I have an idea and need your suggestions (patents, advertising, sell)

[Clay Lady]

As a working artist I don't have all my eggs in one basket. I have done the craft shows - they really give you excellent feed back. I have left work on consignment - a lot. It is a win/win situation. When your work starts selling well the business will want to pay you first to keep your product. I wouldn't bother spending the money getting a copyright - it only takes five small changes to undo. A patent would be a waste at this time also - you would have to get way too involved legally.

The image issue shouldn't be that hard to overcome. I bet one of your friends or buyers has a nice camera. Go to a portrait studio and ask them to take pics for you. Any money spent on an image is more than worth whatever it costs you. Years ago I traded a piece for a group of photo's. Got my work in a show and helped sells.

Another thing I do is give classes. You may not want to tell everyone how to make your best design but think of something you could teach and go to places that sell product that the students would use. Be sure to carry your purse and place it so it will be noticed by your students.

FYI - people do spend $1000 on a purse! and anything else they want if they can afford it. A lot more people spend less than $100. Of course we are now in a whole new world financially. You seem to be on the right track - keep up the hustle. It isn't easy.

I spend one day each week handling "business". Having a partner would be good if you get everything figured out in advance and IN WRITING!

Best of luck.

[Art Lover]

Unfortunately I'm new to Raleigh and don't have any friends to borrow a camera from. Plus, I have an old computer and I'm not very technical person. I don't see a place on my computer where I could upload any photes from a camera. My friend in CA has a newer computer and she has a place right on the side of her computer where she can do this. I have a feeling a portrait studio would cost too mcuh for me right now since I'm not working and no unemployment coming in so I have to be very carefull with what money I have left. I think you are right about craft shows giving you excellant feed back. From what I can tell they don't have very many of them in the Raleigh area. If I was back in CA I could set up a card table in front of the grocery stores. Lots of people did this and were able to sell their arts and crafts. I don't believe it's allowed in NC. Thank for the information. Maybe when the next craft show comes around I'll be a position to have a booth and see how it goes.
One step at a time!

[sterlinggirl]

The camera shouldn't be a sticking point. Put out some ads (craigslist, bulletin boards, etc.) saying that you'd like to barter an original Art Lover design purse for product photos. Ask for them to be proficient with photoshop and to email you a sample of their work.

[Art Lover]

What a good idea sterlinggirl. Everybody had some very good points to make and I'm pleased so many of you expressed your thoughts and ideas.

[Houston3]

Before you get to many of them out there in the public you need to take care of the legal stuff first...ie... trademark or what ever you use..once it's out there unprotected it's pretty much lost...

[Humanoid]

Originally Posted by Houston3

Before you get to many of them out there in the public you need to take care of the legal stuff first...ie... trademark or what ever you use..once it's out there unprotected it's pretty much lost...

This isn't true, in fact you can't even officially trademark something until its being used. You can trademark something after its been in use for many years, in fact applying for a trademark in this case is easier in some senses.

You also don't need to file for a trademark to be protected on some level, common-law trademarks do have some legal weight. Just not as much as an official trademark.

Anyhow, you can't file for a trademark before you are using the mark, instead you file an intent-to-use application. You follow up this application once the mark is in use with your samples etc etc for a trademark. The intent to use application really only functions to block others from filing for the trademark for a period of time.

[AONE]

Here is what you need... a source to reproduce these bags in quantity. do you have this part figured out? What if Sax requests 500 units can you deliver? and if Macy's does te same? you need to be able to scale up production for any contingency.

Then contact companies that sell to the companies you want to get into. they are manufacturers reps. and have all the doors open and can make it happen quickly.

There is a standard markup process for all these agents, you will learn it quickly but it goes something like 35% / 100%.


Good luck. good ideas make it every day if you believe in this keep pushing.. make the doors open.

[Art Lover]

Thanks AONE. You have given me a path to follow, although I must admit I would never be able to have 500 bags ready for any store at any given time on my own. I would need to have a manufacture make them for me. My hand bags are all different in size and style. Some are unique.

Yesterday I emailed my daughter-in-law telling her what I wanted to do. She emailed me back with a relatives experience making and selling handbags. Her mom's cousin lost her job. She had a couple of kids to support so she started making handbags in her home. She sold them in boutique's and she just kept selling and selling these bags. She made it BIG time and guess where she lives now. Right next door to the Clinton's!

quote=AONE;6302915]Here is what you need... a source to reproduce these bags in quantity. do you have this part figured out? What if Sax requests 500 units can you deliver? and if Macy's does te same? you need to be able to scale up production for any contingency.

Then contact companies that sell to the companies you want to get into. they are manufacturers reps. and have all the doors open and can make it happen quickly.

There is a standard markup process for all these agents, you will learn it quickly but it goes something like 35% / 100%.


Good luck. good ideas make it every day if you believe in this keep pushing.. make the doors open.[/quote]

[annerk]

Forget the big department stores (and you don't need a rep, you just need to find out who the buyer is for the handbag or women's accessories department is if you do ever go that route.) By the way, at Saks Fifth Avenue (not "Sax") it's Cody Kondo, Group Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Jewelry, Shoes, and Accessories. 12 East 49th St., New York, NY 10017. 212.940.5305.

A better way to approach the business on a more manageable scale would be to make up four or five samples and seek out the owner/general manager of a local or regional boutique that carries the style of clothing that your bags will work with. Speak to them about carrying your bags on consignment. If they sell you get a certain pre-negotiated profit. If they don't sell after a certain amount of time (usually 3 months in the retail fashion world) you get them back, that's the end of it.

There is no need to "market" them if you can get them into a store or two. If they sell you can use the profits to hire a publicist to write a press release about the line and distribute it to media outlets for you. If WWD picked up the release as it came of PRnewswire or another media outlet, that could be a huge break for you.

I'd suggest you start small with a local boutique though. Minimal risk for you financially. If they take off, you could look into a SBA loan to expand your business.

[Art Lover]

Annerk, I like your idea very much, in fact ALL of your ideas impress me. It's the best way for me to start. I'll bring a sample of my bandbags to the owner/general manager of a few boutiques in my area and hopefully be given the opportunity to have one, or more of these boutiques display them on consignment.

If they sell I'll go a step further as you suggested and hire a publicist to write a press release. This is a fabulous idea! Thank you so much.