By Carolyn Edlund
How can you make your handcrafted work stand out? Use these tips to add extra value:
Handcrafted jewelry by artist Debra Zeleznik
1. Sign your work.
Your signature is an indicator that your products are not mass-produced, and that they are special. Many buyers look for that signature – it is a sign of an original design.
2. Include hangtags
These sales aids tell your story, and how your work is made. This always enhances a handmade item. Your story is as important as are your fingerprints on a handmade item, and becomes part of the purchase.
3. Thoughtfully package your work.
The way your work is presented speaks volumes about it. If you are selling a luxury item, let your packaging convey that. Is your work humorous? Highlight that fact by using delightful words and images on your package. This also adds value by virtue of the fact that your item may be more portable, ship more easily or fit into a suitcase.
4. Use words on your creations.
It’s true – words or symbols add value because they reach out to the left-brained observer and connect with them. They add another dimension to the experience of your work.
5. Write descriptions
The use of descriptions in your marketing materials and on your website should share the features, but mostly the benefits of your handcrafted work. This speaks directly to the buyer, and the satisfaction they will get from their purchase. It’s all about the customer!
6. Create limited editions.
Scarcity is a sales tactic that creates urgency to buy. Artists who limit available work may find that their art is more desirable to a collector, who wants to get a preview of of what’s new.
7. Use fantastic photos.
Show your work beautifully, on a suitable background, and well-lit. Detail photos and “in situ” photos help buyers imagine owning what you make, and can add value by virtue of the environment your work is shown in, and the quality of the image.
How else do you add value to your own work?
Art credit: Debra Zeleznik, Rubber Stamp Plantation
If you work from reference photographs…. take your own OR work out an exclusive arrangement with a photographer. In this day and age it is easy to track down reference images that may have been used by an artist… and depending on the context of that discovery — it may place the credibility of the artist into question. Even if you have permission to use the image… your fans, and others, may not be aware of that agreement based on face value and it can be extremely disheartening to discover that one of your fave artists may have, as they say, ‘ripped’ someone off.
Great tips! Thank you, so practical.