Now that I am expanding into selling at outdoor markets, I am experiencing a different crowd of customers. This customer is looking for a good deal for the product that they are buying while enjoying a nice day out. In this economy everyone is looking to save a dollar or ten which includes me. I love going to the outdoor markets to buy fresh fruit that is cheaper and better tasting then the imports at the grocery store. These customers are friendly and love to chat about what you are selling but then they want to negotiate the price of your product. Pricing and selling in person is so different then selling online because you are looking at your customer in the face. Even when I started selling at craft shows 6 years ago, I had a hard time selling to people in person because I was so afraid that people didn't want to pay my prices.
I had a mentor that sat me down and gave me a lecture on how my skills are a job. My job deserved to be paid just like a cashier, construction worker, lawyer or anyone else that has skills that receive an income. Each of us that create our own items and sell those items are artist. We have rent or mortgages to pay, car payments, insurance payments, food to buy and more which entitles us to get paid just like everyone else. So don't lower your standards or underestimate your skills by under pricing your creations. It has been a long process for me to understand this and I hope that you do as well.
Amen! I've learned to just leave my more expensive items at home when I sell at a craft fair, rather than lower my prices. People *are* normally looking for a deal at those things, so I only offer them my more affordable pieces. Everybody wins!
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Well said. So many of undercharge for our work, not taking into account the time and effort to make our products. We love what we do, but we should be compensated for our work, just like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! You are so right, this is a real job and we deserve the respect for it. I also have a job outside the home which I'm trying very hard to reach the point of giving that up completely. When that time comes (it's close) I will wear my artisan job title proudly!
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