Baby Steps

I've been essentially off the grid for the last week on vacation visiting a good friend.  I think it was important to get away, though it's probably good to write another post.  Last Saturday I took a giant leap forward as far as my fear of actually doing all I need to do to be successful goes.  As a creative entrepreneur, someone who makes stuff and sells it, the most important thing is to put your work out there.  If no one is aware of what you create, how can you find a buyer?  I've been making stuff for years.  Probably about half or more of everything I own is something I have made or materials to make stuff, but I have never been good at marketing myself or my work.  I discovered in college that my work was actually interesting and purchasable, because I put some ceramics in the campus art sale a few times and made a little bit of pocket money.  Because of that and some friends' urgings I opened my Etsy shop.  I put on there stuff I made a couple years ago as well as current stuff, and then I began the daunting task of letting people know that I make stuff and am selling it.  I opened a facebook page - jensbooksandclay - and started telling people I knew about the shop.  At my sister's wedding, some guests got to see my work first hand and I made some sales.  I started discovering that sales could more easily be made in person.  Stuff just looks better in person, but like I said, I'm not good at putting myself out there.  A couple months ago, my sister signed me up to have a table at the Spring Fling event at the school where she teaches, and so of course I said, "ok," though I was thoroughly freaked out.  I knew that doing something like that was an important first step, and it didn't cost me anything.  I knew not to anticipate sales, but hoped for at least the beginning of some networking, because the event was about families coming and having fun, not so much about buying stuff, though that was an option.  It was important because now I've had a table somewhere and so the next time I do something like this it won't be as daunting.  I handed out a couple business cards and talked to a couple people who seemed interested in my work.  No sales, but a little bit of interest.  Purchasing goods was not the focus, and that's ok.  I have to keep reminding myself that success does not come overnight but comes with a lot of hard work and determination, and risk taking.  The hardest part for me is the risk taking, but baby steps my dear, baby steps.  I will get there.

Some pics of my set up at the Spring Fling: