[Jewelry making - Article 00111] - Re: [Orchid] Truth or dare survey

[Tom or Grace Stokes]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========


    Thought I'd jump on the truth or dare bandwagon. 

    I have been trying to sell jewelry, mostly at retail shows, for the
    past 3 years.  I had a part-time job (non-art related) up until last
    year so this will be the first year I can devote myself to it
    entirely.  So far my income contribution has been 0% and I guess I
    could not have picked a worse time to try and jump into business. 

    My work is predominately one of a kind, using various karats of
    gold, sterling and/or combinations thereof which right off the bat
    means expensive raw materials. 

    In a panick I decided to hire a marketer and have met with her for
    the last month.  She is making my head spin - telling me to see
    myself as part of the Fashion Industry and to pay more attention to
    the trends - leather, medallions with words on the back, heavy
    chains, to look at the fashion magazines, Vogue, 17.  It is such
    awful stuff and so far afield of what I want to do.  Her point is
    make the trendy stuff now, get some money under your belt and then
    you can do more of what you like.  I am very resistant, probably to
    my own detriment. 

    Another problem the disparity between the work juries want to see
    and the work that can get you into better shows is not the work that
    is selling at those shows.  The low end stuff that would never get
    you into a show is what is selling and I feel like I have to have 2
    sets of work, one for jurors and one for customers. 

    In short I am very frustrated, disappointed and keep hearing this
    over and over again.  I don't have time to read all the marketing
    books and attend seminars, I work non-stop all the time and still
    can't get it going. But I ask myself, everytime I get a copy of
    Lapidary Journal, or Metalsmith or Ornament, filled with wonderful,
    creative pieces that can't possibly sell cheap - Are those people
    selling their work?  And if so to whom?  And how in the hell are
    they doing it?? 

Open for suggestions.   GRACE


____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________