Friday, April 3, 2009

Goals in Review

I'd much rather post pictures of work in progress, or demonstrate how my new light box works, the one I haven't made yet. But my camera is having surgery, at some place I found on line. (Horrible thought: What if they just keep it? How would I ever get it back? But that's stupid.) So anything involving photography is out. Now seems like a good time to reflect on my progress in all that stuff I was thinking about near the end of last year

I had four bullet points:

  1. Make more stuff, which I hoped to accomplish by re-prioritizing, and putting studio work ahead of housework and errands. I have definitely done that, although I still find the dust bunnies, muddy paw prints, and unmade beds distracting.
  2. Boost my online marketing efforts, in order to utilize to my strengths, or, more accurately, turn a weakness into a strength. I may have gone overboard on this point. I am slightly obsessed with Etsy, and the other pieces of my online presence: Facebook, Twitter, Google Analytics, others. Twitter needs a post of its own, because although I am a grumpy old curmudgeon, and hate this newfangled, boring, pointless activity, marketing through Twitter has become something of a game. I have not seen a huge return in sales despite these efforts, but I am getting a bunch more page views, so that's how it starts, right? 
  3. Get more consignment outlets. I have two new outlets for this summer season: The Artisan's Barn, in Readfield, Maine; and a new location in Bath, as yet unnamed, that my former business partner is opening. It seems to be the unfortunate nature of selling through consignment that one must continually replace outlets that fail, lose their lease, are the wrong venue, and so on. I'd love to rest on my laurels, but I need to get some laurels, first. 
  4. Make six sculptural pieces so I can have a gallery show. This goal has been replaced by the 100 Mugs show, coming up in about three weeks. That has been a very motivating and inspiring project which is nearing its end: I need to think soon about what will replace it to keep my work fresh. 

How are your goals coming along?

6 comments:

Kim Caro said...

sounds like a good plan!

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

Your goal-setting and review are inspirational. My 100-mug challenge got way-laid by a commission, so I put it aside. But it's a challenge I plan to get back to! I think I'll follow your lead and make it culminate in a show so I don't lose my focus.

Lori Watts said...

Losing focus is my #1 challenge. If I could overcome that, I could make enough pots to quit my PT job.

Barbara said...

So glad you asked, even if I am a little behind with my answer. You inspired me to make a goal of doing 20 heads in 20 weeks and I am happy to say that I am pretty much on target. (OK, if you don't count glazing. I don't have to, right?) I think doing the heads has not kept me from losing focus, because I can still go all over the place, but it keeps bringing me back to focus for a period before I . . you get the picture.

Lori Watts said...

That's pretty much the way it happens for me, too, Barbara. I still lose focus, but it helps to have something specific to draw me back.

BrigaBauble said...

My goals are like answers--blowing in the wind. I went from doing no online marketing to completely ramping up for nearly 2 months, got exhausted, and never had time to create (I have a full-time "day job.") Now I need to market smarter. Terrified of trying to get consignments. I feel like I need a script so I don't say something stupid. LOL

http://BrigaBauble.blogspot.com