I probably need to man up

[Lily]

Does anyone else find promoting their work difficult because it feels like showing off...or is that just me?
I'm not talking about whipping out a piece whenever there's a lull in the conversation but just, for instance, putting things on my Facebook business page or going to a craft fair. It's a dilemma because I do want to sell my stuff and in order to do that have to put it out there.
Would be interested to know if anyone else has felt like this and the thoughts that helped them overcome it.
Please be gentle...if you think I am pathetic I would rather not know thanks.

[ps_bond]

Does anyone else find promoting their work difficult because it feels like showing off...or is that just me?

Yup. I'm not good at proactively selling - I tend to feel it's too in-your-face and don't much like it when I see people leap on a possible customer (even worse if I've been carefully sounding them out before someone else barges into the conversation...!). Part of it is down to imposter syndrome.

[Lily]

I confess I had to google imposter syndrome...interesting!
Leaping would be way out of my comfort zone - I don't like being leapt on either.

[CJ57]

I find it really difficult too but I do an Open Studio every year so if you invite 300 people into your home you have to be able to sell yourself to a certain extent. I've just had to write my blurb for a new gallery I'm going into, although it's small I'm the only jeweller. I find it hard to tell people how beautiful, and well made and finished it is but in the end no-one else is going to, I think it sounds arrogant but then we are all a bit insecure and unsure of our capabilities or is that just me

[Lily]

No, not just you Caroline.
I seem to have an inbuilt horror of being thought ''showing off''.
Your work is lovely!

[CJ57]

Thanks Lily, not being able to show off is a bit of a problem if you are making jewellery, you can be a shrinking violet if you are a painter I suppose. There is this great thing about giving your pieces names which I find very difficult. At one OS I had named a piece Eclipse as that was where my inspiration had come from, sort of:/ and this man said why did you call it that, so I told him and he said but it isn't is it?? You can't win and it's always an anecdote to pass on

[1711]

Sorry but unless you put it out there people don't know what you have and how much it is... I have heard the argument that people think it costs more and then they have to buy because it's less than they thought... But just as you are scared to sell.. They are scared to ask...

The trick is to be certain but not forceful... Rehearse and research things that are or probably are "true" for example I have always loved jewellery but I couldn't afford the pieces I really liked so I decided to make some affordable ones..

It's all a trick to get a third party in to a conversation... Ie your jewellery... I can talk til the cows come home about my partners glass.. So I talk to people about my jewellery as if someone else made it... I share the story of the inspiration or how I achieved something... It engages people in your work without posing the direct question "do you want it or not"?

A great way to break ice if you're really scared is a focus group... Ask 6 people you know to each bring a friend to your house or similar... Pass round some pieces and ask for comment.. Good bad indifferent... Ask them if it is something they could see themselves buying or wearing or giving as a gift... Ask them to make a note of a price they might expect to pay.. Then tell them a story about the process of design and making... And ask them if it changes how they feel about any of the pieces...

If as usually happens they over price your work... Share that with them at the end... You might get an instant sale..

Feedback will help you feel professional and skilled... You will open the door to sales without ever asking them to buy... The only think left is to ask them to tell their friends...

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