James Dillehay, author

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Getting higher prices for arts and crafts
October 12, 2005 23:10

The key to getting top dollar for your arts and crafts product is to enhance its perceived value by making it clear how the product will benefit your customer. The customer is really shopping for benefits. There is an important difference between features and benefits. For example, these next three statements speak about features:

1) This wool and mohair jacket is handmade from all naturally dyed yarn.
2) These rag rugs are woven with long lasting, durable materials.
3) This rocker is solid oak and handcarved.

The customer is less interested in what it is then what it will do for them. Remember what they are really buying is the answer to some need or desire. Note how changing the above statements to emphasize benefits tells the customer how they will benefit, thus increasing the perceived value:

1) This wool and mohair jacket will keep you warm on those cool nights.
2) Your one-of-a-kind rag rug will last you a long time. You’ll be able to walk on it comfortably for years.
3) This heirloom, handmade rocker will increase in value over time as a collector’s dream.
This tip is from The Basic Guide to Pricing Your Crafts by James Dillehay.

Designing arts and crafts to sell
October 12, 2005 14:22

Are your art or crafts items not selling? Consider doing some study of more commercial arts and crafts products to learn different design elements. Clothing, jewelry, home items, and gift accessories can all be made in hundreds of different ways. Some basic design principles can improve arts and crafts attractiveness. A few of these elements include the fact that a rectangle is more attractive than a square, odd numbers create more interest than even, variety and diversity are more exciting than even spacing. Proportion stripes using the Fibonacci Series; a number system in use since medieval times that contains design elements found frequently in nature. Every number in the series is found by adding the two numbers before. For example 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on. In designing a piece with bands of different colors, stripes of one color could be 3", than another color 1", another 5", another 2", a 3" stripe, and then two different 1" bands. This idea from The Basic Guide to Selling Arts and Crafts by James Dillehay

Writing arts and crafts articles for money
October 12, 2005 09:05

Anyone can write about what they know. If you have ever experienced writer’s block, writing about something close to you is the quickest solution to unravel your potential creativity. And if you're reading this, you know your art or crafts subject. Is there money in writing articles or books on arts and crafts? To get an idea, look through Books In Print in the library under the subject heading of your craft. The number of books about a given subject suggests the amount of interest the public has toward it and the potential market for sales. Most of the major arts and crafts magazines accept freelance writer's submissions. If you’re proficient in a specific technique or school of design, consider writing how-to articles for the appropriate craft magazines. Payment may be nominal, but as you become known as an crafts expert, you will be sought out as a teacher and lecturer; for a fee, of course. This idea is from The Basic Guide to Selling Arts and Crafts by James Dillehay.

About My Blog

This is an arts and crafts newsfeed serving up topics related to crafts marketing. You'll get news briefs about craft shows, find deals on craft supplies, receive insider tips for selling crafts and my personal thoughts and musings about operating a craft business from my 20 years experience. I spend my time reporting on craft business news so you can spend your time doing what you love. And yes, I love investigating ways to market a craft product so you'll get interesting as well as timely news.