Once you start getting better at blacksmithing, it can be a good way to supplement your income. Generally, you’ll start selling a few items and taking some orders from friends and family, but, eventually, you can start selling to strangers. Thanks to the Internet, your market can be much larger now than it ever used to be. There are a few tricks to selling your ironwork, however, as you will learn in this chapter.
Photography
Photographing your pieces is the most important part of selling your ironwork because you need to showcase all the different items that you can make. Unfortunately, metal is one of the most unforgiving subjects when it comes to photography. It can be difficult to get adequate detail and contrast without harsh shadows or excessive glare.
To get the best photos, you need a sturdy tripod to steady the camera and minimize blurring. This alone will improve the crispness of your photos and make the item “pop” better.
If you are serious about selling your ironwork, look into getting a DSLR camera rather than a simple point-and-shoot camera. I won’t go into too much detail here because photography is a craft unto itself, and I can’t do it justice in one book, let alone one chapter.
To make a long story short, a DSLR camera gives you more control over what is in focus. DSLR cameras also generally have better sensors, leading to crisper images. That is not to say that buying a better camera will automatically create better photographs; you need to learn a few techniques.
When it comes to photographing ironwork, the two most important considerations are background/composition and lighting. Very often, people photograph their items with too many props or on a busy background, and the actual piece becomes lost in the photo. You want the item you are selling to be the focal point, so use props sparingly, only to draw the viewer’s attention to what you are selling.
Lighting is essential to any good photograph and even more so with ironwork. Shadows appear harsher and glare is more obvious when photographing ironwork in direct light. To get the best images, photograph your ironwork in diffuse light, such as sunlight coming through a window with sheer curtains, on a cloudy day, or with a simple light box. There are many plans for easy DIY light boxes; most resemble a tent made of PVC pipe and white muslin or parchment paper that you shine the light through. You need at least two lights with color-matched bulbs, preferably daylight-spectrum bulbs, for a light box to work. To create a seamless background and make photo editing easier, use either poster paper or sheets of cloth hung from the wall and pulled under the item you’re photographing.
Did You Know?
Selling Locally
If you want to make it as a blacksmith, you need to sell as often as you can, for as much as you can, so you should maximize the opportunities found in your local area. The first tip is to look into as many local craft fairs and farmers’ markets as you can and find out how to exhibit your wares as a vendor. If possible, set up your forge and have someone else handle item sales while you forge. You would be amazed at how many items get stolen if you aren’t paying attention, and that severely cuts into your profits. Having your forge going, however, will increase the number of people who visit your table, and they are more likely to buy something that they saw being made.
Once you have a few farmers’ markets and craft fairs lined up, you need a sales strategy. I have found that smaller items, in the under-$20 price range, sell the best. Often, blacksmiths get gung-ho about selling bigger pieces that make a larger profit, but most people who are interested in bigger pieces want them to be customized. Your demos and vendor events are great places to advertise your custom sales, but your focus should be on smaller items to sell from your table. You are better off having an album of great photos of your larger pieces rather than having them all on display, only to pack up again at the end of the day.
Another great way to help sell your items is to have storyboards made up for some of them, showing the processes and different steps that go into making the items, especially things that really change the shape of a rod, like a leaf. Odds are that you won’t make as much money as you hoped from craft fairs themselves, so treat the vendor fees as advertising expenses. That said, you can sometimes work out a deal with the event’s organizers whereby they give you a discount or even free entry if you can set up a demo that will attract attendees to the event.
Did You Know?
Online shops
For many blacksmiths, selling online expands your market greatly. The first step is to set up your own website and a Facebook page for your business; this online presence can help you gain a following of potential customers. It is important to not only sell your work but also give a backstory—people who pay more for handmade items do it for the feeling of getting one-of-a-kind items that were made with a craftsman’s care and attention.
Even if you don’t have the know-how to set up a free website or the cash to pay someone else to do it for you, there are other ways to easily sell items online. Today, there are many online marketplaces for artisans that let you roll out your virtual carpet and sell for a small fee. Do some research and ask some other craftspeople how they sell online. Eye-catching photographs and engaging descriptions that evoke emotions will not only sell your items but also stand out in the crowd.
Online Marketplaces