Well, business works the same way. Marketing is built around relationships; healthy relationships. Not only do you want to help others with an open heart but you must honor yourself and your needs. When you give selflessly without asking for anything in return; give, smile and let go, you will find that people will return the favor, happily. Please also know that you have to ASK to receive. As my ex-husband would say to me, “I can’t read your mind; you have to TELL me what you need.” The worst you’ll hear is “no” and then you can determine how you want to handle that particular relationship.

Selling is strengthened by building a relationship with stores. When you’re working with a retailer, especially a new one, it’s VERY important to keep the relationship going by GIVING! Tell them how you are going to help them. Let them know that you are their partner and that their success with your work is your success, as well. You may say, “Duh, Andrea” but there are a lot of artists who sell their work and disappear. They don’t keep in touch with their stores and offer their assistance in various ways. However, just like when you begin a dating relationship, you aren’t going to bombard them with communication – just “tap them on the shoulder” every once in a while. Keep in eye out for how much hand holding and communication they need and remember to honor your own time. If, after a time, you feel that the relationship isn’t working for you, you can walk away. There will be other sale venues that will better suit you. I promise.

Relationships are tricky but they work best when you go in with a very thoughtful, giving perspective while at the same time telling them your needs and knowing when to walk away if the relationship isn’t working for you.

An artist once said to me, “I will stick with painting until I’m done painting, THEN I’ll move onto another medium.” I remember cringing when she revealed her commitment because I’m not that type of artist/person. I am a dabbler, explorer. I enjoy painting, woodworking, metalworking, weaving, sculpting and want to blow glass, try blacksmithing and enameling, plus more as they are revealed to me. Sometimes, when I see other artists who have studied one craft for 10+ years and are leaders in their field with awards, I wonder if I should have taken that path. But I am grateful to have been given this gift and that I have the ability to create at all (so many people can’t) and I continue to grow as a jeweler, taking more classes and exploring new ways to manipulate metal.

Who are you? Are you a beader, working with Beadalon and crimps? Are you crochet artist, using needles, beads and yarn/metal, a PMC artist slipping and scoring, a wire wrapper or are you a jeweler, using a torch and flex shaft? And what is your style of jewelry? Traditional: diamonds set in platinum, contemporary: raw stones in dappled silver or avant garde: plastic shapes formed into a spleen necklace? Where is your comfort zone at this moment? I say “at this moment” because art is a path you travel along.

If you are still struggling with sales or you’re selling but are not satisfied with your designs, wholesale price point or clients, step back and ask yourself what type of beader/artist/jeweler you want to be. Until you know yourself, you can’t know your client.

Please dance. You are creative. Be creative and dance in your business as well as in your life. Problems can cause you to stiffen, scared to do anything out of the ordinary but remember, you can creatively dance around them.

There will always be hurdles and you always have choices.