As a beginning entrepreneur, you can’t afford to conduct surveys and market analysis the way major corporations do, but you should develop a solid idea of who and where your customers are and what they’re looking for.

The problem is, too many artisans get it backward.  They manufacture products first and then try to find buyers for them.  It has to be the other way around:  Research the marketplace; then develop products that will sell.

In the stained glass business, the key to successful market analysis is observation.  You have to pay close attention to how and where stained glass products are sold, what prices other artisans charge for their products, and who buys them.

In order to determine who will buy your products, you must first decide where your best sales outlets exist.  Here are some possibilities:

•           Gift and souvenir shops

•           Arts-and-crafts galleries

•           Specialty shops

•           Chain stores

•           Craft malls

•           Mail-order outlets

•           Arts and crafts co-ops

•           Museum gift shops

•           Craft fairs

•           Wholesale trade shows

•           Retail trade shows

•           Festivals and bazaars

•           Sidewalk arts and crafts exhibits

•           Farmers’ markets

•           Flea markets and swap meets

•           Wine festivals

•           Open houses and craft parties

•           The internet

Learn about every possible nearby outlet.  Determine what’s available in your town, in your county, and within easy driving distance of your home.  Find out where and when all the craft fairs and related exhibits are in your community and in nearby towns.  Similarly, identify and locate all the shops and galleries that might handle your products.  These should be your primary marketing targets.

Gradually extend your research to include potential sales outlets throughout your state and region.  Take some scouting trips and check out all the shops and galleries.

In every town you visit, your first stop should be the local chamber of commerce or visitor center.  Collect general descriptive literature about the community and find out about all the local events that offer opportunities for jewelry sales.  Most chambers and visitor centers have brochures and other publications that provide all the details you need.  Be sure to get literature about shopping, restaurants, and lodging, and ask for a complimentary copy of the local phone directory.  Back home, file this material for later reference and trip planning.

Tell the person at the visitor center what you’re up to and ask for recommendations.  Sometimes potential outlets exist in the least likely places.

Many artists sell successfully at craft fairs.  Craft fairs are often held at shopping malls, armories, high-school gymnasiums, community centers, and other facilities that provide adequate display space and parking. Some are juried and require potential exhibitors to submit samples of their work to a committee that determines whether the products are of sufficient quality. Others offer space to anyone who can pay the fees.

Local craft fairs are great places for artisans new to the business to get involved with a minimal investment. Some fairs, especially those in the larger metropolitan areas, are excellent sales outlets for newcomers and veterans alike.

Fees for the smaller local weekend fairs usually range from $25 to $125.  Promoters of big shows on a national circuit can demand $200 to $500 or more and have no problem filling their spaces.

Finding places to sell your works isn’t as hard as deciding how much to charge for them.  Why?  There’s no right answer.  Each artist is unique and each piece is unique.  (That’s the beauty of handmade art.)  If you’re highly skilled, you may be able to charge four to five times as much for a particular piece as a less-skilled craftsperson.  So what do you do?

Do the research:  look at other items for sale and compare your items in terms of quality and originality.  (You can also check prices from stained glass artists who sell their pieces online, but the problem is you can’t actually inspect the item.)  If similar items are for sale for half the cost of yours, you’re unlikely to sell many until you’ve built up a reputation and a following.  If your prices are too low, some buyers may avoid you because they assume your quality is inferior.  Pricing is tough – scout out the competition, get a sense for your market, and then experiment.  The prices you charge today will not be the same as the ones you charge a year from now, because in the process you’ll have learned and grown as a craftsperson and as a businessperson.