Advice on Sales!!

for those seeking feedback from several sources, a few days ago i did do a run of the stores that i could find that had requested it.
/327/ac/274749/28.html#post2112309

no need to reply to them, i just wanted to make sure you saw another perspective if you were waiting. the thread is moving along rather quickly, and i know how fast stuff can get buried.

Czari, that is a lovely gown! =D

No...of course not (and it shows)....but when I walk into a home and drool over what a fabulous design it was......Yes, that builder does....they have to have a passion for architecture to pull that off. Technical abilities, alone... will not pull of an amazing design/style/work of art.....unless they copied it piece by piece from a famous person's work.....or unless they are collaborating with someone who has that talent....that "eye."

If I'm drooling....I generally send them a message letting them know. Every chat I remember....was with a real life architect or a person who wreaked of Passion for architecture.

Amaranthim....when I wear the dress I got from you....I feel like Grace Kelly. (although, Grace would not have worn it 5 days straight).

IF you could....I bet you would wear your gowns in RL. That's the Passion.

I would wear an evening gown to work every day, if I could. Not feasible.....so I want to wear them here. But I want to wear the ones that I would choose to wear in RL. I have no desire to convert to the hooker chic, that the majority of the designers think I want to convert to.

so does that mean my stuff sucks because I do not have a passion for RL fashion, and therefor can not create anything that would be "drool-able"

I am not sure I quite understand

and I have seen some amazing things in SL that do not derive from RL architects, or folks who even have a remote desire for architecture

ah well I am done with this debate as I feel that we will just butt heads on this

as long as some folks enjoy what I am do, I am happy, I do not feel I have to pour over RL fashion magazines or websites to do what I enjoy doing.

Guys- it's all about passion- it just manifests differently. Architecture, housewares, clothes- it is all an expression of our individual views- I wouldn't expend too much time and energy worrying about it. We already established we do what we do for our selves.


So.... I spent this day off (courtesy of Fay, the storm that wasn't) rebuilding my store..I am now going back to the ad boards- but the building is bigger and the place no longer looks like a flea market.

I am grateful to everyone who gave me such helpful advice.

Well- almost ready for intense reviewing

That's a long way from telling you, your clothes suck.....you must have missed that a few days ago.

You asked me about Builders.

I didn't realize we were butting heads. Thought we were having a discussion.

I was offering up some suggestions to what "some" of the evening gown shoppers like to see.....and where you might see a few glimpses of what I'm talking about.....to illustrate that not everything has been "done" in SL, regarding fashion.....which led to a discussion on Passion. I've just never met a true artist that lacked Passion and "HATES" the items they create. I'm sure there's a first time for everything, so excuse my generalization.

I should have remained "speechless."

This is not the place to be sensitive. This thread is for constructive feedback about generating sales. Reality is that if you want sales, you have to create things people want. If you create for the sake of creating, that's more than fine, but don't cry about sales if it is not what people want. Make up your mind. If you want your butt kissed, post elsewhere. No one here has been cruel or insensitive, just honest and speaking off the cuff about what they want. If you don't want to hear what is said, don't read. Come on, Rha, we just got over you leaving over this kind of stuff. Stop.

I never said I hate fashion
I simple said that I am not a fashion buff, that I do not pour over the mags and such

I find them boring, however I find it exciting to get an idea for an outfit and then make it
would I do it in RL with real cloth and such, nope would not even know where to start

would I wear the stuff I make in SL were it RL stuff, sure some of it, not all of it as I am not the right body shape and size to pull it off

I am sorry if I felt we were butting heads, it just felt like when I said I am not a big fashion buff, that your response was along the lines of... that is not possible, either you are a fashion buff and create nice stuff, or you are not and your stuff lacks because of it

I am sorry I took it incorrectly (the typed word is so easy to misunderstand sometimes)

yes I saw your review, that was why I said I do not understand what it is you were trying to say, as one comment seemed to contradict the other...

*rubs temples* my head hurts

Edited to add: not sure if this "I've just never met a true artist that lacked Passion and "HATES" the items they create." was directed at me, or a general statement, but if it was directed at me, do you really think I lack passion?? and that I hate the things I create??

cristalle it is not a matter of being sensitive

it is a matter of trying to understand what is being said (I used the example of "my stuff sucks" as an example, I knew she did not feel that was as I did see the review)

I am just trying to understand what she is saying, because the way I am seeing it (and I am probably wrong)

is that...

you can not be a clothing designer unless you are a fan of RL fashion and are into fashion mags and websites and study fashion and know what is what in the fashion world

and I disagree

and I never once said I want my butt kissed, not sure what gave you that impression

good lord I am past the crap I left behind, but hell I am human and prone to misunderstanding things, or not quite getting what someone else is saying, and I like to think I also have a right to ask, and try to clarify my own points as well

edited to add:

granted I am not perfect and I tend to speak without thinking it through, and sometimes the words do not convey what my thoughts are, and sometimes I find it hard to explain what I am thinking but... that doesn't mean I am asking for my butt to be kissed, or that I am leaving again, I simply just want to understand the topic that came up

it just felt like no matter what I said... about not being into fashion, that I was wrong... I HAVE to be into fashion, if I design clothing....

Rha, not one person has said your stuff sucks, far from it. So for you to use those words just says (to me) that you're being sensitive over the issue of looking at fashion mags.

I understand where Mickey is coming from - and where you are coming from. You want to design something original that isn't necessarily an imitation of things you've seen in the mags. And Mickey is saying that there is a need for a certain kind of style that she has seen in the fashion mags that isn't getting made. So when you say you create clothes but don't look at the mags, it's a paradox that is understandable from a certain point of view but doesn't change the fact that what Mickey wants largely isn't out there.

It is unusual to have a good creator not use the magazines, that's all. Anyway, the issue is resolved.

actually I got from her comments that to be a good designer one has to be a fashion buff in RL, one has to be a fan of fashion

(from one of her posts)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhaorth Antonelli
I dunno... never really interested me (I know that is a bit of an oxymoron LOL)


oh why don't I look though fashion mags and site... because I find them boring...
end quote


Wow.....I don't know what to say to that.....except....don't you have to have a love and passion for what you are designing......to truly create?

and my reply to this is, for me, no, I do not need to have a love and passion for fashion, I have a love and passion for creating, and in this case it happens to be clothing in SL
(I do not feel like I am creating clothing like one would in RL, I feel like I am painting a picture, which can be worn as it were, in SL)

The reason I used my stuff as an example is because I am not going to use someone elses.. that would just be plain wrong

You know what I love about second life. It gives you the chance to be someone different to who you are in your first life (lol). Could I build and make clothes in rl, gosh no. Im not a fashion nazi and just wear wants comfy. But in second life i can take on the persona of a fashion diva or a ballroom dancer, a rock chick a faerie, all thanks to some great designers. Thats what inspires me to build and to create. To give something back to someone else and of course make some lindens to keep my addiction to sl current. : ) . So you could have the imagination but not the skill in real life to create something like you can in secondlife. Thats me, I can see it visualize it, but i lack the skills to carry it thru. Give me a computer and i can do it all. Im a whiz at photoshop and i really enjoy it so why not use it. We are all in second life for a reason, be it we are lonely, we are isolated, have a disability. Second life brings us all together to grow and nuture in a somewhat "safe" environment.

I guess what I am saying is Enjoy your second life experience make it everything you want. You will please some people and others you won't. Its not personal, its just the way it goes. Yes I get upset if someone doesnt like what i do and I argue with one of my business partners all the time if I believe in something. I also want to be told the truth, if my things suck i would rather something was said then have someone kiss my butt and have me fall on my face.

So peoples remember typed words cannot show emotion so be descriptive, lol. I should now i get myself into trouble for typing all the time.

Now lets go back to helping each other become a force to reckon with!!!

yep I get myself into trouble for typing too
I agree we need to get this back on topic, it is not about what inspires us, but how we can market the things we make (and not just clothing, but anything anyone makes) so come on other content providers, jump in and give us your views

I have taken your challenge and here are the results:

http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r383/coleena_photo/totallyhot.png

I don't really wanna put the pic on the forums lol

This is something totally outside the norm for me, it's something I tried to do before but just couldn't get it. When I read your challenge I decided to give it another try.

By the way, this um...outfit? lol is not for sale. It's way too hot. I can't be held responsible! hehe (my partner insists I keep it for those...special...occasions)

Ok...took the challenge too and put up something that ive resisted which is texture change items...however ive just sold 1600L worth so im a new convert LOLL. So even for me, making what people want pays off...BTW...I marketed this as soon as I put them and some other new things up by sending out a note to my group, adding new free group items to the box in my store, doing SL, SLEX and SLuniverse forum posts. Not too bad for a little bit of stretching from what i normally do. Thanks for the challenge suggestion!

And you guys behave or im gonna get out the hose and spray you! hehe

I took the challenge too, and played around with photoshop, and liked the results, you can see them on my blog shortly if anyone wants to look

nothing major, nothing extremely out of the norm of SL, but it is out of the norm for me, and I plan to do more of this type of effect as I really liked it.

i would so love to do the challenge, but im right in the middle of changing prices and stuff on my beds and its giving me a headache, ouch. So much math !!!!!

That sounds like its own kind of challenge

*asprin*

I would take the challenge, but due to an autoreturn accident, my entire shop was gone in a flash. Now I'm starting over from scratch. Only problem is I'm lacking the motivation to create now. I feel like "why bother...it's probably not going to sell anyway". So my shop sits, very empty...what should feel like a blank canvas feels like a dead albatross around my neck. I want to create, I do...but do redo the entire thing just seems like a huge mountain.

I looked at your blog and your stuff looks great...it would be a shame if you gave it up. If it's any consolation my store got returned before by accident...right after I just spent a whole weekend redoing it. I'm assuming you still have copies of all the merchandise, you just need to put it back up!

But I know the feeling, I wanted to kill someone when it happened to me...my partner wisely logged for the nite.

Thank you, Ralektra!


Thank you very much!

I gave you until NEXT Tuesday! wow...that's awesome that you are already knocking it out. Maybe you should do "one a day" until Tuesday??? lol

Ralektra - that is sizzling! If you put a long flowing skirt with that top....I would wear it out to the "conservative" dance spots....just to stir up trouble.

I was just wearing one of Amaranthim's challenge entries.....omg.....talk about trouble.




Danielle....sorry to hear that...but that's all the more reason you need to take the challenge.....to get back in the swing....be inspired, and feel good again....