The question of consignment keeps coming up and while I’ll address it in more detail in the tele-seminar series this summer,  let’s touch base on some basics since it’s the time of year to get started.

Assuming you’ve selected the galleries where your crafts will be most compatible, you’ve narrowed down the choices and set up appointments, it’s time to prepare for your meeting.

Show up well prepared with your pieces attractively tagged, with the information we’ve discussed. Price the pieces at retail. Number each piece so that it coincides with a number on your inventory list. (which you will duplicate and leave a copy with the gallery.) Ideally, a thumbnail photograph of each piece next to the number will help you and the gallery owner identify them easily. This doesn’t need to be a high resolution photo, it’s for reference only, not a marketing piece. If your objects are fairly flat, for example jewelry, a simple way to do it is to just place it on your photocopier, scan it and reduce to thumbnail size.. 

Also, if you have a display that shows your work off well, present the gallery owner with that option. You always want to have display recommendations.

If you are consigning work to gallery far from home, consider asking someone in the area to periodically “shop”  the gallery for you.  (they are actually your spies.) I can’t count the times I’ve walked into galleries to see a particular artist’s work and it’s nowhere on display. The artist has no idea why he isn’t receiving commission checks and it turns out

his work is sitting in a back room somewhere out of sight, either because it didn’t do well and the owner has been meaning to return it or because she needed the display space for something she bought outright.  So,  check that your work isn’t sitting out of site. No point tying up inventory that could be selling elsewhere. 

It’s also a good idea to check in periodically and make sure your work is being kept in sellable condition. Some materials, particularly silver, in a gallery close to the beach, can tarnish in a couple of weeks. Fiber pieces may be pilled or frayed from being handled, ceramic chipped or glass smudged.  It won’t sell if it doesn’t look gorgeous. Whatever your medium, you should make sure it is kept in “showroom” shape. 

Sometimes a gallery owner may only wish to display a few pieces your work.  Don’t do it. Three simple words. It won’t sell. 

Did you ever notice when you go into a shop the pieces that are marked down are the only lonelies? If they don’t have enough room for a collection, go elsewhere. The display should be extensive enough to show a good assortment and make a statement. Ideally, the gallery owner knows this but if not, you’re in the wrong gallery.

You’ll want to ask the gallery owner if her insurance will cover theft or damage to your work. Most often it doesn’t and you will need to have insurance as you would if it was being transported to a show or in your studio. Another item that should be understood is that when you  place a piece in a gallery on consignment, it is the gallery owner’s responsibility to pay you for it whether it is lost, stolen or damaged. That is not negotiable. I’m shocked when I hear artists say a gallery didn’t pay them for pieces that they didn’t sell. They are obligated to either return the piece or pay you. 

 It should also be clearly stated whether the artist or gallery owner is responsible for return shipping on any unsold items. Generally, the artist pays shipping to the gallery and the gallery pays return shipping. 

There’s a wide variance in the percentage that a gallery takes but assuming you are not also paying a space rental fee, expect a 40 to 60% split. The higher end, well known fine art galleries often take 60% and give the artist 40. A newer boutique may be open to  giving you as much as 60%. Many artist think this is unfair , and resent paying 60% when they do all the work. But consider what you are receiving for that percentage. The upscale shops are likely in a more prime spot with great foot traffic. They will also be the ones who are spending money on advertising to bring in the ideal patron. If you want your work to sell well, hope for a gallery that pays their staff commission. It’s  another motivation for them to sell your work-and that adds an additional 10% or so to their overhead but you’ll see results.  When I opened my gallery, in order to satisfy an artist whose paintings I knew would do well, I agreed to a 60/40 split in the artist’s favor. I sold six of her paintings the first month. Then I realized by the time I figured commission to my sales people, 60% to the artist, credit card fees and marketing  dollars, I hadn’t made enough to cover  the wall space it occupied. The following month, I told my staff that they would get commission on everything in the gallery except that artist’s work. They still made an hourly wage. Guess whose work stopped selling. 

 If you’re ready to show in galleries, it’s time to start thinking like a wholesaler and that means you will give away at least half of the retail value. 

A new trend now is similar to a co-op but independently owned  and there are many variations on the commission split here as well. We’ll discuss the most successful model in our summer tele-seminar series..

I recommend you have a consignment contract with you when you bring your work into the gallery. It’s possible the gallery has their own which they prefer to use and if so, go over it and together you can make any adjustments or additions you agree to. You’ll both sign and each keep a copy. It should spell out the details above as well as when you will be paid. I always wrote artist’s commission check the first week of each month for pieces sold the previous month. Anything sold in the month of January was paid the first week in February which meant the longest you would have to wait for payment is 35 days after the sale. (and as little as five days if it sold at the end of the month.) 

When the details are carefully worked out and you have a friendly relationship with the gallery owner, which is usually the case, consignment can be a profitable experience for both you and the gallery. 

Please let us know what questions you have about consignment so that we can be sure to cover the topic for you in future blogs. What else would you like to know?

I appreciate that a sole proprietor of a small shop in Kansas may not want to spend the money to go to one of the semi annual wholesale handmade in America shows,though, I’d argue that smart sourcing is money well spent. Even so, a savvy retailer doesn’t need to leave her home town to find some of the best metal smiths in the US. She only has to peruse one of the online American-made sites that are strictly for the craft trade. 

(a great one is wholesalecrafts.com) 

The fact that so many boutique owners don’t know this tells me there is even more of an opportunity for you, as artists and crafts people, to get your authentic work in the hands of the buyer and show her how your quality is better and that it hurts her integrity to sell chinese imports in an American western shop. So,find a shop where your product is compatible, and make sure the owner/buyer knows you work. If you make wearables, wear them ALWAYS, give them as gifts and ask everyone close to you to wear your work whenever they might be around the people who have the buying influence. And make sure everyone has plenty of your contact cards in their pocket. There’s a right and a wrong way to approach a shop you’d like to place your work in. The first impression will make or break your likelihood of getting your work into the galleries of your choice  so be sure to download your free craft marketing tips from http://www.craftbizblog.com. We’ll also expand on this topic so, stay tuned for more info on our summer teleclass series.

Tomorrow’s Mother’s Day and while I’m sure YOU have your mom’s hand made gift all wrapped in an earth-friendly, re-usable treasure, do you know there are many people who take their mom out on Mother’s Day and let them choose their own gift? Some actually send their mom’s money to buy their own. I didn’t realize this until I had a gallery and Mother’s Day, not just the days prior, but actually on Mother’s day, our sales were always up there with the Christmas holidays. Women would come in with or without their families, see something they loved and a pay cash. We always heard, “my daughter (or son) sent me the money to buy myself something.” This surprised me because for me the fun in giving is coming up with the idea. 

People feel very generous towards their moms on Mother’s Day (as they should everyday) and as an artist or crafter you’re missing the boat if you don’t make sure that your creations are in their line of vision tomorrow. No, it isn’t too late. The shopping isn’t over yet…

Last minute IDEA! Particularly if you make wearable art, scarves, jewelry, hair or shoe ornaments: Identify an upscale restaurant or cafe in town with the busiest Mother’s Day brunch.  (Ideally, this is a place you frequent and have a favorite, friendly waitress.) Pick the most outgoing waitress, or better yet, the hostess, and either loan ( or if you can afford to, gift) her the most stunning example of your jewelry or other wearable piece with the understanding that she gets to (must) wear it tomorrow and that she has a pocket full of your cards to give out when people comment on the piece. Also, educate her on how it is made and that it is one of a kind, part of a limited edition or whatever the unique characteristics are. You’ll be amazed at how a little enthusiastic oohing and ah-ing over brunch can get the kids (or hubbies) to open their wallets to delight mom. 

When you see how well this works, plan ahead for the next gifting occasion (not just Mother’s Day) and see if you can find more venues to flaunt your wears. It’s also wonderful if you can convince the cafe owner to let you put a small display up. You may need to give the proprietor a percentage of the sales but it’s worth it. 

What if your craft isn’t wearable? Let’s say you hand paint stem wear or other table top items. donating a few of your handblown bud vases or porcelain salt shakers to grace the brunch tables (with a little tag about you and your work, of course) will pay off in follow up sales. When I hear crafters comment that they can’t afford to donate their work, my answer is “Think of it as advertising dollars.” (and if you say you can’t afford to advertise when sales are slow, we have some serious talking to do.) 

Have you discovered other eleventh hour marketing ideas? Post and let us all know how you’ve gotten last minute visibility for your crafts. As always, we love hearing what other artists do. 

Just one more thought-if you are taking YOUR mother out for brunch or dinner, make her your proud walking display. And of course, your mom has plenty of your cards to hand out, right?

My advise to any artist, craftsperson or retail gallery is always, in any economy, to make sure your line has a variety of price points. Of course this is easier to do in certain medium than in others.  In jewelry for example, you may want to produce more of the pieces that you can price in that gift range-work that can be cast in quantity or easily and quickly assembled. With the hand forged, more labor intensive pieces, you may want to use more precious metals (gold, platinum) and gemstones. If you sell midrange paintings, this is a good time to expand into some moderate priced prints, small matted or simply framed card sized prints and also to do a few originals on a larger scale. Any work you can print, cast, or otherwise produce inexpensively is a good idea. Put the originals of these less expensive pieces aside. (Don’t exhibit them at the same shows as your prints.) Then have some other work that you only show the originals of at this time.) Do be sure to scan these for future printing.)  

Whether it’s wearable art or home furnishings, try to focus on the two extremes -this is not the time to try to sell mid priced work. 

Keep in mind also that with the big box stores closing and manufacturers losing those accounts, this may be a great time to move into having a segment of your line outsourced for licensed production. Printers, casters etc are hungry for work so they are likely to be more flexible with minimums and also willing to give you a price break. 

How can you repurpose some of your work to sell well in todays’ economic climate? Are you ready to reach out to a new target customer?  It might feel a bit uncomfortable at first if you aren’t used to commanding high prices, but now is the time to see who your collectors are. Not only will it keep your business thriving but you also might just enjoy seeing the fruits of your labor and products of your passion bring in the big bucks. It’s  a boost to the ego as well as the wallet. Who will purchase an original piece that is priced significantly above your normal range? Is it time to do some custom work? Id’ love to hear what you are doing to get into a different price point and and a new audience.