| I attend business workshops and seminars every | | | | plan to spend. Do they want truly leaded panels or |
| month in an effort to learn more about running a | | | | will single side leading be adequate. Last, what |
| business. | | | | finish do they want, black, silver, pewter, bright |
| The one common question that I hear the most | | | | copper or antique copper.8. But how do we find |
| is how can I market my service or product. We | | | | these clients? We advertise in the yellow pages |
| often have students who catch the glimpse of | | | | under cabinet makers equipment and supplies and |
| how great it is to do glass and they start to | | | | we go to cabinet shops and put samples into their |
| imagine themselves doing glass work for a living. | | | | hands. The best thing to do is furnish glass |
| Some have been brave enough to ask us how | | | | samples of those which we carry and sample |
| they might be able to make money doing stained | | | | glass designs that they can show their customers. |
| glass. | | | | I like to furnish 8" wide by 10" tall samples |
| We have many times replied that we don't | | | | because they fit comfortably in a box and are |
| know, if they find out, will they please let us | | | | easy for the cabinet sales people to haul around. |
| know how? But here are some of the basics of | | | | This is an investment of time, effort and money |
| promoting and marketing stained glass.Going To | | | | which is necessary because the salesman won't |
| The Fair 1. We heard from several people that | | | | sell for me if they don't think about stained glass |
| attending craft fairs would be the best way that | | | | when they meet with clients.Educate Folks About |
| we could market our glass. We were told stories | | | | Stained Glass9. Occasionally, in the past, we would |
| about the success of glass artists who sell | | | | moan and complain about the lack of |
| $30,000 worth of glass every year in just two | | | | understanding that the public had of what good |
| days! | | | | stained glass was and how it enhances ones |
| With success like that, we figured we better go | | | | environment. Then one day, the light came on and |
| to a fair.2. In Sept 2005 we went to Swiss Days | | | | we realized that it was our job to educate the |
| in Midway, Utah with high hopes, but things didn't | | | | public. We knew that the best clients for custom |
| go as planned. We didn't quite make back the | | | | glass were the ones who had tried it and |
| booth fees we'd paid. | | | | discovered that it wasn't all that easy to build |
| What went wrong?3. To answer that, we need | | | | glass. They had a higher appreciation for the value |
| to examine several factors.A. As gift glass sellers, | | | | of the work. |
| we failed because we didn't sell enough product. | | | | As artists, we not only have to raise the |
| Why? Because we didn't have enough small gift | | | | awareness of our art, we have to teach about |
| items to sell. You can't sell what you don't have.B. | | | | the complexities and subtleties of our art. If you |
| We were focused as custom glass artists. We | | | | don't point out it's strengths, who will?10. We |
| passed out cards and made contacts at the fair. | | | | discovered that one way to educate the |
| We showed a lot of art glass at the fair and | | | | community was to hold free or low cost seminars |
| actually succeeded in making a lot of contacts. | | | | and workshops. This leads to many opportunities |
| Over the next few months we picked up several | | | | to share your knowledge of the stained glass |
| new customers and got to build a lot of custom | | | | industry and techniques. It also serves to raise |
| work as a direct result of the fair.Conclusion: It | | | | the consciousness level of the community of |
| felt like a failure because we made so little during | | | | stained glass around them.11. You know how it is, |
| the fair, but we had a great time and met many | | | | you start looking for a leather sofa, or buy one |
| people who wanted stained glass, which lead to | | | | and everywhere you look, you find leather sofas. |
| some custom work. In the future we plan to take | | | | Then you find a brand of running shoes that are |
| more gift items to satisfy our immediate cash | | | | particularly comfortable and you suddenly notice |
| flow needs and we plan to have response cards | | | | that "everyone" is wearing that brand of shoes. |
| in an attempt to get those who are interested in | | | | Your consciousness level has been raised and |
| stained glass to give us some contact information. | | | | once it's been raised, it will never be the same |
| We may offer a free video on cd/dvd as a way | | | | again. |
| to get folks to give us their information. | | | | That's what you want to have happen with the |
| We've also determined to attend smaller | | | | community as far as stained glass is concerned.12. |
| boutiques throughout the year in an effort to | | | | We also found that the decorators and designers |
| refine what sells and better learn what the gift | | | | that often recommend us to their clients needed |
| market will consist of.Getting Custom Work4. | | | | to be educated in the subtitles of stained glass |
| When Tom Holdman (a local stained glass artist) | | | | art. They often didn't know the finishes available |
| decided to become a stained glass artist, a | | | | or what the difference between the leaded |
| neighbor recommended that he go to a wealthy | | | | method and copper foil were.13. So we prepared |
| neighborhood and go door to door asking if they | | | | presentations and educational materials for them, |
| need stained glass in their home. He did just that | | | | so they could have them for their clients. But we |
| and made a contact with a family who wanted | | | | made sure that they were exposed to all the |
| glass and had some influence with the library | | | | materials so that they would be knowledgeable |
| board. This lead to a commercial job which lead to | | | | when they presented them to their clients.14. In |
| a great deal of publicity.5. What can we learn | | | | conclusion, promoting your stained glass art is all |
| from this story? That any friendship or | | | | about movement. You've got to prove you're not |
| relationship can lead to glass work. What we must | | | | dead. And you do that by attending fairs and |
| do is ask anyone and everyone if they want or | | | | boutiques so you can read the pulse of your |
| need stained glass work. Then, we must doggedly | | | | market. And you stay in touch with those you |
| follow-up when someone expresses an interest. It | | | | meet. You groom relationships. You spend time |
| is often amazing how a simple monthly phone call | | | | talking with friends and former clients, not just to |
| will eventually pay off. There have been many | | | | ask them for leads but also to get their feelings |
| clients in our past who put off their project for a | | | | about glass. And you promote specific products |
| year or more. What you want to remember is | | | | which you specialize in, like cabinet doors.And |
| that they wanted the window enough to have | | | | finally, you remember that you are a cheerleader |
| you design it, so keep in touch. Then they'll think | | | | for your industry and it doesn't matter if you |
| of you when the finances ease up. Wouldn't it be | | | | provide a free seminar which results in someone |
| sad to have another artist get to build your | | | | getting excited about glass and going to your |
| creation, just because you didn't phone them | | | | competition. What goes around, comes around.If |
| every month?Selling Cabinet Door Inserts6. When | | | | you are out there promoting stained glass, so will |
| a customer asks for cabinet door inserts, it will | | | | your competition and you'll find that there really |
| help the process along if you are ready to ask | | | | isn't any competition in this field. That there is |
| them the questions which will narrow down their | | | | plenty of work to go around. Many people want |
| choices and help to determine what you'll need to | | | | and need stained glass in their lives, they just |
| do with the doors. | | | | don't know it yet. So go out there and find |
| Ask if the doors are new or refurbished. If you | | | | them!David Gomm started building stained glass |
| can, learn the brand and manufacturer and most | | | | windows professionally back in 1983 and has |
| importantly, are they routed out for inserts, this | | | | become an expert at many aspects of stained |
| will let you know if they can come straight to you | | | | glass building, design and repair. He writes a |
| for glass or if they need to go to your wood | | | | monthly newsletter at also has a website with |
| worker to have them modified.7. Helping the | | | | many other articles at articles may be distributed |
| customer arrive at what they want will save you | | | | freely on your website and in your ezines, as long |
| and them a lot of time. So ask if they want to | | | | as the entire article, copyright notice, links and this |
| use transparent or opaque glass. What colors do | | | | resource box are unchanged, or if using a portion |
| they want to introduce and what bevels if any | | | | of the article, it points back to one of our pages |
| should go into the design. Do they want to add | | | | where the entire article resides. Copyright © |
| lighting to their cabinets and how much do they | | | | David Gomm All Rights Reserved. |