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For me the question is "what's in a name?" It doesn't matter whether you use your name or a company name, as long as you use it consistently and work hard to build positive associations with the name. I decided to use a company name because my own name is difficult to spell and pronounce. I should know I've spent my whole life correcting people.

 

I could not agree more, I chose a company name because I'm not a known designer or supplier within the market space where I'm heading. Also, my approach is more of a business approach than that of an artist operating within the business of ceramics. One is not better than the other, just different. Using a business name affect valuation of the business, and branding. People tend to remember a catchy business name more so that that bald guy who's a potter.... Hmmm.... That could be a good name... www.baldpotter.com But,  I digress...

 

A company name can communicate different thoughts to the market and individual name can not except through experiencing the individual.

 

Businesses named after individuals are more difficult to sell, and valued slightly less than businesses with generic names.

 

But, to the original question of posting pictures of your work on various sites, why not? Budget your time and pick and choose your sites. By posting on different sites and creating links back to your sales site you help your product rank better on search engines, which can work as free advertising if you're diligent enough.

 

We will bring our own website online in early October, we have an emerging Facebook presence, a blog, post on the sites of other bloggers, and conduct press releases. We'll use pinterest and etsy as teaser channels. When we're done we should have 6 to 8 active channels funneling traffic to the website out of a portfolio of 10 to 14 channels. We'll evaluate performance and rotate from the larger portfolio to active channels based on performance. We'll measure performance using analytical tools embedded in the website that tell us how many people come to the website from each of the active channels. 

 

I run my shop by the numbers, and the numbers are like glazes, I combine them to create an overall look and feel to the marketing that's appealing first to my customers and second to me and my team. Already we have Facebookers asking for process photos and videos so they can follow pots in the making. That's cool, I can't think of anything more fun than an active and involved client base...  

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docweathers -

Unless you have tons of time to spend on the Internet, I would advise a personal website and ONE social media site. It takes a lot of time to do them well, so concentrate on these two things until you get comfortable with it.

Social Media sites enhance your presence but hard for them to stand alone.

Also, for your website ... you will need some other thing to drive people to it ... few will just stumble onto it.

 

There are excellent reasons to call the pottery by your name.

- Avoid confusion - e.g. "Misty Lake Stoneware Pottery" ... what if you move? what if you change direction with your work?

- You also don't have to spend hours explaining why you called it what you did and why they should care

- They can easily find you and your business on a simple search of the Internet

 

Kohaku -

Change the name if you want to ... business cards are cheap so don't let that stop you.

You could also gently segue into it by using ..."David Roon's Kohaku River Pottery" for a while until everyone knows both names. Also makes you sound like some kind of a famous guest artist which is kinda cool. :D

My wife and do a combination of the two. While we're (fairly) new to pottery, she has been selling beaded flowers for years. Rather than having two separate names, we combined it all under "Moorewood Studio" and our cards say James and Sharon at Moorewood Studio. Our pots will have both a studio stamp and a personal stamp on them.

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Having a spouse on board is in most case a good idea. Years ago when I did the Penn State Festival, one of the requirements was that one of the owners be on site at all times. If only one person was listed, long days. I had my wife on my paperwork, so when needed I could return home(25 mi) to unload a kiln, or pick up something I needed. I know why the festival required this, as they were cutting vendors that would sell others work from wherever.

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As a ceramic artist and production potter and entrepreneur.   I leverage every venue to the extent that time allows.

 

for examples:

http://www.claystamps.com

http://www.commonart.us

http://www.facebook.com/leroy.grubbs

 

I must confess to having an advantage since I do websites professionally:   http://www.advbus.com the cost is minimal.

 

LeRoy

 

 

 

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Google AdWords only cost money.   Never ever saw a penny ROI.   I would rank it like this. 

 

Etsy has more people looking then enywhere else I've seen.  

Second is your own friends network with  Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, websites

third are features in publications like CM.  

forth are galleries, shows and demos to get your name out in the community.  

 

Galleries and shows take lots of time and money but they do produce real money.   Last I checked the Clay Stamps at Claystamps.com are #1 on all the search engines and gets international as well as state side customers.

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