signs should not be snapping birds on branches because maybe birds on branches are trending right now ...

(although I would totally hop on the hedgehog train if I were you - I had previously predicted the fox trend and am now predicting the hedgehog trend)

but a strategic, customer centered marketing focus would ask the photographer to think about just how infrequently most people change their wall art and maybe license her images for use on other products or maybe create a humorous 'junk in your trunk' greeting card line or package her photos in such a way that customers are more likely to buy them such as producing a Blurb coffee table book of her photos and selling that.

Now in one sense this does not really expand this photographer's "target" market (again I am picturing ducks in a shooting gallery) because her market is really the people who love her aesthetic (and the people shopping for those people) but it does give them more reasons to buy from her and more ways for her to operationally market her work.

Before I discovered Etsy I created and sold a line of scrapbook-type hanging boards that I called Graffiti Boardz.

I sold them in a few stores at the Jersey shore, but mostly I sold them at local craft shows, street fairs and music festivals.


I made them for about 3 years (it was a part-time thing) until I talked to the album frame manufacturer who fabricated the metal framing I used around the boards about resizing them just for me. I wanted them to make me a 12" frame (the size of standard scrapbook paper) instead of the 12 1/2" frame (the size of a standard record album).

Within a few weeks they had fabricated the special sized frames (yippee) for me and (not so yippee, maybe just a yip) for Michael's and A.C. Moore which they promptly stocked the frame department with and labeled scrapbook frame.

(yes, I am taking total credit for scrapbook frames in the craft stores ... as well as the Cheesecake Factory's crispy crab wontons ... I take total credit for those, too and possibly Obama's economic plan, but we'll see how that works out first)

Anyway back to the new (to me) Etsy marketplace because although these boards had sold very well at local craft shows where you need a broader appeal product with a high 'mom' factor (niche products will not make you the queen of the local craft show circuit) I knew instinctively they were not the right aesthetic for Etsy and that the big old internet, which was getting bigger by the nanosecond, demanded niche thinking.

(plus I thought hanging scrapbook frames were about to be everywhere - and I was tired of making them and my scrapbook store-owner friend, who sold me all her scrappy leftovers at below wholesale prices was ready to move on, too)

Of course, if my heart and my soul were still screaming Graffiti Boardz, I would still be making them (I am sure with a gazillion little adjustments by now) and truly if my heart and my soul were still needing to make them, then I would be making the selling part work ... even on Etsy.

So, what does all of this have to do with listening instead of talking and our so-called elusive "target market" - well, I knew that a successful creative business needed to be customer "focused" at its core -

putting the customer at the center of our business thinking in the beginning as hard and as much work as this can be -

is still alot easier than putting them at the center of our bullseye and "targeting" them later on by firing products at them and seeing what we can hit.

(due to the popularity of video gaming, customers are increasingly agile and able to avoid this type of 'targeting' anyway)

If we don't make what people want to buy

(note - I am not talking about things that everyone wants to buy - we'll leave that to Target)

then no matter how clever or creative our operational marketing is - it will probably fail.

Now, we have to do this without silencing our creative voice because if there is not a whole lot of what is uniquely us in our making then no amount of operational or strategic marketing is going to work for long anyway.

This is where alot of makers get stuck - they either decide to make what sells and it ends up looking an awful lot like what everyone else is making

and then spend alot of time looking for someone to buy it or get pissed or depressed if no one does

or they decide they want to make what they want to make no matter what


(which is, of course, totally ok if you are not wanting to sell it)

and then spend alot of time looking for someone to buy it or get pissed or depressed if no one does

but if other people are the center of a business, and I think they are, then it is just as important to listen to them in the beginning as it is to talk at them at the end.

Staying true to our own voice while seeing customers as active partners and not passive 'targets' is totally possible for all of us.

On Friday I will talk about some very specific ways we can do this in Part III of Marketing This Thing - Strategy is Not Just for Generals.

(I know you may lose some sleep waiting - please don't hate me for this)

*listen print by the amazing and uniquely herself elle moss