Selling glass, 1st timer..help!

[Deez]

Okay so i have been on the torch for a decent amount of time. Soft glass for 6 months, and boro about 4. i can make nice implosion pendants, frit pendants, dolphins, turtles, vortex marbles, implosion, semi decent flower marbles.
So i have a pretty good skill range. Im looking to sell some of my work for the first time, so i can afford my new hobby, as i am a college student and cant handle a full time job.
My questions are where should i look to sell some beads and pendants too. What kind of stores would want to buy them????? I have no idea where to start, so i thought id ask some of yall with experience.
Should i call and talk to the people, or simply walk in their store with my glass, I really have no idea what to do.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
thanks guys
-kind

[Gibsons Glassworks]

craft fairs are a good start, make sure you hang em all on some nice black cord, and have your prices set, in groups. all thiese at 10$ all thiese are 40 and so on.

walk into stores is a good start too.

giver a go!

[Gibsons Glassworks]

o yea and remember, women will be at least 90% of your client base, thats what ive found. look for where women like to shop

[Greymatter Glass]

kitchen stores and the vagina maintance aisle of walmart?

*runs like hell*

[mer]

if your stuff is top notch (be honest with yourself) then you might try galleries in tourist towns or craft fairs or ebay. if you don't feel ready to start building a reputation yet try selling them while strolling around saturday markets or concert parking lots. just be aware that people will remember you for what you show and mediocre first impressions are death to a craftsman.

[Deez]

Good advice mermonkey, the first impression thing.
Gibson, yea ive notice women buy most of the beads and what not.
I can make spoons and chillums so far, that im just gonna get rid of to friends a parties and what not.
thanks everyone so far!
peace

[ScurvySee]

As a college student myself I would recommend finding small shops around town that sell artsy "creative" things that aren't found anywhere else. Normally the women shoping in these stores have more than enough money to spend and you can tend to raise your prices a bit more than other consignment shops. I would also recommend selling them wholesale at first, not consignment. Better to get the money up-front. This is how I used to make my money selling earrings and whatnot. If you have a hard time finding a store like this there are always girls on campus you can hit up. I sold an implosion pendant to some girl in my dorm just the other week, and you don't really have to worry about your reputation selling to girls in the dorm. (Like they know any better anyways)

[Burnie Lomax]

was that your first time talking to a girl or what?

[PortlandGlassBlowers]

Cosmo is looking for glass for consignment. You should look at his post in Pics, Galleries, & Websites. Summer time is great for festivals. You can sell a lot of glass in the parking lot .

[Ro's Glass World]

Wear your work daily, have business cards ready, anyone that comments on it give them a card, tell them you do house parties, free gift to the hostess like the one your wearing! dress professionally when going to stores, go in intending to make an appointment to show your stuff, but have it ready if they want to see it then, leave a card and a flier/brochure with some pictures of your work for the buyer to remember you by. Introduce yourself as an artist, ask for the person in charge, tell them you think your work would be perfect for their store. (make sure it is, checking first for price points and kinds of things they sell is important).
good luck, you will do fine especially if your work speaks for itself.
Ro

[barefoot stash]

A lot of my students sell thier work on campus itself. Go to your student affairs office and ask to set up infront of the caf or student union building (whatever you have at your school). Most schools are happy to accommodate an enterprising student. Make sure to get permission first!! You'll have a captive audience of peers, many of which never leave campus. You can also set-up during campus events like concerts and parties. Once your known, I'm sure the personal orders will start comming in. BTW: keep that special case under the counter as not to raise unwanted attention from security.

[yinzer]

we bank at craft fairs and small hippie festivals. craft fairs are cheap. around here its like 10-50 dollars for a 10x10 spot. small hippie festivals are a bit more expensive but worth it if you bring enough stuff and get the spot near the guy with the chinese glass. dont froget business cards.

[Dennis Brady]

There's some business related articles here you might find helpful. Although they were originally done for stained glass, the business articles are just as relevant for kilnforming and torchworking.

http://www.debrady.com/technical/articles.htm

I'd suggest you start with retail craft fairs, then expand into wholesale to retail shops. In addition to making and selling finished product ourself, our company supplies over 100 professional artisans that make a full time living selling their work. We all agree that it is possible to make a good living selling glass art - but ONLY if you treat it as a business. You make a product and sell it. If you make a good product and offer it a good price, customers will buy it. If they aren't buying your work, YOU are doing something wrong. Correct what you're doing wrong and they'll start buying it. Retail craft fairs are an excellent way to identify when you're doing something wrong or doing something right.

I think the best possible advice I can offer is my standard response to the question, "What should I make?".

Don't expect customers to buy what you like to make. Make what they like to buy.