Offering a Guarantee
As an artist, it is really important that you offer a guarantee of your work because it helps reassure your customer that if they are not completely satisfied with their purchase (or something happens), that they can return it. When customers go to make a purchase, they have to factor in a lot of elements into the decision. Do they have the space for the purchase? Ever wonder why your little products sell faster than the big products? Is the product the right color for their décor? If it is for a friend, will the friend like it? The list of questions your customers ask themselves goes on and on; of course, silently in their heads as you wonder if you are actually going to make a sale. Many do not completely trust their instincts to purchase a product and second guess their impulse. You might not realize that they are working all of this out, so you prattle on about the process or what a good deal it is, etc.
You can eliminate some of these questions they might be asking themselves, by offering a guarantee of some sort and sharing this guarantee with them. It helps reassure them that even if the decision they are making wrong, they have a way out.
Signage in your booth is probably the easiest method. What you are guaranteeing is up to you. However, I feel that if someone is not completely satisfied with their purchase for any reason, they should be able to return it (within a reasonable amount of time).
I’ve taken this a step further and I actually guarantee my work before they ever purchase it. I have little signs that say “What your mother said isn’t true . . . . if you break it, I will make another one. Please handle my pottery.” This gives them the freedom to touch my work without any consequences. If they touch it, they are more likely to bond with the piece and want to take it home.
Sometimes they chuckle at the sign and still won’t pick up the piece. If I can tell which piece they are admiring, I will pick it up and hand it to them. They might say, “I’ll break it” and then I explain that ceramics are very durable. Unless you are intending to break it (by slamming it down), it probably will not break by being handled and even dropped. I’ve not had a piece break due to a customer handling it. Trust me, I’ve had to work hard to destroy some of my unwanted pieces – they seem to be even more resilient when they’re ugly or flawed.
If you offer a guarantee, you have to be willing to stand by it. I am more than willing to take back or exchange a piece if someone has buyer’s remorse. I would rather the piece be used and enjoyed than tucked away for the next garage sale. I’ve guaranteed breakage and replaced and fixed things free of charge, because it keeps those customers happy and willing to come back for more. I’ve even fixed jewelry created by others, so that the person could continue to enjoy something they loved. This, of course, resulted in a sale several months down the road. Patience is a virtue.
You really can’t go wrong by offering a guarantee and reassuring your customer that you stand by your merchandise. I’ve found that it has resulted in more sales overall and only in a few cases have I had to re-throw a piece (due to breakage) and I have never had to give a refund.
I guarantee that having a written guarantee will help your overall sales or I will refund the money you spent on this tip.
© 2010 Heather C. Morrow. All rights reserved
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Heather C. Morrow, owner of Pottery Daily, helps emerging artists express their true value and get paid what they are worth. Her products and services show you how to make more money, save more time while enjoying the freedom in your art. For your FREE audio go to www.marketandsellyourart.com.