Marketing Blossoming Hearts

I hope you have a peaceful and wonderful Martin Luther King Day!

Among many things you might choose to do today, a suggestion that I heard on the radio and would like to pass on is, "If someone flips you off on the road today while you're driving, smile and wave back."

Speaking of love and peace, here (above) are a new pair of earrings from me. Please let me know what you think of this design. I thought I would call this collection The Blossoming Heart.

I'm getting ready to write an essay for The Crafts Report for their Insight section which"highlights artists' ideas for marketing their products/business and the successes they have achieved in doing so." Fortunately the essay has to be short because I don't have that much to say on this subject.

I find marketing to be the hardest part of being an artisan. Here are a few things that I've been doing on a regular basis to market my work:

1. I've maintained a website for a few years now where I show old and new work, teaching schedule etc.
2. I opened a studio/showroom downtown Natick about a year and a half ago where I work and offer un(finished) pieces for sale.
   
3. Several galleries carry my work.
4. Almost two years ago I opened an etsy account [lilianabead.etsy.com] where I offer beads and more for sale to a market that I hadn't considered seriously before, i.e. other designers who incorporate lampwork glass pieces into their jewelry.
   
5. I work very hard on coming up with new designs that are specific to my style and aesthetic preferences.
6. I make sure that all collections I intend to offer on a regular basis have titles.

Here are a few things that I've done recently to market my work including engaging the social media (which I never felt was my strength but would love to work on making it one):

1. I have a second etsy account [lilianabeadjewelry.etsy.com] where I will offer one-of-a-kind finished work.
2. I have work for sale on my website.
3. I now have a blog which you're reading.
4. I have a facebook account.
5. I am going to post photos of my work on my flickr account.
   

And here are a few things that I would like to do:

1. Keep up with everything I have and am doing and constantly reassess the results.
2. Develop relationships with a couple of galleries the owners of which will open wholesale accounts to carry my work.
3. Get more involved with my community.
   
4. Stay enthusiastic and maintain a healthy work ethic which allows me to enjoy my family and still bring income.

I have the feeling that I've said enough :)
Thank you for following this blog; I'm looking forward to your comments so we can have a discussion about issues we all care about.