Deciding to step up your metalwork practice can be the start of a rewarding new career. Whether you are a skilled artist who wants to create beautiful pieces full-time or an expert crafter of products and components,anaccomplished artisan can use herskill tofound a prosperous and fulfilling profession.
Of course, being confident in your own abilities and having a passion for the work is the most important thing if you plan to make the shift to metalworking as a trade instead of a hobby. However, there are lots of other things which need to be covered for you to be able to translate your skill into a living.
Transition Slowly
Just because you have decided you want to work with your hands and be your own boss doesn’t mean that you’re only being serious when you have quit your job. You aren’t going to be able to replace your day-job income straight away. Building enough clients, expanding your portfolio, perfecting your art will take time, and it’s best to still be able to pay the bills, even if this means you have less time to work on your true calling.
Timing here is a tricky call and there are endless considerations to make. The subject is tackled very helpfully here.
Start-Up Costs
If you want to create art and metal is your material, you may have a dream of working in a beautiful, light-filled workshop, strewn with your previous creations andexhibition posters adorning every wall.Unfortunately, you have to earn your workshop – and trying to rent one out right from the start, before you are sure of even a single commission is extremely risky.
At the start-up phase of your career, it’s best to keep costs as low as possible. Work from your garage, only buy tools you need, and when you do decide you absolutely need something, look around for good deals. Dealers like Clarence Jones take in used machines and sell them at discounted prices. Being limited technologically at the start of your career could evencultivate a habit of ingenuity and resourcefulness that will benefit you later on.
Marketing Strategy
Without a clear idea of how you are going to market your products to customers, your sales will never get going.There are thousands of marketing blogs out there to give you ideas on how to sell your wares,but here are a few inexpensive ideas.
Starting a blog that shows your products and how you made them is a great way for people to check out what you have been up to. In a blog, you can construct a narrative that people will remember and present your objects in the best possible light. Even better, starting a blog on something like WordPress is totally free.
Talk to people who already have blogs which showcase work like your own.If they have a lot of followers, getting them to share your work can give you a lot of instant free coverage, here’s a good example of a post. Bloggers and tweeters are always looking for quality content to keep their followers interested, their page-traffic high and their advertisers paying out.
