Suzanne,
So how do you guys pump yourselves up? What do you do to remind
yourself that you're worth every penny? And how do you cushion the
blow of sales not made because your prices were "too high"?
I remind myself that much of my work is too tedious and difficult
for anyone else, so I deserve compensation for putting up with it.
I do lose sales because of prices, I guess. People look at my work
and then after they ask how much for this or that, they stop reaching
for their money. I have had interesting results from keeping a
catalog on hand which shows superficially similar work by other
artists with prices that are in line with what I charge. I don't
sell any more, that I know of, but at least I don't get quite the
same disbelieving looks. ::sigh::
A show that I wanted to get into was just held this month. The
reason that I didn't get accepted for it, they told me, was that my
prices were too high. This, from folks who are displaying paintings
and sculptures with five figure price tags, and jewelry with four
figure tags. My prices range from $50 to $40,000, so I figure they
just didn't want me in -- so it goes.
I try to be philosophical about it. Like you, I'd be doing this
anyway, and a lot of my current inventory is "pet projects" that
nobody's asked for and that may never sell. The customers who do
know my work and want it come looking for me so they can buy my
jewelry, and the only reason they ask how much it is is so they can
put the correct figure on the check. That cushions the blow, a lot!
Loren
http://www.golden-knots.com/
