As a craft organizer and business owner since the 2006, I've seen ca fair share of good crafters get thrown off track by "bad things." This presentations shows how to gracefully deal with three common bad things -- rejection, clueless customers and copycats. Presented at the first Midwest Craft Caucus on June 5, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio.

2. COMMON SENSE DISCLAIMER OR, I’M JUST A
CRAFTER, TOO
• I am not a lawyer, accountant, or professional advisor of any kind, just a
fellow crafter, and as such cannot provide legal, financial or other professional
advice. Got it?

3. WHY TALK
ABOUT BAD
THINGS?

4. WHY TALK ABOUT BAD THINGS?
The creative freelance community talks a lot about bad clients, low pay, dealing
with slumps and copyright (the list can go on) because it helps inform and
protect them as professionals. By knowing how to handle bad things, they
actually help their business grow.
And by being informed and responsible workers, they are setting a higher
community standard among their peers and in their community.
I think it’s important for crafters to talk about bad things for the same reasons.

5. Anything that
has the potential
to throw you or
your business
off course.

6. STARTING WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION
Begin with a mission statement
Even if you have a business plan (or if you don’t) your business should have a
mission statement.
• One to five sentences long
• Your mission should be about more than just you. Think bigger than “I want to
stay home with my kids” or “get my products sold.”
• It could outline:
• What you’re business is about.
• Why you are you in business.
• Where you are going.
• Write it down!

7. STARTING WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION
Be a good craft citizen
• Follow the golden rule but also ...
• Reach out to those around you with openness.
• Be an informed and educated participant.
• Lead by example.
• Be willing to educate others – inside and outside the community.

8. SOME COMMON BAD THINGS
• Rejection • Copycats
• Difficult customers • Financial slumps
• Clueless or emergencies
customers • Bombed products,
• Negative events or ideas
comments or • Sour partnerships
reviews or deals
• Theft • Aggressive
• Creative block competition
• Etc.

9. SOME COMMON BAD THINGS
• Rejection • Copycats
• Difficult customers • Financial slumps
• Clueless or emergencies
customers • Bombed products
• Negative or ideas
comments or • Sour partnerships
reviews or deals
• Theft • Aggressive
• Creative Block competition
• Etc.

10. You applied to the
local indie craft fair
sure that you would
make the cut, but
you just got the
rejection notice.
What would you
do? (Be honest.)

11. REALITY OF REJECTION
• Everyone will face this at some point or another. While it’s hard not to take it
personally, it really is not about you, your style or your eagerness -- it’s about
the work and how it fits with that venue or event.
• Some common reasons work is rejected include:
• Price point is not right
• Uncertain about how handmade it is
• It has a place in other venues
• Over-saturation of that category
• Photos did not really show the items
• You did not follow the app rules
• We’ve seen it before, or it did not do well before
• You’re stuff may not have been right for that audience, at that time. That
doesn’t mean you have no audiences. Or that you have no chance of selling
at this avenue in the future.
• Rejection does not mean that door is closed forever.

12. WHAT NOT TO DO
• Get so mad that you ruin your future chances.
• Immediately post your rejection to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and your blog,
saying how disappointed you are, or that you were wronged.
• Sound off in public forums about the event.
• Contact the organizers and tell them “just how sorry they will be.”
• Write off ever doing that event or working with the organizers.

13. WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Do your research before you apply
 Talk to the organizers and ask them about the audience.
 You can talk to vendors who have done the show before.
 You can visit the event and feel out if you would be a good fit.
• Contact the organizers after you are rejected
 Ask them why you weren’t accepted.
 Ask them for tips or ideas about applying again.
 Ask them for ideas of a better fit for your work or future opportunities.
 Thank them for the opportunity.
• Be positive
 Realize that this happens to everyone and is a part of owning a business.
 Have the opposite reaction of what everyone expects. You’ll be respected
for it.

14. At a craft fair, two
shoppers approach
your booth chatting
about your work. One
grabs your product and
declares “I can make
that for half the price,”
while the other asks
what type of glue you
use.
How do you handle it?

15. REALITY OF CLUELESS CUSTOMERS
• Yes, we probably can all do it!
• At some point, all of us were just as excited to be around craft. (Some
of us still are!)
• Most clueless customers mean no harm.
• Many are caught up in the excitement of so much cool stuff and are
inspired to make something – and hey, you’re thing is pretty nifty.
• Many clueless customers can turn into informed and empowered
customers. Some might even end up being your biggest fans.

16. WHAT NOT TO DO
• Say nothing.
• After they walk away, declare loudly that you really hate doing craft fairs
and that the customers are mean and clueless! (Or, write it on your blog
as a post-fair review.)
• Let it taint your view of craft fairs or craft customers.

17. WHAT TO DO
• Get straight with how you handle these situations. Every crafter approaches
them differently – find what’s comfortable for you.
• Practice common clueless interactions such as:
• Value of handmade
• “I can do that-ism”
• Taking photos without asking
• Educate and inform clueless customers
• This is a big part of what being an indie crafter is about.
• Instead of resenting the proposition, engage them in a conversation about
what you do, or why you don’t tell people what your sources are.
• Realize that many of us were once on the other side of the table saying “hey,
I can do this, too.”
• Point them to resources for new or developing crafters.
• Lead by example. Sign up another craft citizen.

18. Your friend sends
you a link to
another artist’s
work that looks a
lot like yours.
What do you do?

19. REALITY OF COPYCATS
• There is a difference between inspiration and blatant copying.
• We are all inspired by other people’s work, incorporating what we see,
feel, hear into our work. It’s taking one meaning and interpreting it as
our own.
• Copying is recycling another idea, thus stripping it of any meaning.
Copycats usually have no real connection to the thing they are making
– and lots of times you can see this.
Most craft works are not covered by copyright.

20. WHAT NOT TO DO
• Everyone has a different opinion about copycats.
• If do hold a copyright and plan to continue to hold the copyright, you must
pursue infractions.

21. WHAT YOU CAN DO
• If possible, protect yourself before you are copied.
• Seek legal advice.
• Contact the person or company about it.
• Explain your side calmly and ask them to remove the item.
• Call them out online.
• Post photos of the two works next to each other. Sites exists to do this
as well.
• Keep creating
• You hold the original meaning and intention of a work or product.

22. Web: yourphantomlimb.com
(Presentation and resources
online next week.)
Twitter: @yourphantomlimb
Email: yourphantomlimb
@yahoo.com

24. RESOURCE LIST
Some great recommended places for more info.
Mission statements
Does Your Creative Business Have a Higher Purpose? By Heartmade
http://www.heartmadeblog.com/blog/guest-post-does-your-creative-business-have-a-higher-purpose
Your Company’s True Purpose (Hint: It’s Not About You) by Smaller Box
http://smallerbox.net/blog/branding/your-companys-true-purpose-hint-its-not-about-you/
Rejection
How to be a Good Loser by Handmadeology
http://www.handmadeology.com/rejection-part-1-how-to-be-a-good-loser/
Let’s Talk About Rejection, Baby by Richmond Craft Mafia
http://rcm-offtherecord.blogspot.com/2010/03/lets-talk-about-rejection-baby.html

25. RESOURCE LIST CON’T
Difficult customers
Dealing with Difficult Customers: The Basics by Admin Secret
http://customerservicezone.com/products/index.htm
Negative comments or reviews
How to: Deal With Negative Feedback in Social Media by Mashable
http://mashable.com/2010/02/21/deal-with-negative-feedback/
Dealing With Your Community’s Vocal Critics by FeverBee
http://www.feverbee.com/2011/03/dealing-with-vocal-critics.html

26. RESOURCE LIST CON’T
Copycats and plagiarism
Copyright, Trademarks and Patents by Crafting an MBA
http://www.craftmba.com/2010/03/09/copyright-trademarks-and-patents/
Don’t fear the copycats by Fine Art Views
http://faso.com/fineartviews/20909/dont-fear-the-copycats
Pikaland, Good to Know Zine Issue #7: What are your thoughts on plagiarism? Have you
ever been a victim? What did you do when someone copied your work?
http://issuu.com/pikaland/docs/gtk7
Theft
Theft is a serious matter and should be reported to the police, even if the dollar amount was
small. If an item or money was stolen at an event, you should let the organizers know as well.
If you have an item shoplifted from a store while on consignment, you still own the item and
would therefore file the police report. If the item was sold wholesale, it is up the shop owner
to file the report. If you’re not sure what to do, you call always call the police and ask.

27. RESOURCES CON’T
Creative block
There is no shortage of books, articles and posts about getting out of a creative slump. Don’t be afraid to experiment with what works for you.
Much of breaking out of your block comes from not being afraid to just try things, even if it means silly ideas or failure.
The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life by Twyla Tharp
Here’s how other artists work through creative block in Dealing with Creative Block by voodoChilli
http://www.voodoochilli.net/tutorials/creative-block.php
Slumps, emergencies or financial downtimes
SBA Loans Grants information
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants
Creative Capital: Provides support to artists in all disciplines
http://creative-capital.org/
Craft Emergency Relief Fund: Provides emergency relief and recovery for artists
http://craftemergency.org/
Freelance Business Recovery Planning: Breaking a Slump by Freelance Switch
http://freelanceswitch.com/the-business-of-freelancing/business-recovery-planning/
10 Ways to Diversify Your Income as a Crafter or Artist by CraftBoom
http://www.sparkplugging.com/craft-boom/10-ways-to-diversify-your-income-as-a-crafter-or-artist/

28. RESOURCES CON’T
Bombed ideas or products
Having a product or idea sucks particularly when you lose a bunch of money. And it might also shake your
confidence. Here’s some ideas on how to recover:
Get creative: Can the merchandise be turned into anything else? Can the parts be repurposed?
Check with your accountant: You may be eligible for a tax write off if you donate the items or can show that
you made substantial efforts to sell them and you can’t
Learn from your experience: Next time, consider testing a small line of the product before releasing it.
Sour partnerships or deals
When good partnerships go bad by Entrepreneur magazine
http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/legalcenter/legalbasics/article46260.html
When Blogging Partnerships Go Bad by Sheposts
http://sheposts.com/content/when-blogging-partnerships-go-bad
Too-aggressive competition
Too-aggressive competition is anything that borders on libel, slander, harassment or otherwise threatening or
damaging actions. If you ever feel that what another business or person is doing could negatively affect your
business, then get in touch with a legal representative.