[Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts

River Woman riverwoman at zoominternet.net
Sun Oct 3 17:39:08 UTC 2010 

Yes, and Yes, to all Eileen is saying here.

This is why you need to shoose your shows so carefully. I like to do things 
in a country club, expensive hotel, or museum/gallery type of setting. Those 
customers are looking for the best quality and expect to pay well for it.

At a country club show a few years ago I had most of my necklaces that are 
$100. and above out for sale. The display has to be impeccable and elegant. 
A fellow artist there told me how they watched a very well dressed couple 
come into the show.  They came to her booth, asked the price of a necklace 
she had made...it was $25.  Then, she said once she told them the price, 
they put it down and walked away. She watched them. They came to my booth 
and the wife was trying on the necklaces that are $200.  It was only a few 
moments before I had made the sale.  The necklace was a seed bead piece my 
daughter had made and quite elegant. After they left, the other artist came 
over and we had a chat.  She said she realized that people like that were 
never interested in something so inexpensive as hers, and that they chose my 
things due to the higher price point. I have found this to be true over and 
over.

One necklace I had at a couple of show, I only had $65. on it.  It did not 
sell thought it was beautiful. So at the next show, in a very swanky hotel, 
I priced it at $125.  A well dressed business man walked in, went over to 
the necklace and bought it as a Christmas gift for his wife.  You see, the 
price DOES make a difference. Just figure out who your customer will be and 
make the kind of work they need.

I used to work for Neiman Marcus in California - so I know how to sell 
quality things, and I know how happy people are when they find beautiful 
things they want and need and it makes me very happy to help them out. We 
are all happy - the buyer and me.

You just have to figure out exactly WHO you want to help - and then make and 
sell that thing that you love to make for them.

Lynda
Lynda Lambert
River Road Studio, Since 1976
www.lyndalambert.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eileen Scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts


>I agree  with the quality issue.  I like good stuff, not cheaply made with 
>infirior materials or poor workmanship.  However, from my experience people 
>that go to a lot of these craft type shows look at it more as a day's 
>outing for them & the family.  A lot of people will look and say how pretty 
>I really like it, but when they hear or see the price will walk away.  At a 
>lot of the craft shows, people will do a lot of window shopping, then go to 
>the food tent and spend money eating but not buying the hand made goods.  I 
>think the basic way of viewing hand made crafts is strictly by price.  They 
>thing they can go to the local Fileen's Basement, Marshal's or T.J. Max 
>stores and get similarly made things at half the price.  While half the 
>price is correct, they won't find the same quality workmans ship & 
>materials is put into the mass-produced items.
>
> Just entering a crafts show is expensive now a days and when you figure in 
> all the stuff you then need for displaying your goods, the costs of your 
> materials & time when you don't sell the stuff its a huge financial loss 
> when your not selling cheap junk.
>
> Eileen
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Eleni Vamvakari" <magkisa83 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 11:11 AM
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts
>
>> I wouldn't expect to sell anything but the best. *smile*  I too am a
>> perfectionist when it comes to things like this, so I know that
>> something of inferior quality simply won't make it.
>>
>> On 10/3/10, River Woman <riverwoman at zoominternet.net> wrote:
>>> The items we make to sell have to be exquisite and perfect. It has to 
>>> look
>>> wonderful and be made of the best materials possible. Shabby does not 
>>> get
>>> it, nor does mistakes and sloppy work. The crafsmanship has to be spot 
>>> on if
>>> you want to see it to customers who are discerning.
>>> Lynda Lambert
>>> River Road Studio, Since 1976
>>> www.lyndalambert.com
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "NCBootman" <ncbootman at gmail.com>
>>> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" 
>>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 9:51 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts
>>>
>>>
>>>> Eleni,
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for understanding my intention to get you thinking.
>>>>
>>>> The reason I was willing to post to the list is that a question for any
>>>> crafter is what are we going to do with our treasures! Otherwise, we 
>>>> soon
>>>> live in a warehouse that just gets more crowded. But, we have to think
>>>> about selling and business and all of that. There's just so much to 
>>>> think
>>>> about.
>>>>
>>>> Greg
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>> From: "Eleni Vamvakari" <magkisa83 at gmail.com>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 7:59 PM
>>>> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" 
>>>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Greg,
>>>>>
>>>>> I know that my family is willing to help me as far as sending things
>>>>> to the post office so that won't be a problem.  On the off chance that
>>>>> they're unavailable, I could ask a trusted friend.  As far as craft
>>>>> shows, I would need to work on that in advance.  I might have my
>>>>> boyfriend, a family member or a friend take me.  I'm actually planning
>>>>> on starting this business with a friend.  The reason why I didn't
>>>>> mention this is because I'm sure it will create even more of a
>>>>> headache come tax time and I wanted the basics answered first.  She's
>>>>> visually-impaired, not totally blind like me, so could help with some
>>>>> of the more challenging aspects of creating these things until I feel
>>>>> more comfortable.  She's on SSD, so I'm not sure if she qualifies for
>>>>> the PASS or if it's only for those on SSI, if we could make a plan
>>>>> together or if I would be better off applying as an individual and
>>>>> listing her as an employee.  I don't want to do anything that might
>>>>> cause trouble in the longrun.  At any rate, I'm sure that we could put
>>>>> our heads together when it comes to some of the calculations.  There
>>>>> is also software that can help us keep track of purchases, costs of
>>>>> shipping and materials, income earned etc.  But I think that when it
>>>>> really comes time to crunch the numbers, we'll go to an accountant.
>>>>> You're absolutely right about yard sales and the like, which is why I
>>>>> would always attend one with someone sighted who has a good eye for
>>>>> catching these crooks.  I don't consider this discouragement at all.
>>>>> In fact, I'm very greatful that you're taking the time to explain all
>>>>> of this to me.  The more I learn the better.  I sincerely hope that
>>>>> this isn't going too offtopic, but perhaps the advice that I get and
>>>>> the questions that I ask could help someone else who's interested in
>>>>> starting a business in crafts.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Eleni
>>>>>
>>>>> On 10/2/10, NCBootman <ncbootman at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> I never discourage anybody who wants to work. But, the fact is that 
>>>>>> one
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the biggest factors in failure of a blind person's work experience is
>>>>>> due to
>>>>>> transportation. This is an area that you will need to have a rock 
>>>>>> solid
>>>>>> plan
>>>>>> of how you will deal with the issue of transportation. Employers Will
>>>>>> ask
>>>>>> and if you seek funding for a business, they will ask. So, spend a 
>>>>>> lot
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> time with this and have alternatives. Alternatives are necessary 
>>>>>> because
>>>>>> what happens when you have a deadline for delivery or a show or just 
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> scheduled day and the main transportation fails. Drivers have 
>>>>>> surgery,
>>>>>> get
>>>>>> mad, aren't in the mood, ...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Another important area is if you are in a selling business, you'd 
>>>>>> better
>>>>>> love math or hire somebody to do it. There's the actual adding up of 
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> sale,
>>>>>> calculating sales tax, figuring item cost, paying bills, reporting
>>>>>> income
>>>>>> taxes, reporting to Social Security, and just doing the day to day
>>>>>> accounting. If you have a yard sale or go to the flea market and have 
>>>>>> no
>>>>>> backers of any kind, you've still got to deal with that crook who 
>>>>>> wants
>>>>>> ten
>>>>>> $5 items for $25. They'll work so fast you won't even know what 
>>>>>> happened
>>>>>>
>>>>>> if
>>>>>> you aren't on your toes.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Again, this is not discouragement. This is work related facts and 
>>>>>> must
>>>>>> be
>>>>>> considered as a part of beginning work or any business. I'm happy to
>>>>>> answer
>>>>>> any questions and do anything I can to help.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Greg
>>>>>> Greg
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> From: "Eleni Vamvakari" <magkisa83 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 5:14 PM
>>>>>> To: "List for blind crafters and artists"
>>>>>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks Annette and Joyce.  I haven't gone to any crafts shows, since 
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> don't know where any are located in my area and have no one to take
>>>>>>> me.  That said, my boyfriend might be able to if it's during the
>>>>>>> weekend.  I'm terrible with mathematics so all of this would just 
>>>>>>> give
>>>>>>> me a headache if I tried it on my own.  That said, I've saved your
>>>>>>> questions and will attempt to work on them, if only for myself. 
>>>>>>> Your
>>>>>>> strategy for estimating is very logical.  But I will still seek help
>>>>>>> in actually writing these things out.  I didn't know that you needed
>>>>>>> permits or a business license just to sell on Ebay and/or Craigslist
>>>>>>> or on your own site.  I doubt that I could use my income in the
>>>>>>> beginning to cover my monthly living expenses but they'll probably
>>>>>>> lower my SSI payments etc. if I go this route anyway.  I'll check 
>>>>>>> into
>>>>>>> these resources if I don't hear back from my counselor etc.  I'm not
>>>>>>> really sure how much The Comission would be willing to help me, 
>>>>>>> since
>>>>>>> they already paid for a part of my college education and for an
>>>>>>> independence centre experience.  Still, it's worth trying.  But I'm
>>>>>>> really interested in this online course.  It sounds doable and I 
>>>>>>> don't
>>>>>>> need to worry about transportation at all.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>> Eleni
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 10/2/10, Blindhands at aol.com <Blindhands at aol.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Greg is right.  My state agency for the blind actually  drove me 
>>>>>>>> to a
>>>>>>>> couple of classes that the small business  was giving.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Joyce  Kane
>>>>>>>> www.KraftersKorner.org  (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>>>>>>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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