Hip to be Square

Thanks to all who came out to the New Jersey Metal Arts Guild sample sale at GAS Gallery and Studio. I especially thank Elizabeth, Rick, Micha and Christine for your generosity and support in making the event happen.

I had a great day! I so enjoyed spending time with the other artists and the conversations we had about design, creative process, metalsmithing techniques and how to market one's work.

I wanted to share a tasty tidbit for any artisan who a) has a smart phone and b) does retail shows, trunk sales, etc. I used my SQUARE credit card swiper for the first time. I know, I know... Square has been around awhile now... I have had my swiper but this is the first time I used it because most of my trunk shows are set up as wholesale and the merchant handles transactions.

But, if you don't know about Square, it's a small device you plug into your phone (or iPad) that allows you to swipe credit cards. It costs 2.75% per transaction. If you don't have a smart phone, you can use a computer (3% per transaction).
Find them here...

Anyway, my sales all went through and were posted to my account the next day. Soooo much easier than carting around a big machine, paying all the merchant service charges, etc. typically associated with a merchant credit card account through a bank. It did take a little time for me to learn to do a proper swipe- but the app comes with a practice tutorial... anyway, I recommend it.

Is your art website user-friendly?

It takes a lot of time and effort to keep a website up-to-date, fresh and relevant to users. We invest a lot of creativity and energy designing and launching our websites. But how do we know if the sites accomplish what we would like them to?

Here are some tools for analyzing the usefulness of your website from a user's perspective:

22 Tools for Testing Your Website's Usability

Spring awakening?

Today we had a winter storm advisory which, thankfully, has ended up just being some drizzle and not 10 inches of snow. My crocus have already bloomed, the daffodils are up, the lilacs are starting to leaf out, a few perennials are popping up so spring (must be?) just around the corner. It has been a long winter.

My creative life is mirroring the seasons right now. After a rough fall season (my sales were dismal, despite being in shows almost every weekend), I have taken a few months off from making jewelry or doing any other kind of artwork. I have really really needed that break.

Now I am starting to think about what I want to do next, and I think it is going to be something different than what I have been doing. The price of silver has more than doubled in the last year, and there is no sign that the price is going to stop climbing any time soon. This catapults my work into a higher price range than it can really bear, just for me to cover my expenses. So I need to adapt- either redesign my lines, re-market to a different price point, or make something totally different.

I know I need to get into the studio and just get working on something, I need to work to figure it out. I am excited about what the next few months will bring for me creatively.

How have you jump-started your creativity after times of creative doldrums?

Photographing products

I would consider myself a skilled amateur photographer; I have taken college level photo classes, have worked at times as a photo assistant, have a darkroom in my basement, and am a photoshop expert. I have a very good quality digital camera, just a notch below pro quality. I have a simple light set-up and know some tricks to improve results. I have also managed many photo shoots in my work as an art director, and have developed a very good eye for images. But even with these skills, over the years I have learned that if I have enough lead time and have the funds, I always get better results when I hire a pro to shoot product images.

Still, there are times when I need to shoot something to get it up on the web or to add it to a product catalog and don't have the time (or funds) to use a pro. Here is a WikiHow article that may help you when you find yourself in the same spot:

http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Better-Product-Photographs-for-Free

If you want to buy a table-top lighting set (lamps and dome) I suggest B&H camera. I use a set-up that cost about $150.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Tent-Dome-Kits/ci/11099/N/4294550800

Ten tips for a successful art/craft business

1. Make a good product

If your product isn't well-designed, well-made and unique or special in one way or another, you will have an uphill climb trying to sell it. Work that has these qualities is work you will be proud of, and your customers will want to join in your enthusiasm for the work by buying it.

2. Research the market

Having any successful business requires constant research about the kinds of product you sell, appropriate pricing, trends, production and technology. For your business plan, you also need to write about your market and how your product fits into it. Resources include trade publications and organizations, local, state and federal government statistics, visiting shows and galleries, talking to other artists, and searching the internet. Many libraries have small business centers/resources that will help you find what you are looking for.

3. Write and regularly update your business plan

Take the time to soul-search, crunch the numbers and write a good business plan. Even if you don't expect to apply for loans or seek outside investors, going through the exercise will give you realistic expectations about the costs and benefits of having your own business. It will help you determine the nature of your business, what your selling opportunities are, and determine what kind of products you will make.

4. Invest time and research into creating branding for your business

Put some time and effort into coming up with a good business name, designing a logo, and having a "personality" to your brand. Make sure all collateral material is well-designed and has a consistent look. This provides a visual identification for your business and implies overall professionalism and that you take yourself seriously as an artist. 

5. Make sure your communications are effective

If you are an artist, the work is the most important thing. But marketing your work takes time and is a necessity that can't be ignored. If you have limited time, make sure that your efforts reach as many people as possible. Social media, e-newsletters and using your website as a viable tool will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

6. Look at customer service as an investment

Do whatever you can to make your customers feel good about you and your product. They are paying your bills, after all! Time invested working through problems and prompt response when they have an issue or question are very cost-effective ways to build your reputation as an artist and good business person. Make sure your policy about returns and repairs is spelled out on your website or printed in a brochure when you make a sale. Have a plan about how to deal with difficult customers.

7. Know when to do it yourself and when to pay someone to do it for you

If you need help with accounting, PR, photographing your work, building your website, consider whether you should do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you. Ask yourself:

A. If I do it, will the result be professional quality?

B. Would anyone ever pay me to do that task?

C. Would I be able to do it as quickly as a pro?

If you answer "yes" to at least 2 out of 3, it may be worth it for you to do it yourself (depending on how much time you have). If you answer "no" to two or more, you should pay someone else to do it for you. You will save time and money in the long run. 

8. Always use best business practices

Know about and adhere to business licensing, taxes, permits and regulations in your area before you start your business. Most government agencies have made it extremely easy to manage sales tax, etc. online. Talk to other artists or small business organizations if you need help in any of these areas. 

9. Don't be afraid to invest in yourself 

Artists don't always take themselves seriously as a business so they don't spend money on things that fall under the category "cost of doing business." Examples include not having business cards, a website, not investing in business basics like a fax machine or separate phone line. All of these things are worth it because they save time and show that you are truly a professional. If you don't take yourself seriously professionally no one else you!

10. Rotate your products

Don't get locked into making the same old thing year in and year out. You will lose even the most devoted customers if you aren't offering them variety in what you produce. A good rule is to rotate out 20-30% of your product lines every year and rotate in 20-30% new products. 

Sign up for my arts marketing class- registration now open!

"Creative Marketing for Artists and Crafters" class at Adult School of Montclair

Tuesday nights starting October 12, ending November 30 (8 weeks)

Tuition: $95 

Location: Montclair High School

100 Chestnut St. Montclair, NJ 07042

This is a fun and creative class to apply your creative skills and sensibilities to the business side of art. Artists and crafters will discover how to market their wares creatively and innovatively using practical tools that get work recognized and sold. Learn through in-class exercises how to create a viable business plan, set up a website for promotions, develop pricing techniques, and cultivate gallery and niche contacts to expand exposure and income.

Register now!

Doing it your way

I am still working on my Behance.net portfolio, so stay tuned for progress reports!... In the meantime, here is a tasty tidbit for you:

My friend, Rene Syler ("Good Enough Mother," broadcast journalist, author, blogger and all-around media maven), has just posted an article about the process of reinventing herself after some very difficult personal and professional struggles… and how she set her own rules in the process. 

Rene has been a constant source of inspiration to me as a kindred being who is making her way through the ups and downs of the creative life. In her post she talks specifically about the role of blogging in her personal transformation.

She has a lot of other cool stuff on her website, too!

I will soon be posting a guest blog article on the Good Enough Mother website: Five Things You Can Do to Foster Creativity in Your Child.