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