Holidays and Sales

Developing good sales skills is key to having a successful business. Whether you're selling online, have a brick-and-mortar store, or sell at shows, your interaction with your customers can make or break your business.

Ex: My daughter and I were in the grocery store the other night about a half hour before closing and one of the workers said to another that they were asked to box out that night before leaving. She went on to say that tomorrow was her day off so therefore, she wasn’t willing to do what was asked of her and that she would leave the work the next morning’s shift, seeing that it was going to be her day off.

I told my daughter after leaving the store, I knew there was a reason I never liked that store much anymore and that it always seemed to have an odor. It’s not the odor as much as the distaste for the employees. Believe it or not our customers, even online are watching and listening very carefully. This once upon a time was a store I would leave my neighborhood to visit and now only stop when I need something from the store next door, one stop shopping.

Attitude is everything especially in sales. Next time you are out running errands and visiting retail shops, take note of what you like and what you don’t like. Use these lessons to be a better salesperson for your own goods. Most artists and crafters would not call themselves salesmen or women, but it’s all part of the job. You need to not only sell your work, but you need to sell yourself as well!


Most of us appreciate being greeted when we enter a retail establishment. Make sure you welcome your potential customers at arts and crafts shows and also on your web shop. Let the customer know you appreciate them, and you’ll be surprised at the loyalty you develop over time. A loyal customer is what you need for your own goods or services!


You don’t need to hover or coddle the customer, but try some of these tips to develop a good rapport with your customers.

A smile shows you are engaging

A piece of wrapped candy in the package of goods you ship off says you were thinking of them

Make your online storefront greeting happy and appreciative, allow your customers to that you are there for them

Include a handwritten ‘Thank You’ note in your packages

Every customer you have has the potential to tell their family and friends about your crafts, your art, or your creative service. Grassroots promotion and word of mouth is the strongest endorsement (or liability) you can have. You like it when you, as the customer, are treated like the king, so treat all your customers like royalty too.

So let's bruch up on our skills, take a long look at our online shops and get ready for the Holidays, they are upon us.

Leaf Trimmed Wristlets - FREE

I know you've been wondering where has she been. Has she stopped blogging all together, well, no. I've been really, really busy this summer and not counting it has been extremely hot in good ole MO.

I took my son back to school this past Monday and every corn field I passed in KS was burned, dry, golden... maybe a partial green stalk here or there. I don't think this is what was meant by amber waves of grain.

While the grass in my front and back yard were turning a little brown, the tomato plant in my Topsy Turvy struggled to survive, I sat in the ac creating this pattern. It's amazing sometimes how things just come to you. I have so many incomplete items to finish an while finishing hats for the fall, I saw matching wristlets, so I set about to create them.

I've made it a bad habit of seeing creations and not recording them. It's not like I don't have a journal or tape recorder, they just don't seem to come to mind when I'm working. Now if I only had that Dragon thing, that takes dictation I'd be all right, it would certainly make entering patterns into docs easier and also blogging. That's just one of the things on my to get list in the future. Had to purchase a new camera this summer, the other one decided it was tired, the on switch is stuck.

This pattern is versatile. It can either be Wristlets or Fingerless Gloves. The choice is yours. I give directions for both.

I listed the pattern today in my shop on ETSY. If any of my followers are interested please contact me and for the next week I will send you a FREE copy.
This offer is good until August 18, 2011.

I have several other patterns I'm working on and writing to share and sell. They should be ready soon, the kids are back in school, the house is clear, quiet and the computers are free.

Visit often to see what's new. Don't forget to visit my Favorites page to see what's happening at ETSY.