Marketing in 2007: The Quest for WOW

Many people love to make pots...but making a living from your pottery takes
business savvy as well as artistic ability. Once you have developed a quality
body of work, the need to understand the business of pottery, including the
marketing of your product, becomes equally important. Excelling in pottery
as a business will require more than just the ability to throw a good pot. In
today’s market, it also requires the determination to build a WOW factor into
the overall experience of doing business with you.

In last month’s newsletter, Greg Lui and Amber Kennedy clarified the
importance of creating this total experience, a “brand” that represents “the
holistic expression of you and your pots”. At one time, marketing was only
about advertising, but times have changed. As our lives have become saturated
with multi-media advertisements of all kinds, and an over-abundance of
product choices, modern marketers have begun to realize that they must look
for new ways to differentiate their products, to catch the mterest of buyers,
create excitement around the product and spread the word!

Today, there is much more to consider in marketing your pottery than the
look of your business cards or show invitations — although these are important
and tangible pieces of your overall marketing plan. In his new book “Purple
Cow”, Seth Godin focuses on the importance of being “remarkable” in all
that you do tn your business. Godin says “everything from service to design
are now at the heart of what it means to be a marketer...Marketing 1s the act
of inventing the product. The effort of designing it. The craft of producing
it. The art of pricing it. The technique of selling it...”

In applying these notions to the business of pottery, our marketing actually
begins with the making of a pot that 1s somehow different—noticeable

Greenbarn’s catalogue is
now available online.

www.geeenbarn.com

9548 192 Street, q Tuesday-Friday 9-5
Surrey, B.C. VAN 3R9 (| CCl) barn Saturday 9-1
Phone: 604.888.3411 Closed Long Weekends
Fax: 604.888.4247 POTTERS SUPPLY LTD. greenbarn@telus.net

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—remartkable. People are imterested in
finding products that they can get excited
about, attached to, something they'll want
to tell their friends about. Then, we need to
consider what venues and activities will best
add to that excitement - keep the energy up,
be positive, fun, professional, noticeable
- create an experience that will keep folks
talking about this special new pottery — this
interesting new Potter. The overall remarkable
experience you provide will include essentials
such as quality in the making, a positive
personal interaction, integrity, great service,
a satisfaction guarantee, and pricing and
packaging that reflect the value of your
pottery. Give your customers all these things,
and you might just hear “WOW”! As they
start spreading the word about you and your
pots, you will see your sales increase, and
your business grow.

When first researching ways to make a
living from my pots, we considered the usual
venues, and what might fit best with our
lifestyle. I tried consigning pots in a couple
of locations and went to some established
shows, some large, some small. In thinking
more about these experiences, we realized that
we were fortunate enough to have a decent

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