What Keeps You Motivated?

Posted by admin     Category: Brick and Mortar, Motivation, Prosperity in All Its Forms

I was just hanging around in the Artfire.com forums, and submitted the following reply to a post, “What keeps you motivated?” I would love to hear what others have to say!

We decided you needed posters for it.

Several things keep me motivated, but honestly, I get motivated in batches. I might not be “feelin’ it” for a few days but eventually I get back around to making things.

First, I have a physical shop now, so “holes” in the stock on the floor must be filled. Sometimes it’s tough to want to do that, but what I want is for my customers to not go to my competition, which they will do if I don’t have what they are looking for.

Second, customer requests, because it’s a sale in the hand. We do a lot of custom products.

Third, checking out people online and getting inspired by what I see. I’m not copying, okay. I don’t do that. But it’s fun to look at something and go oh hey, that looks cool, I want to try that style, technique, whatever.

Fourth, I have several “store brands” that always need expansion. Mine’s a metaphysical shop, but we serve several distinct demographics, and I like to cater to each of them. So for our hoodoo customers, we have Triple Star Mojo. For the upscale new agers, the “alessandre” line of nicer, pricier jewellery (it’s so upscale that alessandre doesn’t even have to have a capital A, LOL). Just introduced a new line of loose incense called Starwind, which is named for a very memorable OKC new age store that closed 20 years ago. Botanica della Luna is our apothecary/herbal line. Saffron & Kyphi is our bath and body line. And we just captured Sacred Spellwork as both an Etsy shop and a domain, so we’ll begin creating pagan/druid/asatru items for that new line.

Fifth, I use a PLU system on my cash register, so everything we sell has a line item. I have 1000 available PLUs and have organized them into categories (like in a department store). Some are purchased, such as nag champa, smudge bundles, novena candles, and tumbled stones, but most of them are reserved for stuff we make or are planning to make. I have a lot of line items specified that we don’t have products on the shelf yet, such as tarot bags, runes, altar cloths, herbal bath teas. So if I’m ever lacking (HA!) for things to do, I pick something off the PLU list and make a few of them.

Sixth, if I’m doing a themed show, like selling at a Goth Night or Pride Fest, I will make up a bunch of one-offs that we don’t plan to carry in the shop. Glow-in-the-dark bootlaces, for example.

And finally, seventh, that darn Muse just keeps coming up with stuff. I’m going to make things whether or not I want to. I’m compelled to create.

by Vince Lombardi

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