Such is the case with this bead:
The Blue Goddess
She was commissioned on Etsy (really, do I need to say more? My thoughts on the value of Etsy drop almost daily!) by a survivor. I made SEVERAL beads...first wrongly assuming that the customer wanted pink flowers. I've since learned that many breast cancer warriors come to hate the color pink. But pink is one of those moody colors that does NOT play nice with ivory.
She was also the first customer that wanted a flower and a CZ... I finished the piece. I think she's lovely. And I sent pics... weeks went by, then months. No response to several emails.
I know, I know...you are wondering why I didn't get a deposit. I make these beads in honor of my sister. They are so personal to me and, like my cremains beads... they touch my heart. And while it is a lot of work to make a bead with cremains...much prep goes into those, these really are "just a bead*!" There is no excessive prep time, so I do what I always do with custom work. I make a few and hope the customer likes one enough to buy it.
So maybe I should ask for a few bucks deposit...but I hate the bookkeeping that goes with refunds and Paypal keeps their cut no matter what... sigh.
But that leads me to Lesson #2: I rarely share beads anywhere but my Fan Page. Even though I'm a member of MANY bead groups on Facebook. I don't know why... I hate to feel like I'm spamming friends?? But I did share this bead yesterday and... as I started writing this post, it sold! Wow!
I HAVE to get better at promoting my work... sigh... Any suggestions? What's YOUR best promo tip???
{Update 7/15 - *This phrase hit a nerve. I didn't mean to imply that I don't value my work. I was only saying that as the goddesses are a basic bead with very little prep compared to the work that goes into a cremains based bead. Hence, I didn't feel I needed to ask to a deposit}
{Update 7/15 - *This phrase hit a nerve. I didn't mean to imply that I don't value my work. I was only saying that as the goddesses are a basic bead with very little prep compared to the work that goes into a cremains based bead. Hence, I didn't feel I needed to ask to a deposit}
Posts
2 comments:
a) 40% NONREFUNDABLE deposit... keeps down those who order & don't follow through, and covers your time & supplies while you're trying to get their piece perfectly what they want.
b) Treat every experience as a learning experience, especially the not so great ones. You learn something, so it's not a total bust, right?
c) Have faith in yourself. Your work is great! YOU are great. You really have to believe both of those things, and it will come through and other people will recognize it in your work.
d) Show it off everywhere! Wear it, carry cards, don't give it away all the time. Perceived value is a very real thing... if you have the attitude that, "it's just a bead" or "it's just glass," then your customers will start seeing your work as "just any old thing" and not the beautiful glass art it is.
Post a Comment