Whew...

My mind is seriously drained. Over the past 53 hours or so I have built a website, made several modifications, opened an etsy store, and set up payments through paypal, worked W2 in emergency services during a flash thunderstorm/flood where people have no problems driving through flooded streets and upset when their car and belongings cannot/will not be rescue until water subsides, couple structure fires caused by lighting, cars falling into construction holes and man holes were the lid blew off, plus the normal day to day things of being a father and husband. Tonight I have meetings and back to W2.

I did make it into the studio for a short period today, I worked on sealing a couple pieces in tung oil, a new process I'm trying. Also added a google+1 button to the website and began working on making it more search friendly.

My brain is still working the details on a couple new designs, one would be a customizible series and the other new design for my new found, but rarely seen (yet), expression pieces. One will be going to White Crane Gallery in Omaha next week.

Also while sitting sealing pieces i began to rethink the studio layout. I need to think a bit more on that for a while. trying to determine if I should rebuild my drying table for one that has more room, but sacrifice my space for a future slab roller. Definitely need to think on that for a while.

Website

Well, I finally took the plunge and created a website. It is something I have been dragging my feet on for the last couple years. Had some people offer to do it for me($$$), but never came to terms. Anyway a couple weeks ago I stumbled on a potter's website that I liked, (www.goodelephant.com) , Potter does great work, but it was the little button at the bottom of the page that piqued my interest. It was button to design your own website, for free!

I spent about a day researching the site and navigating it, talked with Kiesha, heemed and hawed, etc, etc. We decided to go for it. It was really easy and I was smiling the whole time. I cannot believe I designed a website and did not pull my hair out. Everything was drag and drop, very user friendly. I spent 4-5 hours on day one, and 1-2 hours on day 2. It should have been less but I kept changing my mind on what I wanted, I guess I should have drawn it out first.

Anyway, check out www.upinsmokepottery.com and find your own little button at the bottom of the pages.

And Mea (the good elephant potter), if you are reading this I do really like your work also, it just the button was golden ticket in the chocolate bar.

I feel like a proud Papa!

Its been and interesting past month, I connected with a potter over the internet. He asked lots of questions and needed a little encouragement. He was a capable potter prior to connecting to me, and I know he was asking other potters as well, so It wasn't all me. But he did a foil saggar firing on his own, using the guidance from at least two overseas potters communicating via FB and other methods. I will say he did get some great results. When I saw those photos gave me one of those proud papa moments like a get when my kids do something great. Way to go Gareth.

Bemidji Art in the Park

I know I'm a little late, considering the festival was last weekend, what can I say it has been a crazy week. between the W2 job and kids activities pottery has been on the back burner. I did get an order shipped, does that count?

Anyway, I am now a believer that credit cards help increase sales. We increased sales in Bemidji by 125%, of that 88% was on plastic. We even had people buy multiple pieces! The weather did not cooperate otherwise i believe we would have had even more growth in the sales category.

The weather, what can you do. On Saturday the police ordered the park evacuated due to a thunderstorm, by the time we had battened down the hatches so to speak they gave the all clear saying the storm had broken up. Well it was late enough in the afternoon that people who had left didn't return, but there still some people who ventured out, but the crowds were much lighter.

On Sunday the storm did hit with 90 mins left, at which point the vendors including us, decided to pack up. No last minute sales this time.

Alas, credit cards are good for sales, i know most of you are saying DUH! but I'm set in my ways. We are now exploring the possibility of online sales via paypal. I'll keep you updated

Credit Cards

a little more on the credit cards. We have a square, for those of you not familiar with it, it is a small, square(if you can believe it) device that plugs into your headphone jack on a smart phone. This device allows me to accept payment from the 4 major credit card companies at a flat per use rate. This is awesome for those like me who do business only a few months out of the year. If I do not swipe a card, i pay nothing for the gizmo, or the service, only when I use it. the gizmo was free as well.

There are some limitations to it, it can only process $1000 a week, or anything over $1K will be held for roughly 30 days. I'm told i can get that adjusted, but so far don't see the need. Payment from the company to me is a couple days, so for a Sat/Sun Show...I get the 1st payment on tues, and the rest on Wed. Manual entries can be a little tedious especially if you are typing on a cell phone keypad with knockwurst fingers.

I am not promoting Square, just speaking of my experience so far. There other similar services out there, such as intuit go payment. I will continue to update on the experience and see the impact if any on sales when you accept Credit cards.

CC or Not

Well the 2011 BSAF is over and in the bag. The big question for us was "if the acceptance of credit cards increased our business? Or better put Did not accepting Credit Cards hurt our sales?

Well here are some facts in 2011 our sales increased by 226% over 2010. Of the sales we made, 82% were done on credit cards. This year we have also sold more of our larger pieces, and less of the regular or normal sized pots. This trend was supported during both of our major shows.

I did notice in both of the shows, roughly 1/3 of the customers asked if you took credit cards prior to handing it to you, the other 2/3 either saw the 3"x3" sign or just assumed. I did have one person say after they asked if I took credit cards "good, cause they were out of cash." So that is one sale I would have missed out on.

In the past I was certain we didn't miss many sales due to the lack of credit acceptance, but after this weekend i'm not certain. I know personally when all i have left if my debit card, or short on cash I double check for the familiar logos of the credit conglomerates prior to purchasing or even going in.

We have another show this upcoming weekend, and we will see what it brings.

Back to the Blog

It's been nearly a year since i visited this page, I've kept busy doing by w2 job overnights and pottery during the day. I know thats backwards for most people, but it works for me, although at times I'm not sure which is moonlighting anymore.

Over the past year, Kiesha and I have been deciding where and what we are going to do with the pottery side of our lives. We both love it, but it is very time consuming at times. Don't fret we are continuing, and also working towards expanding our market. I have been reading marketing books and searching the internet for ways to help us achieve our goal of being self sustaining potters.

We have begun giving lessons on the wheel, and working on creating a workshop for pitfiring, so if you are interested send us a line.

We have also been doing custom stoneware and earthenware orders, not that we have our own unique glazes, but we do know how to glaze and fire a piece.

We are about 36 hours out from the Brookings Summer Arts Festival and ready to go. We have started accepting credit cards via Square this year, and it will be interesting to see how it effects sales now that we accept credit cards.

I will try to update this more often, mainly with random thoughts and ideas, which I refer to brain drippings. I will still utilize Facebook for daily photos and regular updates, but this is another way to rant/rave/ converse/ whatever with less character limitations.