goals?

This evening I'm still working on outstanding orders, but at least I have a desk to work at (and a computer with hardware that will let me do graphic editing a little more easily than my tiny netbook), and a clean table.

I've been thinking a bit about goals. And to have goals, it seems like I need to know where I am right now.

So....I have two websites. One for dream catchers, and one for beadwork and the like. The beadwork site was recently re-launched, and needs to have just about everything added to it - I think I've made 2 product posts. The other site is bare of "in-stock" items; all that is there is custom dream catchers and custom kits. There's a page for "high end" dream catchers too, but it's been blank for some time.

Last year, the only thing that sold was dream catchers. My least month for sales was January, with ~$40, the most December (duh) with ~$380. My sales for the year were ~$1760, which isn't bad for not advertising or doing any marketing at all - a little over $145 a month.

My expenses were minimal - less than $200 out of pocket - because many supplies I already have here on hand.

Right now, I'm not entirely sure what my goals are. More sales would be nice, but I think basing it on sales alone might be heading down the wrong path.

I think I want to be in at least one gallery. Research at lunch today suggests that most of the "galleries" here locally are actually what I'd call craft malls - you rent a space, and the gallery owner takes a percentage of your sales. I'm not overly thrilled with this model - they make their money whether you sell anything or not.

I'd like to say that I will do 1-2 powwows or similar events locally. But being pregnant kind of puts scheduling anything on hold. Besides, to do that, I'd have to have more stock.

So...maybe that's a better goal: Enough stock to have a respectable booth. Investigate galleries and identify 6 to approach about placing work.

And figure out the photography gig, even if it kills me - I don't really want to pay for jury photos, but I will if I have to.