Lets talk about sales (or lack thereof)

[Klara]

I once sold my personal shawl because a lady absolutely wanted it. I figured, I can always make another one, so WTF, if she insists, she can have it (it had warmed up enough I no longer needed to wear it).

[fredk]

When I was involved in medieval presentations my wifey used to do the sales stall.

I used to and sometimes still make a certain style of hat. I had made 4 for family to wear, we wore it under out chainmaille coifs. I'd also made about 20 for sales

After a lunch break we went to put our hats and armour back on. Hats were gone. Wifey says, she had sold them. Why? Because 'I'd sold all the rest and I needed a few more. Anyway, shure, you can make more when we get home'.  At £10 per, even though they were used and looked it, wasn't to be sniffed at. Actually, those customers were more than happy with the used look

and yes I have made more.

Actually I'm re-designing it so it not only looks better but is easier & quicker to make, but that Mark 2 will be made beside the Mark 1

Also at that particular sale I'd made small shields out of hardboard. They were about 10 inches across and 15 inches long. I'd painted them up with designs on them. They were strung together to hang along the frontage of the stall, to attract attention. When it came to pack up - there were no shields. Wifey had sold them as well! at £3 each. People bought them for their children

That led on to a whole new line in my wooden toy business - White faced hardboard shields, un painted, with two leather straps riveted on, size 12 x 16 inches and also small toy wood swords*, with or without scabbards. I also downsized a real style of medieval hat,  it looks like the stereotypical 'Robin Hood' hat - which I called it. A friend got me a big bag full of pheasant feathers in swop for a hat. [* wifey sold our wooden practice swords and daggers as well ! ]

At later events we would clear between 40 and 60 shields per day, only about 10 swords, very few hats though. At one two day event we cleared 150 shields. At these No.3 son ran a 'paint your own shield' stall. £5 for shield and for child to paint it

This is what our childrens'  medieval pack consisted of [shield is painted as an example]   Leather still used in the making

For 'Viking' events I made a small wooden axe. A friend was making the round shields

None of these things were planned from the outset - ' I'm going to make this & that and gonna sell them'

Their production stemmed from the requests and wants of the buying public, to satisfy what they were prepared to buy

 

 

 

 

[Handstitched]

@fredk Thats quite impressive. A good little package .   Perhaps I should start making little leather ' business card' boxes eh?  

Someone wanted to buy my crappy old brief case  that I paid 5 bucks for at a charity stall. It keeps all my business 'stuff' handy at markets. 

HS

[fredk]

1 hour ago, Handstitched said:

. . .   Perhaps I should start making little leather ' business card' boxes eh?  

. . . .

Sometimes its what the item is called can make the difference if it sells or not and to whom it sells

I'd never even heard of a 'valet tray' until I saw them on this forum

I made a few, showed them to my sales agents -   'What is it?'   A valet tray    'What's that for?''     uh, its a key or watch tray     'oh, right, a key tray, nice, I can sell those'

Then I made some larger hex shaped ones.   'Too big'     ah, but these are 'dice trays'      'The gamers will like these, stop their dice going all over the table or onto the floor'

Thus the hex-shaped valet tray is a gamer's 'dice tray' and I include one with my board games set

[Handstitched]

49 minutes ago, fredk said:

I'd never even heard of a 'valet tray' until I saw them on this forum

I like that.   I have seen them before, on this site no doubt. Might try a few, like that and some in different shapes, colours . I'm sure I could find some scraps and see what happens at the markets. I could also line them with a bit of 'velveteen'  to make them look a bit 'fancy' . 

HS

[Spyros]

20 hours ago, Handstitched said:

I like that.   I have seen them before, on this site no doubt. Might try a few, like that and some in different shapes, colours . I'm sure I could find some scraps and see what happens at the markets. I could also line them with a bit of 'velveteen'  to make them look a bit 'fancy' . 

HS

I've made dozens because at some point everybody I know wanted one.  I found what works best is cheap, thick shoulder, chrome or combination tan is fine.  You want thick because it holds its shape and cheap because, well anything will do really, it's just a tray.  And if you want fancier just stitch a lining on the bottom only (not on the parts that fold).  Quick and cheap and easy sales for people to buy for gifts. 

Also a great way to get rid of off cuts

Edited April 11, 2022 by Spyros

[HudsonR]

Impressive and out of the box creativity Fred.

Hey! How many of you have your own sites? Will you mind sharing the links? Cuz I am about to launch mine and need help with some content. As it is a niche profession I am not getting specific content writers. I was thinking of contacting an essay writing service and follow articles on this leather site. I started as a freelancer and was able to sell mostly through word of mouths. It's going well but not expanding, and I have no interest in working under someone. If you have individual sites, how did you manage your content fill ups?

And is it profitable to open a facebook or instagram page instead? Which one can help with more sale? I really lack the knowledge in the marketing part.

[ButtonLady]

On 4/10/2022 at 1:20 AM, fredk said:

I made a few, showed them to my sales agents...

Fred, how big is your operation that you require not just one, but multiple agents??!!

[fredk]

Small operation,  just two sales agents now. They sell, I make, simples, or,  I make, they sell 

On the hex dice tray:  I use inexpensive 1 -1.2mm leather for the exterior, it has a cardboard re-enforcement in the centre base and has a thin lining leather glued on the insides. 6 ready-rivets and a small amount of glue hold the ears together to keep the shape. They are light and fairly flexible but at the same time hold their shape well. No stitching needed or used, not even on my other ones, just glue and ready-rivets. Basic ones can be knocked up in just minutes  - afair I did 8 small ones [about 8cm x 8cm square] in an hour ~ cutting and assembling time, not counting the time for dye to dry

Edited April 11, 2022 by fredk

[toxo]

Well I know my workshop isn't exactly selling but the first one went really well and all 4 clients have booked for the next one because they didn't finish their projects. Plus I might have some spin off business involving Larping and cosplay. ( I'd love to leave you all hanging cos I didn't know either but I'm much too nice. Live action role playing) which apparently involves actual acting in the woods or somewhere versus cosplay which is dressing up but not acting.

Plus I'm beginning to be noticed in my drinking club. The stewardess wants me to make her a bag  (no doubt for mates rates but they run a looped video advertising local business ) and she's sucked me into making a bag for next weeks charity raffle which I'm happy to do as long as there's an acknowledgement that it came from me.