So Mad at Myself

[DawninCal]

We stopped by the local brewery tonight and some of our friends were there. While we were chatting a couple we did not know walked in. We were introduced and it turns out that the woman works at our bank.

We had a nice getting to know you conversation and then the woman complimented my earrings. I was wearing my red and black spider web earrings and said "thank you". She then mentioned how appropriate they are for the time of year. I said, "yea, they are perfect for Halloween." She agreed and then said how cool they were.

Did I mention that I made them? No, I did not.

Missed opportunity for sure. But, it's all her fault because if she had just asked me where I got the earrings, I would have told her that I made them.

Yep, it's her fault that I'm a big fail when it comes to shameless self promotion/marketing.



Dawn

[caeterle]

Absolutely her fault!
You are even worse than I am, lady. I would have mentioned that I made them myself, but would have carefully hidden the fact that I also sell them or explained how to make them.

Dawn, we really need to work on that.

[DawninCal]

Yea, Cat, I think we need an intervention.



Dawn

[DawninCal]

I had a thought. I'll tell hubby that when I receive a compliment on my jewelry he should tell the person that I made it. Once that ice has been broken, I can take it from there and I won't seem pushy!

Yes? No?



Dawn

[Irith-Rita]

I thought I was the only one who accepted compliments and did not mention who made them...

[DawninCal]

Well, aren't we a sorry bunch?



Dawn

[caeterle]

Let hubby be the man proud of his wife, that's a good thought!

My friend at work has got compliments on my jewelry before and she always tells them that I made it, but of course not that I'm selling. That would feel weird at work.

[Irith-Rita]

I don't like to sell my jewelry to friends, relatives or neigbours, but if one of them buys online once in a blue moon, I simply make the item for them and send it without saying anything more.

[DawninCal]

I give my friends/family a 15% discount and then I hope that it wasn't a sympathy sale.

Thanks, Cat! I haven't run that idea by hubby yet, but I will when he gets back from his job.

There was one time that I actually managed to do a bit of self promotion. One of my co-workers was always admiring my earrings and asking me to make earrings for her so I started an "earring a month" club with her. I'd make a pair of earrings (whatever I wanted), package them up in a little bag and leave them in her in-box at work. If she liked them, she'd leave $20 in my in-box. If she didn't, she'd leave the earrings in my in-box. Not once did she ever leave the earrings in my in-box.

Of course, that arrangement ended when I retired.



Dawn

[michelle]

Ha! I’m late to this discussion. And I’ve got you two beat. When someone compliments my jewelry that I’m wearing, I tell them I made and impulsively give it to them. Yes, even when I had my shop. I suck at selling, but giving away? No problem.

[caeterle]

Smart move, Michelle. Not.

[DawninCal]

Ha! I'll bet your friends/family are generous with the compliments, Michelle!



Dawn

[DawninCal]

I wonder why we are all so shy about promoting ourselves. There is nothing wrong with our work; I've seen hugely successful sellers whose work isn't half as good as what we create. I guess we're just weenies when it comes to tooting our own horns.



Dawn

[Irith-Rita]

Whenever I present one of my pieces as, for example - "These beautiful earrings", I think to myself how un modest this sounds, but I was told I must show self confidence in my work and not feel as I do about this

[caeterle]

See, that's something I don't do. I may call the stones beautiful, but not my item. The best I can do is "whimsical" or "unique"
Last night a friend shared a gift that I made for her. It was not the first time, she likes to show it, so I think she really loves it (a beaded bottle) and still I feel shy about it.

Dawn, sometimes I blush when seeing some other sellers promote, thinking I could never do that.