The Beast raises its ugly head

Pricing!

Don't run away, it's not that big a thing, really. Ok, maybe it is. But it's something every artist faces.

How many times have you heard or seen a discussion about prices for art? 'Oooh, that takes some nerve to charge THAT for a bit of paper, string and paint', or the traditional greeting of *pursed lips* ... *disdainful but angry glare* ... 'HOW MUCH? But it's just a bead!'

Yes, we've all been there, or most of us, no doubt. It's horrible to cope with, it's soul-destroying to have people put their grubby fingers and opinions on your work without understanding that it's a real person standing there, not a mannequin or a robot. Sometimes it would nice to perhaps be a Cylon, because of the interesting 'delete' ability but that's just a daydream, so shall we move on? Right.

Pricing. Is it putting a value on some glass or is it putting a value on the buyer? Do you price for yourself or for for the market? What the heck to I mean by putting 'a value on the buyer'? It's pretty simple really. There are several types of buyer that will filter past you at the show you're doing. Craft fair, bead fair, market or whatever.

There are the browsers and grazers who are moving along, getting a bit of entertainment and eye-candy, perhaps a chat with someone who is standing there waiting for a sale. They can travel individually or in small packs, depending on the day, the phase of the moon or how many of them can fit in a charabanc. The odds are that they will rarely purchase but will frequently admire or gasp at the prices and bolt. Browsers are often open to a bit of information about why your beads are the price they are and often will give you something of value, if not money. They will nod in understanding and store the information for another day.

Then there are the skimmers. They travel quickly and usually solo, they know what they are looking for but not necessarily what they're looking at and may not want to be educated about your art. Price is everything to them. They're often the worst type of people to cope with as they have a set idea of what is 'valuable' to them. If you don't fit into their world-view it's very unlikely that they'll fit into yours. However, if the two views coincide, they can be very good, loyal customers and will sometimes surprise you with the things they buy. If they talk to you, it's to the point, and can be very knowledgeable about your work in particular and beads in general.

And finally there's the intense shopper. They pick up every bead. They come back several times. They circle before landing. They may never say a word to you, lulling you into a false sense of 'oh, just browsing but not buying' before presenting you with a handful of sets or beads, with a handful of money to follow but not much in the way of talk. They knew beforehand what they wanted, there's probably a list somewhere and you were on it. Other people may never get a look, but you've been 'chosen' and it's a good thing until they 'un-choose' you and move on to another artist.

So, how do you price for them all? Simple. You don't. You price for the kind of customer that you prefer, that you feel fits your work best and you want to own your work. Does that exclude some buyers? Of course it does. Some won't buy if the beads are 'too dear', some will not buy if they're too low in price, which may seem odd but is what I mean by pricing by putting a value on the buyer. You price for your market, you give them a sense of value by saying 'yes, my beads are not for everyone but they're for YOU because you value yourself enough to spend that kind of money on them'.

On occasion I've even said to people who were rude enough to point out that Mike's beads were 'too expensive' that I was sorry they didn't feel they deserved to spend that kind of money on themselves. Because, in many ways, that's what it is. Beads are an indulgence for many people, not a vital part of daily life. Watch people at shows, watch how they shop. Notice how they act after they buy something. Yes, it's an important thing to know. You sell happiness, as well as beads. And that does have a value. Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy beads. And we all know that beads make you happy.

So, then. Value yourself and value your customers. Stop pricing your work like it's something from a sweatshop. It's not, it's from your heart and mind.