Not my strong point!

 

I'm going to put it out there I'm rubbish at selling!

There are others in my family who could sell umbrellas in a desert, but not me. I love making, I enjoy chatting about how I create things, I feel the urge constantly to be sewing or knitting or writing, but then I'm left with stuff. I've done craft fairs and written when asked and all that sort of thing, however, when it comes to selling it on, urgh... It's just not my strong point. That's why I was so pleased with myself for doing the work for the website I mentioned earlier. I managed to suppress my imposter syndrome fears and make contact.

This next little suite of mouthfuls are all about getting to grips with it again in order to pass on some of my makes and to add to that extras account....

Month 3 - Bite 13

I've written for pleasure for a long time. As I've mentioned before I have written as part of jobs I've had and then been paid as a writer for a variety of publications and so on. I have a number of notebooks full of ideas, half-written stories, article research, etc. just sitting there waiting for me to do something constructive. So today's the day. I've got a story in full in my head and I need to get it down. That happens a lot. The difference is that today, instead of saving it into a folder on the laptop, I will research a magazine and send it off to see what happens! If you get to read a story called 'No Treats at Pete's' (all about a neighbour's cat) at some point then you'll know its fate too.

Month 3 - Bite 14

A number of years ago the readers of this blog encouraged me to get up the courage to approach a local shop with some of my brooches and to my surprise they took them, sold them and then asked for more!!

I need to face this fear again and see if a brilliant local cafe gallery we've got nearby is interested in some of my new designs and perhaps some cards. Deep breath and...

I also need to investigate a co-operative stall in our indoor market who sell items from a variety of local crafters and artists and then see if there's any mileage in that avenue too.

Month 3 - Bite 15

While I'm being brave (!) some research into craft fairs and table sales needs to be done. I have participated in these before with different degrees of success. The difficulty is in finding the right fit for what I've got without having to produce loads more stock which then leads to more clutter and.. well you get the idea. Also, there's the issue of the size of charge for the stall so that it doesn't end up costing more that I make! There are one or two possibilities around here that occur regularly, particularly when the holidaymakers are in  town so today's project is to find the details and dates and then put them in the diary to visit and decide if it's worth taking a table. Then moving on one step when I know and booking it.

Month 3 - Bite 16

Do I have enough stuff for a Boot Fair I wonder? Well the next task is to venture into the loft and find out. Once that's done I need to repeat the same process as for the craft fairs and decide if, when and where I should move forward with this one. Perhaps I'll ask my neighbours who like to clear their stuff with a day at a Boot Fair once the weather improves.

Month 3 - Bite 17

Finally a big one. From time to time I've popped the odd photo on Instagram (and received some nice comments as well as a few likes and the odd follower. This research project is to find out about using social media and how I might use it, then to start posting more frequently (if I say regularly I'll persuade myself that it means once every other month and that's not what I mean). I'll need to read up on my Sara Tasker and investigate how to present everything, but nothing ventured, nothing gained they say. (I just say 'Help!).