Q: I’ve been wondering about this for a while now and haven’t figured out how to handle it. I sell beaded jewelry and have my pieces on consignment at a number of shops. Occasionally, a show owner will call to tell me a customer has broken her piece of jewelry and she’s asking me to fix it. Am I responsible for these repairs for the life of my work? The breakage isn’t due to any manufacturing problem on my part. Part of me wants to do it for the PR. Where do I draw the line, or do I just suck it up and do it? - Barb Lippert, via e-mail
Q: I manage a retail gallery, and we’ll be updating over the next few months. We want to light it in a way where we can rearrange the pieces and be able to either move the lights or have the lights work with every arrangement. Right now we mostly stock wall art and ceramic pieces (pots, vases, etc.). What types of lights do you recommend? We’ve left a fair-sized portion of the budget for this. - Sophia Barthow, Lexington, Kentucky
Q: I have had to flee New York City in order to continue my life as a craft artist. I am now located in southwest Virginia. Although I am concentrating on wholesale, it is imperative I include retail shows in my schedule. Previously, the kind of shows I did where Artrider, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and high-end fine crafts shows. This is my customer base, as my product is a somewhat sophisticated artisan candle. Recently, the Renwick Gallery has purchased them, as well as Fallingwater. They have become a staple at the Taubman Museum of Art store in Roanoke.
I have just done the Crozet show near Charlottesville and found it to be a good show.
Could you recommend some other shows that might give me a discerning client and charge reasonable prices for exhibitors? I can now travel to surrounding states, including Virginia; Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; North Carolina, etc. I look forward to hearing from you and would gladly supply you with any additional information that might be helpful. - Jessica Lauber, via e-mail
Q: I've been working in warm glass, creating mostly jewelry, for about 17 years. Originally, I sold mostly wholesale, because I had a young child at home and didn't want to be out on the show circuit away from her. Now that my daughter is 15, I'm heading back to doing retail shows more and more. More than that, I want to move away from production work and into larger art objects, such as glass paintings and castings. My question is, how do I move from selling jewelry to selling larger and more expensive art objects while still maintaining some of my current customer base so that I don't go broke? Nancy, via e-mail
Q: Recently, I had professional photography done of some of my fiber art pieces. They were special pieces done for Habitat for Humanity’s fundraiser auction. The photographer I used informed me that he is trying to get all of his business paper work in order and issued a licensing agreement concerning copyright issues. He has pretty much given me a blank license agreement so that I can use the images for jury purposes, website and social media networking, and advertising image reproduction. However, on the disc that he gave me, he has copyrighted the work. When I went to have printed photos made from the disc of the work, the technician noticed the copyright on the disc and said it was odd to have this on the disc and was wondering if I was able to produce these images. Should I suggest to the photographer that he not put copyright on the disc, or do I need to produce the licensing agreement every time I have these images printed from the disc? Is this a growing trend for photographers? Who does own the copyright on images? The photographer who took the photos, the person who made the work, or both? Judy Jones, via e-mail
Q: Last year, I took my jewelry products to a couple of outdoor shows for the first time. The jewelry, I feel, is of good quality and priced accordingly, but I didn’t have too many people stopping to look. Many of those who did, however, purchased a few pieces. I suspect that my booth isn’t doing enough. What can I do to improve my presence? – Charlotte Hayes, via e-mail
Q: With gasoline prices rising so substantially in recent months, my transportation expenses for attending shows and fairs this summer and fall will be exceeding what I had projected in my 2011 operating budget at the beginning of the year. Is there a way of attending these events without breaking the bank? – Mark Hursdahl, via e-mail
Q: Life and self-employment are filled with unexpected personal medical and family emergencies. As I run my small crafts business, how can I prepare for those times when, because of possible poor health, hospitalization, or my assistance with a loved one, I might not be able to work? I’m basically a one-person operation, so such events worry me. – Julie Hammer, via e-mail
Q: I'm a mature craftsperson who has been making fashion jewelry for 25 years. I'm beginning to feel that my ideas are wearing out. Going to the studio feels too much like work. How do I get myself going again? Martha Safe, via e-mail
Q: I overheard a conversation the other day, and it intrigued me. They were talking about designing jewelry for a company, eliminating the need for doing art fairs. I make one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry and love the creative side, but the selling side, not so much (and as I get older, those shows are getting tough to do)! Designing for a company sounds as though it'd be right up my alley, but where in the world do I start? Any thoughts? Thanks for any help you can give. Barb Lippert, via e-mail
Q: How can I protect my trademark or my “brand?” I have been using a name for my business and website and found that someone else is using the same phrase. I contacted an attorney and was told that it would cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to get a trademark. Is there a less expensive way I can do it myself? Letti Pheifer, via e-mail
Q: We have been creating fused-glass jewelry for the past 3½ years and sales have been excellent (in fact, much better than we ever dreamed). Now we are considering expansion, which would require hiring help for the sawing, grinding and finishing. My question is: What do we pay the people who would perform these tasks?
Also, do we enter into employment agreements that would require payroll tax deductions and payment to the State and IRS, as well as worker’s comp insurance? Or can we hire these people as subcontractors, leaving the tax responsibilities for them to handle? Then, do we pay hourly or by the number of pieces they process?
All of these are questions to which we need the answers as we are preparing our business plan and budget. In fact, these numbers will have a major impact on our plans and could possibly even force us to postpone that step for expansion.
Anké Kelly, www.ankedsign.com
To grow or not to grow and when to do it is a question every business has to answer. Unfortunately many small business people don’t consider this move as carefully as you are. I can’t answer all of your questions with exact numbers, but I’ll try to give you the tools you need to answer them yourselves. The people who do work for you can fall into two categories.
In the first category is an employee who comes to work in your space when you tell then to and they use your tools. Yes, you have to pay all the taxes you list above for this person. In addition, depending on where you live, you may have to provide the option to purchase health insurance through the plan you use for yourselves. This employee would most likely be paid an hourly rate that would be comparable to what workers in your area get paid for production work whether they’re making car parts, light bulbs or jewelry.
The second way to get your work done would be to engage a subcontractor. Note I didn’t say hire, let’s be clear, this person doesn’t work for you, they work for themselves and contract to complete certain tasks for various businesses including yours. They would work in their own space with their own tools.
If this person needs training to do your tasks you may have to make them an employee since it is assumed that a subcontractor would know how to do the work. You can get an IRS opinion about your specific situation by filing an SS8 form with your local IRS office. Once set up they would typically meet with you, get the materials needed and a list of pieces ordered and a due date.
Then off they go to complete the task at their own convenience, maybe they like to work all night watching old movies. I’m aware of contracts between people who move the work back and forth via USPS. You can only require that the work must be done on your schedule and to your specifications. You do not pay any taxes for this person that is their responsibility. You do however provide them and your tax accountant with a 1099 Misc form at the end of the year stating the amount they were paid.
Whether you use an employee or a subcontractor to get the job done there are other important considerations. How much do your sales have to grow to pay for the work? Are you confident they will? And are you prepared to do the extra work needed to turn the parts created into finished goods? And the big one are you ready to bring another personality in the studio setting?
This is an excerpt from the March 2011 Just Ask column. To read the entire article, contact us at (800) 331-0038, ext. 124 to buy the issue.
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Q. How should I dress for various shows? I don’t want to be overdressed, but at the same time I’ve seen exhibitors underdressed for higher-end shows. Is there a standard I should follow?
I think our standard should be to dress in a way that reflects confidence and success. We must always be mindful that everything we do reflects on our brand. Our brand is about creativity, good design, the sign of the hand and quality. The clothes we choose to wear in our booth should embody those attributes and therefore enhance our brand. The level of formality will vary from show to show and also during the run of the show. For example, if there is an opening preview or benefit, it calls for dressier outfits. This too will vary from show to show. Why not take along several choices and talk to fellow exhibitors about what they are wearing and go from there?
How should I dress for various shows? I don’t want to be overdressed, but at the same time I’ve seen exhibitors underdressed for higher-end shows. Is there a standard I should follow?
Q. After I get all my display furniture and product set up in my booth there’s not much room for me—help!
This is a common problem and the solution you choose will be very important to your selling success. The way you present yourself can be welcoming or off-putting. This is where the aisle comes in. Using the aisle, let’s say you greet buyers as they approach, invite them in, and oversee your booth without being an obstruction. By carefully watching the movements of buyers you can show up at the right moment. And remember, buyers don’t want to feel trapped by a salesperson, so think about how you approach and be sure not to begin speaking from behind a customer—always get to one side or the other. Although show days are very long, I think it’s important to greet your buyers standing up. For me it’s a matter of respect.
After I get all my display furniture and product set up in my booth there’s not much room for me—help!
Q: At the last show I attended, I did not have a booth assistant. Obviously I had to eat at some point in the day, but I know shoe manners suggest it isn't appropriate to eat while at your booth. How do I get around this when I'm just one person?
A: So eat. I see this as a matter of diplomacy rather than etiquette. It's all about being thoughtful and mindful of where you are and what you are there for. I would suggest you purchase food on your way to the show; the lines at the show food vendors are often long. Choose something that is easily eaten in little bits in between customers. You might also avoid garlic, onions and other strongly fragrant foods. If necessary, let your buyers know why you are eating in your booth--they'll understand we're all human.
At the last show I attended, I did not have a booth assistant. I know show manners suggest it isn′t appropriate to eat while at your booth. How do I get around this when I′m just one person?
Q: I’m trying to get out of doing shows all together. I’m aging and it is just too difficult for me to travel. What options are available to me?
As the population ages, many of us will be faced with figuring out how to continue to make a living with reduced physical resources. For sure craftspeople accustomed to working independently in their own studios will find the most creative solutions to elder earning. Hopefully you have been building and maintaining a mailing list. Now is the time to come up with new and interesting ways to put it to use. No doubt you have been holding a holiday sale each year. Why not expand and host a series of studio sales at major buying times in your area? This could include wedding season, graduation and of course any local celebrations. Printing a great brochure and mailing it to your out-of-town customers is another way to build sales and stay home.
There is also our new best-selling tool, the Internet. You can approach the Internet in two basic ways. The simplest way is to put your work on an established site. Look into www.Guild.com for retail selling or www.WholesaleCrafts.com and see if they might work for you. Putting together your own site is more complicated and expensive; however, with the double-digit growth of sales on the Internet, having your own site could be very profitable. Developing these new marketing approaches will require money to launch, take time to develop, and will need to be managed, but you do it from home. So why not redirect the money you are not spending on travel and booth fees to these new businesses?
I’m trying to get out of doing shows altogether. I’m aging and it is just too difficult for me to travel. What options are available to me?
Q: As a jewelry artist, I’m finding our market saturated at shows. What are some things I can do to stand out from the crowd?
We all want to be a part of the crowd and at the same time stand out from that crowd. Have you tried inviting your customers/buyers to a special event in your booth, perhaps a demonstration of a new technique you are using? Since shopping/buying is exhausting, you might offer a snack and something to drink at a particular time each day; we all know nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. Market researcher, Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, tells us the longer a person stays in your store/booth, the more they will spend. So the longer you keep the shopper sipping and looking, the more likely you are to make a sale. It’s also good to remember that jewelry is all about fashion and what’s in fashion changes. I would suggest you change part of your line, your booth color, display props and the layout of your displays for each season.
As a jewelry artist, I’m finding our market saturated at shows. What are some things I can do to stand out from the crowd?
I’ve heard that if I price my work higher, buyers will think it is worth more and are more likely to buy it. Is this true in the world of crafts? On the one hand, I don’t want to lose buyers because they think my work is overpriced. But on the other hand, I don’t want to lose out on profit because I priced my work too low. How does this concept work in this industry?
-Jillian Disa, Portland, Maine
There certainly is something to be said about perceived value. Let’s understand perceived value to mean value not related to the cost of materials and production. Why would anyone pay $500 for a pair of jeans when perfectly serviceable ones are available for less than $100?
Perhaps it has to do with words like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Dolce&Gabbana, all well-known brand names. People know that they are paying more for the jeans because they have designer labels that relate to a brand that is known for quality and good design, not because the cost of time and materials justifies the price. The perceived value here will be enhanced by the satisfaction the purchaser will get when people notice and recognize the choices that have been made.
So now for your work. You don’t say what you make or anything about the position of your brand in the marketplace. Both of these factors influence what the consumer is willing to pay for an object. For instance, the typical customer will pay more for a goblet blown by a well-known glass artist than they will for one from an unknown maker. Please read the third question for my ideas about getting the price right in terms of profitability. In addition, consider the fame factor—if you are well-known and sell your work easily, then you are probably in a position to increase your prices (gradually would be best) and not lose sales.
I’ve heard that if I price my work higher, buyers will think it is worth more and are more likely to buy it. Is this true in the world of crafts? On the one hand, I don’t want to lose buyers because they think my work is overpriced. But on the other hand, I don’t want to lose out on profit because I priced my work too low. How does this concept work in this industry?
I’ve had my wood-carving business for a number of years, and now I am ready to get my work into more galleries and shops. However, I’m not sure that I have the time and experience necessary to do this. Should I hire an artist’s broker/representative? I’ve heard varying opinions (some strong) about this. Would it be beneficial to hire one? Or should I just press on and try to do my own representation?
When packaging up a purchase, I use cheap plastic bags. However, I’ve noticed other artists using the more expensive craft paper bags, bags with their brand name embossed on the front or even cloth bags with their names printed on them.Is expensive packaging really necessary?
Just Ask
At the last show I attended, I did not have a booth assistant. I know show manners suggest it isn′t appropriate to eat while at your booth. How do I get around this when I
I’m trying to get out of doing shows altogether. I’m aging and it is just too difficult for me to travel. What options are available to me?
As a jewelry artist, I’m finding our market saturated at shows. What are some things I can do to stand out from the crowd?
I’ve heard that if I price my work higher, buyers will think it is worth more and are more likely to buy it. Is this true in the world of crafts? On the one hand, I don’t want to lose buyers because they think my work is overpriced. But on the other hand, I don’t want to lose out on profit because I priced my work too low. How does this concept work in this industry?
I’ve had my wood-carving business for a number of years, and now I am ready to get my work into more galleries and shops. However, I’m not sure that I have the time and experience necessary to do this. Should I hire an artist’s broker/representative? I’ve heard varying opinions (some strong) about this. Would it be beneficial to hire one? Or should I just press on and try to do my own representation?
