h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And that would be me... I am a doll artist. Not just a dollmaker. I am a creator. I am original and design my own patterns as well as create my whims of fancy. I get great pleasure out of my obsession, but unfortunately, I do not get the amount of respect I crave (especially from family members). I also do not get the monetary benefits I so desire, simply because I do not know how to market myself and my creations properly. I also find it difficult to set aside my desires to create in order to research this aspect properly. After speaking of these things to my love, he volunteered to come to my aid and do some research for me. We shall see what is yet to come.

From what I know of your art, you work to make your dolls realistic, which sometimes means in every detail. Can you make a doll look like someone in a photograph? If your talents can lend themselves to that I think you'd be amazed at the number of people who would want dolls of themselves or their loved ones. Try advertising speciality dolls (remember to have a high $$$ amount for these)in the local free paper and don't forget the gay weeklies.

If that is not something you wish to work on why not create a series of dolls following different themes such as professionals (teacher, nurse, construction worker, etc.), fantasy (fairies, knights, maidens, etc.), politicians, famous families, etc.

Once you complete several sets of these take some good quality pictures. Make up an album of these and look in your phone book for specialty stores that are independently owned in your area. Find a maternity store or a gay lifestyles store, or a uniform shop, etc. Then call to find out who the owner is and work at getting a meeting with them. Take in the album along with several of the dolls.

More than likely they would be willing to give you limited space for some of the dolls that would interest their clientelle if they knew they could get their money back if the dolls didn't sell.

Since you're new and some shop keepers won't want to take a risk you could offer them an agreement that they would only have to pay for the merchandise at the end of the month after it sold. That way they would not be out of any cash up front.

And what about selling direct? Actually it is easier to sell through an established business. Even though it feels like it's taking forever to find a shop that wants your dolls, if you get one shop to take orders of 30 or more a month, then youll save yourself the trouble of finding 30 people yourself to buy your goods.

Remember not ot undervalue yourself. These are handmade one of a kind originals. Don't make your direct sell price (your personal retail price) your wholsesale price to shops. People should be expecting to pay you the same price they would pay in the shop.

Honestly value your time and materials. This should be your wholesale price to shops.

Adding 30% to your base cost is not unheard of to come up with a price for selling direct to the public and sometimes 50% would not be unreasonable either.

How are you thinking of marketing your dolls?

I appreciate your interest and suggestions, but I'm not searching for ideas on what kinds of dolls to make. I don't mean to offend, but I want to make what I want to make and not necessarily go after any particular market. If someone likes my creations and wishes to purchase them - fine - if not, that's fine too . . .

How do I plan to market these creations? I haven't the slightest idea besides what I am already doing. I plan to update my website once I decide which dolls I am willing to take orders for and also to showcase my one of a kind dolls . . .

I'm waiting for my partner to do some research for me and get back to me with some ideas.

*SHOCK* You mean you don't want to franchise and have your dolls made by the little and precise hands of Phillipino children? Don't you want to be another 'Kathie Lee'? Well. Anytime you want some rambling comments about your art let me know. I've got the muse of post industrial, capatalisitic thinking reading excerpts of BUSINESS WEEK to me, and anytime you want some business babble thrown-up your way let me know. I'll gladly regurgitate. Cheers.