Selling Your Crafts

Contents......Page 6
Introduction......Page 12
Section I: The Professional Craft World: An Overview......Page 14
1. Trends and Training......Page 16
Full-time Production Craftsperson......Page 22
Craft Teacher......Page 28
Craftspeople Who Make Their Living in Another Field......Page 32
Famous Craftspeople......Page 36
3. Craft Administrators......Page 42
Apprenticeships......Page 52
Mentors......Page 54
Residencies......Page 55
5. Self-Assessment......Page 58
Questionnaire......Page 60
Section II: Setting Up Your Crafts Business......Page 62
6. Business Planning......Page 64
Getting Started......Page 65
How to Write a Business Plan......Page 66
Selecting a Name......Page 70
Business Name Exercise: What Do You Do?......Page 71
Forms of Organization: Sole Proprietorship versus Partnership......Page 72
8. Finances......Page 76
Designing a Budget......Page 77
Financing Your Business......Page 82
Pricing Your Work......Page 85
Zoning......Page 92
Leasing versus Owning Your Space......Page 93
Contracts......Page 94
Studio Concerns......Page 95
10. Working with Professionals......Page 96
Financial Professionals......Page 97
Lawyers......Page 99
Bankers......Page 100
Photographers......Page 101
Section III: Managing Your Crafts Business......Page 104
11. Setting Up a Computer System......Page 106
Types of Software......Page 108
Sample Computer Configurations......Page 109
Letters Formats......Page 112
Forms......Page 115
Scheduling Production and Office Work......Page 122
Shipping......Page 124
Recordkeeping......Page 126
Taxes......Page 130
Credit and Collection......Page 133
Health Insurance......Page 136
Product Liability Insurance......Page 139
The Crafts Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)......Page 140
Subcontractors versus Employees......Page 142
Policies......Page 146
Wages and Benefits......Page 147
Supervisory Skills......Page 149
Legal Requirements......Page 150
16. Retirement Planning......Page 152
Supplementing Your Income......Page 153
Investment Planning......Page 154
Estate Planning......Page 157
Section IV: Marketing Your Crafts......Page 160
Designing a Marketing Plan......Page 162
Measuring Results......Page 165
Logo Design......Page 168
Brochures......Page 169
Brochure Alternatives......Page 172
Stationery, Business Cards, and Hangtags......Page 175
Résumé and Biographical Description......Page 177
Product Descriptions......Page 180
Copyright......Page 182
Trademarks......Page 184
20. Your Portfolio......Page 186
Developing a Body of Work......Page 188
When You Will Need a Portfolio......Page 189
Slides......Page 190
Photographs......Page 191
Advertising Campaign......Page 194
Public Relations Campaign......Page 197
Press Releases......Page 202
Mailing Lists......Page 203
Direct Mail......Page 206
Newsletters......Page 207
Finding the Right Fair for Your Work......Page 210
Wholesale versus Retail Fairs......Page 212
Jurying Process......Page 214
Booth Design......Page 215
Making a Sale......Page 216
23. Galleries......Page 220
Finding the Right Gallery for Your Work......Page 221
What the Gallery Can Do for You......Page 226
Cooperatives......Page 228
Selling from Your Studio......Page 229
24. Commissions......Page 232
Writing Proposals......Page 233
Percent for Art Program......Page 236
Designing a Budget......Page 237
Finding Firms that Specify Craftwork......Page 240
The Guild Sourcebooks......Page 243
26. Mail Order......Page 244
Approaching Existing Companies......Page 245
Starting Your Own Mail-Order Business......Page 246
27. Sales Reps......Page 250
Finding the Right Sales Rep for Your Work......Page 251
Contracts......Page 253
28. The Internet......Page 254
How to Use the Web as Part of Your Business Plan......Page 256
Linking Your Site......Page 258
Designing a Web Site......Page 259
E-mail......Page 261
Web Site Promotion and Marketing Plans......Page 262
Profiles......Page 264
Customer Service Policies......Page 265
Retaining Customers......Page 267
Section V: Resources......Page 270
30. Networking......Page 272
Craft Organizations......Page 274
Business Associations......Page 275
Continuing Education Programs......Page 276
Small Business Centers......Page 278
32. Business Magazines......Page 280
A Word from the Author......Page 284
Bibliography......Page 286
About the Author......Page 288
B......Page 290
C......Page 291
G......Page 292
M......Page 293
P......Page 294
S......Page 295
Y......Page 296