~  The Arts / Crafts Business ~

versus Traditional Business

They’re the same; they’re different. They influence each other, but the influence of traditional business over the arts is much more than just borrowing from their methodology. There is a tremendous impact on the art world when corporations are in turmoil.

    Most artists and artisans don’t consider themselves to be in business.   Creativity is their desire, and they don’t want to think about ’business.’ They also forget that creativity doesn’t stop at the workbench, it must continue into marketing, advertising and display setups, and beyond . . .

 Demographics, Economics, & Your Micro Business  

  Sitting and dreaming at your workbench/sewing machine/easel, and dreaming of better designs is satisfying, but the so-called ‘Real World’ also influences your business.  Consider the Dow Jones and the NASDAQ.  If you don’t own stocks, why should you pay attention to the markets? (They have a direct influence on your sales.)

We are talking demographics and geography.  Successful shows need customers with loose pockets, not attendees worrying about paying the mortgage and putting food on the table.

    If you hide your head in the sand, and keep doing the same shows, year after year, you will find some of them petering out.  You not only loose income, but the psychological impact of one bad show after another depletes your creative energy and makes you question your direction, - (maybe you’d make more money slinging hash or slapping a computer keyboard?)

      Along with your old favorites, try several new shows each year to give you new experiences to build on, and places where you haven’t saturated the market.  Only by constantly redefining your product line, upgrading your skills, bringing out new designs and testing new markets can you continue to build your business. 

    As they sing in Disney Land, “It’s a small world after all!”