WarmGlass.com

i was reading the MAILING LIST thread, and for me that is way too expensive, all that postage and licking stamps and buying printed info, what im looking for is a GENUINE EMAIL LIST, something that i can send out, and refer the person to my website, if anyone has any info on a good place to go for this id be most thankful

thanks
rodney

Rodney -

Don't send unsolicited email to people in CA after the first of the year. You can be fined big time for each occurrance.

Geri

Any direct marketing campaign has three components:

1) list
2) offer
3) creative (words/design)

To be successful these three things should be determined together -- get one wrong and you've likely wasted your money.

The traditional way to do this is a/b split tests -- keep trying the campaign to small audiences -- each time changing only one thing -- and keep dropping the poor performer. When you have something that has a satisfactory response rate then you're ready for volume.

When you determine return make sure to look at the life-time value of the customer, not just the initial order. Customer aquisition is often not profitiable on the initial sale.

Lastly, here are some great references for books:

How to Publicize High Tech Products and Services - A hands on guide.
Forget the "High Tech" piece -- I still think this is one ofthe best books on effective PR. It was last published in the early 90s I think -- but shows up on various used book sites.

Guerrilla Marketing Handbook
A classic. Some of Levinson's newer books may be better -- this one is pretty old.

- Paul

Paul
Thank You for your post. It's very helpful !!!
Chae

And thus, a spammer is born!

Wouldn't that be nice ???!!!!
Good marketing is a total mystery to me ....
Bet those "spammers" actually know what they're doing !!!
Chae

I think that most spammers just succeed by sheer volume- throw enough against the wall and something is bound to stick.

But if you are really into learning about marketing, Paul had some good ideas for you. Also you can usually find used intro to marketing text books in thrift stores or used book stores for cheap. If you can do glass you can handle any intro to anything so pick one of those up and check it out. Simple material but interesting to think of the market in these ways.
Good luck.

Thanks Jerry
I'll do that.
Hey!
Have a great day!
Chae

Geri,
Are you saying that I shouldn't email a gallery to see if they might be interested in carrying my work? Is it going to be like the "Do Not Call" list ? And I know "they" - most galleries - don't like "cold call" -- so what is one to do???

I don't do shows and I don't have a website. I have managed to get my work into 7 galleries, but I do need to expand.

Thanks for sharing your experience!
Carol Silrum

Good Mornin' Carol
This is Chae
HOW did You get your work into 7 galleries ???
I haven't even gotten THAT far in all of this and would love some "tips".
Have a great day
Chae

I'm not sure if the law regarding unsolicited email in CA applies to businesses as well as individuals.

In any event, I would send a snail mail letter to any gallery I was interested in, expressing my interest, rather than sending email.
But that's just my personal opinion...LOL.

Geri

Thanks Geri - guess that is what I'll start doing more of. I have never done postcards, but guess that is a good option.

Hi Chae,

With the galleries I'm presently in I have walked in some, shown my work, gone through the jury process etc. Two I sent emails with jpegs attached followed by more written info at their request. Two were referrals by individuals who had purchased pieces and showed them at a gallery in their location then the owner/buyer contacted me. Believe me I have been turned down many times!! So I just keep trying! I must sell to support my addiction -- to glass!
Good luck to you!
Carol

You might consider exhibiting at one of the commercial shows that gallery owners frequent. That's where they expect to make most of their supply contacts.

Silrum wrote:...I don't do shows and I don't have a website. I have managed to get my work into 7 galleries, but I do need to expand.

Thanks for sharing your experience!
Carol Silrum

Snail mail. Cover letter, brochure, take away card and a CD with images and pricing of your work. Make sure your images are professional, your cover letter and letterhead concise and informative. Follow up with a phone call within two weeks. This is a nice way to go since you haven't cluttered up their email, imposed upon their time and schedule with a cold call, et cetera. If the envelope and cover letter are well designed and eye catching as well as professional looking they just might take the time to look at your CD of images.

Sounds like you have a good foot in the door already...and as someone said earlier; You have to throw a lot of stuff at the wall, but some will stick. And as Dennis said, if you are looking to wholesale in volume, the ACC shows and other craft markets like the Rosen group shows are good to submit to (havent' done ACC, but those I know who do, are doing well).

Carol,
You can get a website extremely inexpensively. I know many hosting companies have inexpensive yet sophisticated plans. For instance, the one I use, Readyhosting.com, for $99 a year gives me everything I need, Frontpage extensions, unlimited email addresses, more space than I would ever use and a shopping cart. There was a thread not too long ago about web hosts. You might want to check it out.

Just a thought for some more exposure for you.

Thank you all for the informative suggestions. Cynthia you outlined the mailing process really well and that will be the direction I'll take for now.

In addition to the glass work my other full time job is caring for my elderly Mother who lives with us. She is blind and pretty feeble, thank God her mind is all there! So traveling to a show is not possible.

I am considering the website. Also wondered about joining the wholesalecrafts.com site. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks again,

Carol

Thank you all for the informative suggestions. Cynthia you outlined the mailing process really well and that will be the direction I'll take for now.

In addition to the glass work my other full time job is caring for my elderly Mother who lives with us. She is blind and pretty feeble, thank God her mind is all there! So traveling to a show is not possible.

I am considering the website. Also wondered about joining the wholesalecrafts.com site. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks again,

Carol

Thank You Carol and all ....
Appreciate the info.
Need to start marketing .... am just shy about getting out there and doing it.
A word here .... don't know how effective it is ... but http://www.glassartists.org allows glass artists .... free.... portfolio space (photos of their work).
Have a great day
Chae