Product Planning

I know what you’re thinking right now. You’re thinking you have plenty of time. You don’t. As of July 2, the year is half over and there’s a weird phenomena that happens in the second half of the year; the last 182 days fly by faster than the first 182 days. You can quote planetary rotation and physics all you like but it will still be true because the second half of the year is filled with holidays and events that distract us from the task ahead. If you have kids, it’s ten times worse; back-to-school, Halloween, Thanksgiving. Factor in the dwindling sunlight hours and you’re already out of time.

As artists, sometimes it can be easy to get stuck in the rut of offering the same products season after season, when really just making some small changes could mean the difference between sales or no sales. Having revitalized product offerings does not mean you need to completely overhaul your current lineup of goods. Instead, you can make a few changes to what you already have and create a sense of renewal in your shop just in time for summer!

As a jewelry artist you produce unique designs with high quality components while keeping costs at a reasonable level. Plus, many indie artists feel it’s a selling point to use made in USA materials. This list of 25 online sources was compiled with quality, country of origin, and price in mind.

Reduce costs by finding unique cheap materials to beautify your projects. Indiemade power user Jeanne Connolly shows you how.

Learn how to apply to craft shows, how to prepare for art fairs, how to sell at art shows and getting the most out of a bad art fair. Connie Mettler discusses her experience exhibiting at some of the country's legendary art festivals with IndieMade's founder, Jennifer Rapp Peterson