When interviewing actors for my former magazine job, they often told me that in their profession a) they could get fired or their show could be cancelled at any time b)that when a job ended, they could never be sure that another would come along c) but they had to keep acting because it was what they loved to do.
I sometimes feel as if I'm in a similar position when it comes to being a jewelry artist, particularly one who sells online. It is NOT steady work. It's dependant upon trends, seasons and the whims and tastes of everybody who goes online to shop. Basically, every day is a gamble and a question mark when it comes to whether or not I will make sales -- which is the case with any business, but even more so when you can't even see the people to whom you're selling.
That said, there are bound to be dry spells and downtimes, and right now, I'm going through one of those. I haven't sold a damn thing all week and it's frustrating, as hell, especially since I made sales every day last week. I thought I was on a roll! This is why I never take any sale for granted and try to not get cocky about sales increasing, which they have for the most part.
I don't think it's me, necessarily. I mean, if I were making so many sales last week, people aren't going to suddenly hate my stuff. And I've been getting plenty of views on Etsy. I think it probably has something to do with it being summer in the Northern Hemisphere. I do have some Aussie buyers, but most of my clients are from the United States and Europe -- and everyone there is going outside or going on vacation. They're not sitting in front of a computer shopping.
There are also no major holidays during this time in the U.S. between July 4th and Labor Day. So there are no events to shop for.
Though I am worried about the lack of sales, I'm trying to instead think about the near future, meaning the holiday season. In the past, I've done very well with online ventures during this time and I plan for this to be a really good year. I'm going to do several craft shows to get the in-person crowds and plan to make some limited edition holiday jewelry and ornaments. I love the fall, anyway, so I'm looking forward to all of this. I'm also trying to work more on getting my jewelry into stores, and to put out a "Back To School" line for my kids' site.
So even though things might be slow right now, I'm thinking positively and am using this time to work ahead. There's always something I can be doing and I figure that it'll pay off in the long run.
To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.
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