Smart Comebacks

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Permalink Reply by Barry Bernstein on September 25, 2009 at 10:52am

I think those who are complaining should take a "chill pill." This is just a little humor with a touch of truth to it. Of course, no one actually says these things to customers. That would be bad for business It's more like "I wish I could say that."

To get back to it:

I always know when a lawyer is in my booth. I'm sure I don't need to explain this one. I once threw a lawyer out of my booth 3 times before he bought something. (This is a true story that happened at Ann Arbor).

I had these friends who used to do something they called rope-a-dope, an expression they stole from Muhammed Ali. When the crowd was particularly brutal, they would rope off the front of their booth and take a break. My version of this is to rope off the front and make a sign that says "By appointment only" with my cell phone number on the sign.

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Permalink Reply by Amy Schulz on September 25, 2009 at 3:38pm

Glad to hear it!

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Permalink Reply by Amy Schulz on September 25, 2009 at 3:40pm

Barry- I was not complaining. As I said- putting another perspective on it. I was quite glad to hear that he was seeing the humor and not being a cranky pants.

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Permalink Reply by William S. Eickhorst on September 25, 2009 at 7:30pm

Amy:

Gad to see that you no longer think that I am Mr. Cranky Pants. :)
Actually, I can find humor in almost anything. One of my favorite sayings is "Life is too important to be taken so seriously." If you try to follow that advice, you can't go too far wrong.

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Permalink Reply by William S. Eickhorst on September 25, 2009 at 7:32pm

Amy:

Glad to hear what? Am I missing something here? When you get to be my age (68), sometimes you miss things. :)

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Permalink Reply by Chris Hoyt on September 28, 2009 at 7:21am

William,
After 30 years in the show world, I think I heard it all. Until I do my next show!

My personal favorite is "OOOH, You make money doing your hobby". I reply it's not a hobby anymore, it's my job. I loved my hobby so much I left the corporate world long ago to persue it full time. And my only regret is that I didn't do it earlier.

And I always get people who wish they too could leave their job and do what they love. Those are the ones I feel sorry for. They'll work until the can retire, at a job they dislike, for a company that doesn't care. Then they retire and die. That's not living, that's existing!

I am VERY fortunate to be able to do what I love for a living. And love what I do. So I take the comments in stride and don't give them a second thought.

And I have no intentions of retiring. I'm having far too much fun!

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Sholund on September 28, 2009 at 9:27am

Chris, been getting that very comment this past weekend myself. "Wow, I never thought you could make a living making this stuff". I just said, you can make a living only if people buy your work - she chuckled then walked away. That is the most annoying part of the work we all are in - people love the stuff, then don't buy it and come up with all the excuses in the book to not buy. A neighbor this past weekend did their first show ever selling some nice pottery and one customer came through, "oh how lovely, I just don't have any money now - spent it on..." The exhibitor chimed in and said we do take plastic - the lady was shot down and started with another excuse that really seemed like she was pulling you-know-what from you-know-where. She ended up not buying anything, but proud to see the "newbies" really trying to get the sale.

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Permalink Reply by Connie Mettler on September 28, 2009 at 9:49am

Great to have a laugh on this rainy Monday morning, Barry. I can just see you doing that!

BTW, great to see you again at Arts, Beats & Eats :)

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Permalink Reply by William S. Eickhorst on September 28, 2009 at 11:41am

Chris:

All of the studies/articles on retirement and/or old age all say the same thing - those people who retire and don't have anything to do don't last long. The worst are business executives whose whole lives are consumed by their business and who work 70-80 hours a week and never develop any hobbies or outside interests - a lot of them are gone in six months.

I too am having a lot of fun although this is not how I make my living. Hopefully, you and I may be around a while!

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Permalink Reply by Robin Chard on February 6, 2010 at 8:58pm

Ok, This is the truth. I had a woman on the last day of a three day show ask me If I did layaway. I thought she was kidding at first but no, she was sincere. I said this is an art show. and she asked again. I said I'm not from this town! and she just looked at me blankly. I swear I finally just walked away.
I think we should start a collection. whew!

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Permalink Reply by D Drake on February 8, 2010 at 11:00am

Robin, layaway can be a good option for the artist and the customer. it allows you to display the work -for which you can take orders from and allows the customer who wants your artwork but cannot afford to lay out the monies all at once. i took a layaway on an expensive piece, she paid the required amount monthly (nice getting a monthly check) and once paid off she asked if I would hold the piece until she moved into her new home. We held on to it (showed it) for 2 yrs! I do set a time limit 3-4 months (depending on the amount) and of course, no refunds or cancellations . FYI- our pricing $1200 and up.

Robin Chard said:

Ok, This is the truth. I had a woman on the last day of a three day show ask me If I did layaway. I thought she was kidding at first but no, she was sincere. I said this is an art show. and she asked again. I said I'm not from this town! and she just looked at me blankly. I swear I finally just walked away.
I think we should start a collection. whew!

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Permalink Reply by Munks on February 8, 2010 at 1:24pm

I do layaway all the time. If you don't, you are telling your customer that you don't care if they love your work, you don't want to get paid for your work, you don't want to have their name and address, you don't want them to tell their friends about you, and you don't want to have a follow-up sale either.

Good job! Send them to me next time!


D Drake said:

Robin, layaway can be a good option for the artist and the customer. it allows you to display the work -for which you can take orders from and allows the customer who wants your artwork but cannot afford to lay out the monies all at once. i took a layaway on an expensive piece, she paid the required amount monthly (nice getting a monthly check) and once paid off she asked if I would hold the piece until she moved into her new home. We held on to it (showed it) for 2 yrs! I do set a time limit 3-4 months (depending on the amount) and of course, no refunds or cancellations . FYI- our pricing $1200 and up.

Robin Chard said:

Ok, This is the truth. I had a woman on the last day of a three day show ask me If I did layaway. I thought she was kidding at first but no, she was sincere. I said this is an art show. and she asked again. I said I'm not from this town! and she just looked at me blankly. I swear I finally just walked away.
I think we should start a collection. whew!

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