Question About Contacting Potential Customers

[Kenny Jacobson]

Hi, I'm new here (lurking about 2 months) and new to turning (about a year and a half). It's become my daily addiction now to check the Turner's Forum every couple hours.

Anyway, I entered some of my bowls in the San Diego Fair exhibit. I went to pick them up today and to my surprise I had two inquiries on two of the bowls. So my question is, what is the proper etiquette on contacting these potential customers. Do you contact them all, tell them there is multiple interest, and see if they want to bid against each other? Or do you just go by the date and time each was submitted, contacting them in order until someone agrees to buy?

Also, when I email them, I plan to include a picture to remind them which one it is (especially since one of my bowls had the wrong placard next to it for a while)

Here are some pics just for the fun of it :)

Olivewood Bowl:
200499

Black Cherry Bowl:
200498

Thanks!

[Dennis Ford]

I would not feel comfortable with asking them to bid against each other.

[Kenny Jacobson]

I would not feel comfortable with asking them to bid against each other.
Yeah, me neither. If I sell these, they will be the first turnings I've sold, so at this point everything seems a little uncomfortable to me.:o

[David E Keller]

I'm no expert on selling work, but I'd advise you to price them at a point where you'd be comfortable making a dozen for that price. I'd contact them in order that the inquiries were made... If you sell the piece, contact the others to let them know and see if they'd be interested in something else or perhaps commissioning a piece.

Congrats on your pending sales, and please continue to share your work... You do nice work!

[Robert McGowen]

What David K. said! Establish the price that you want and work your way down the list in the order received. Good luck with it.

[Curt Fuller]

I would simple let them know that they are available for sale, what the price is, and then let them make the next move.

[David Gilbert]

I had a similar thing happen at the recent AAW symposium where I was approached about selling one of my bowls (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?168442-AAW-Symposium-Gloat&p=1730797#post1730797). I wasn't really sure what to ask for and threw out a number that was high enough that I would be happy with the money but not so high that it would scare off my customer. Please remember that at the symposium's instant gallery there were pieces that were priced at many times what my price was.

I like Dave Keller's comment "to price them at a point where you'd be comfortable making a dozen for that price". That seems to be a very reasonable approach. I would notify the interested parties what the price is, mention that the first one to contact you will get the sale. Having them bid against each other is too cumbersome and time consuming.

Cheers,
David

[Jake Helmboldt]

What David said. A "fair" price is one that you and the buyer are happy with. It is your time and effort, so place the value on that which you feel is fair. If the potential buyer likes and appreciates your work (which I think many will since you have a nice eye for form IMHO), then someone will likely pay the price.

Congrats on your first pending sale.

[Jeff Nicol]

Good morning, I have sold a ton of things through differnent platforms from, e-bay to gallery shows , word of mouth and commissioned pieces. Since this is new for you and are not sure what to price them at, find some coamparables in your area from other turners to get a feel what things are selling for, then put a price around that and maybe a bit less to start getting your work out there. Once you have some pieces out in the public eye others will see them and will be able to find you though a reccomendation from previous customers. As the amount of requests and sales increase you can creep the prices up a bit to be in the same competetive range of others who you deem are in the same skill set as you. When your skills and reputation improve things can go to anywhere, but it all takes time and patience to reach the levels of many who are at or near the top of the game.

The pictures you posted look good and you have some good skills already, but I am with David K. on this over it to the first in line at a price and go from there, and by informing the other party that it sold and that you can make more or another similar to their likeing puts you in a good light and reassures any and all potential customers that you are willing to work with them and keep customers happy and coming back for more!

Good luck and good to have you in the fold of the SMC turners Vortex!

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with David and Jeff. Do some research, put a fair price on them and contact the first customer. One thing I found out is don't short change yourself by going cheap.

[Jim Burr]

Congratz!!...and beautiful work by the way! First come first served should work. Let the second party know you had a prior offer and will contact them on the status of the sale. I always declare price up front...I sold 3 pens at work this week...2 very different styles and very different prices. The conversation always starts with "These cost this much and these cost this much". Most customers hate surprises!

[Kenny Jacobson]

Thank you so much, everyone, for the sage advice. I sent emails to the first (potential) customer for each bowl. So we'll see...

I like the idea of telling the next people in line that the item is sold, but that I can turn something else for them.

As far as pricing, logically I know that I need to put a price comparable to other similar works (I've been to a couple craft fairs lately, to find out the "going price") and I think I did put a reasonable price, but since I'm just starting out, there is that part of me that lacks confidence still, that little voice that says "you've got to be kidding, you really think somebody's going to PAY for something you made?!?!". Which is funny because in my profession as a computer programmer, I have no problem giving clients a "take it or leave it" price, but that's because I've been doing it for 12 years, and I have confidence in my abilities as a programmer. I also know that it does no one any good (including yourself and all your colleagues) to sell yourself short.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for their advice. I really, really enjoy reading this forum. Everyone is so supportive (especially to newbies). Which makes sense, I guess, since, as evidenced by the local woodturners club I go to, woodturners seem to be among the most friendly and supportive people I think I've ever met.

And yes, the "vortex" metaphor is completely apt. When I'm not turning, I'm thinking about turning, sketching out bowls, reading books about magazines about turning, or scanning SMC and other woodturning forums (though this one is the best!).