Horizon? What Horizon?

by Patricia C Vener
(Hamden, CT USA)

As I navigate the tributaries of "An Artist in Business" I have found many obstacles to overcome. Some are directly related to business but some are not - such as the limitations on my time and ability to do face to face selling because I am the primary family caregiver for my mother who is frail and suffers with Alzheimers.

One of the more important business related obstacles is that I seem to have little to no comprehension of the intricacies of generating income. I get the "create something wonderful" part but apparently the "entice people to trade me money for it" part still manages to elude me.

I don't want to devalue my work by having sales or lowering my prices to where I am not gaining a profitable value. But let's face it, art is not food or shelter so how do I get people to desire my work?

My work, by the way, is mostly labor intensive bead weaving.

Patricia C Vener
Patricia C Vener
Patricia C Vener's blog
Silver Dragon Etsy shop

Thanks!

Comments for
Horizon? What Horizon?

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Find your market
by: Margaret

Lowing prices will not necessarily increase sales. I find people who buy from me usually decide to purchase and then ask the price. The trick is to figure out where your market is and then go there.

The Next Trick...
by: Patricia C Vener

Hi Margaret. You're right about that! I know who my markets are but not where they are. If anyone has any idea how I can figure that out, I'd love to know too.

Thanks!

:)

Marketing survey by college students
by: Anonymous

Hi.Have you thought of asking local college students to do a market survey for you? I once had it done by a local community college for free as a class project and they did a pretty good job.
One of the reasons I suggest this is that I sometimes think a niche is important and your beautiful jewelry reminded me right off of renaissance type jewelry. I know people who go to the fairs will buy things, and pay for it! Not that I'm suggesting you sit around at Renaissance Fairs with a booth, but perhaps you could have the students look into styles, how to target them, etc.
I have ideas, but never know how to do it.
I have no clue if this comment is even timely but maybe it is of some help....

Student Marketing research team?
by: Patricia C Vener

What a cool idea! How did you figure out what questions to ask? Or was that their job? Was it a graded assignment? Interestingly, I am an adjunct at Quinnipiac University so should be able to find a marketing professor to talk to about your idea.

Thanks!

What an interesting idea!
by: Cindy

I love that idea of having students do market research. I'm lucky enough to live in a town with several colleges and would love to hear more on this. I love this site! I always learn something new here.

Student Marketing Proposal
by: Patricia C Vener

I am about to start writing a proposal to present to the marketing professors at Quinnipiac University. It will include as much detail as I can construct concerning who I think is my target market, results I hope to obtain, (my thoughts so far include finding the market, determining who/what the market really is, where they are online and physically, what approaches appeal to them, etc), what my work is (fine art in the form of bead woven jewelry - or maybe I should have them do marketing projects for my mural skill?)

It's pretty much unformed in my head right now as I'm unsure what kinds of projects would be appropriate for marketing classes and students.

If anyone has any ideas what I should include in my proposal, I'm all eyes (given that I'm reading this).

Thanks!

Update
by: Patricia C Vener

One of my December end the year goals is to work up a marketing intern proposal to send to whomever teaches marketing at Quinnipiac University (where I am an adjunct in the Physical Sciences department). I'm still not sure what I'm doing but I am trying to be logical about it.

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