Arts and Craft Show- Lessons Learned
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- What I learned from a simple in door craft show that only lasted 3 hours.
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Garry NOT Linda. We have been doing shows and farmers markets for several years with a variety of vendors and learned a lot. I want to put some red flags out there of things NOT to do. Very early in this video there is a short clip from the show where the door was left open and cold. What is the first great big no-no I see? A woman sitting facing perpendicular to her table putzing on her phone. NO CELL PHONES OR BOOKS! I can't tell you how many sales I've seen be lost because the vendor had their nose in a book or their phone. A customer comes up, looks at, even picks up a piece, looks at the vendor sitting there ignoring them, lays it down and walks away. At least sit up in your chair and pay attention to the people stopping at your booth. If someone picks up a piece, holds onto it as they talk with you, that shows ownership. I've turned a casual walk by into a sale just by saying hello. You don't have to be a "sales" person. Just talk to people. If they pick up a piece, tell them how you made it or what it's made of. I make campfire pokers with turned wooden handles. A couple came by, and we got to talking. Not about the poker, about where they were going camping this weekend. The young man picked up a poker with a handle of red cedar. He looked it over as we were talking. Soon it was point down with him holding it like it was a walking stick and an old friend. At one point I asked him point blank, is that going camping with you? Yup. Simple as that. Inventory. We use a two-part tag that has information top and bottom that attaches with a bit of string. A sale is made, the bottom half of the tag is torn off and put into our fanny pack. Money. The fanny pack works best for us. It stays on our person at all times during a show. Cash boxes are a pain and a security risk. Bring at least $20 in ones, two to four fives, two tens. That should cover you. When the person comes to buy a ten-dollar item with a fifty or hundred dollar bill, smile and say sorry I don't have that much change. Sorry to have gone on so long but these are simple things that can go a long way toward making your show successful and fun. When it gets to be work, we'll quit.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Gary!
I find that people buy a lot of items at eye level. Even at small, one table shows, I put wooden folding library shelves, 3 shelves high, on top of the table. When the shelves get emptied, I move the table items to the shelves.
Mushrooms, snowmen, ornaments, weed pots, angels (your design), wands, tops all sell well no matter what time of year. A few well done bowls usually populate the remaining table space. A little greenery on a black table is a nice touch.
I think Hans Meier said raising the table will add 8 -15% more sales. Good idea about adding some greenery, Ken.
WOW - that was a nicely condensed video - "right to the point", and there were lots of great ideas - thank you!
You are so welcome!
Dollar stores carry one time use tablecloths that can be selected for color to match the event, and tossed after the show. And they fit almost every table size. Our club tried several different shows, and found the best show is the one centered around woodworking only. Customers are actually looking for wood, and usually are more prepared to buy at prices they see. Much higher sales there, and ALL of the large bowls sold.
Great tip!! Thanks.
Good advice Mike. I have only done a few but I have learned a few things. Stand up and talk to the people is what I do too. Even if I don't make a sale it is always fun to meet new people. Make sure everyone gets a business card. I use Square with the new reader that accepts tap or insert the card - but you have to have access to WiFi to use it so make sure you check into that ahead of time. You can still use it by manually by entering the card number but that's a hassle. I have made sales with it that I would have lost in a cash only situation. I always have a variety of items from small to large. I find that if someone picks up a $10 item they will often pick up a $50 item too. I have decided to stick with indoor shows only - no hassle with tents and weather - and I always rent the table from the show. I'm too old to be lugging big tables around. Most of all, have fun.
Yes, have fun or what is the point?
I go to one show a year, just because it's fun. I think every place is unique. At the show I do, bowls are big sellers. Then again, small stuff goes well, too. I don't take credit cards, just cash. That loses some sales, I am sure, but I still clear more than $1K in five hours of sales. Interestingly, I have "fans" who have collected some of my artier pieces.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I do one craft show a year. My big sellers are spinning tops and small cross grain boxes. Rarely sell anything larger than 4" diameter. My 13 and 10 year old granddaughters do most of the selling (on commission). They work hard because they want to spend their earnings at the jewelry booths lol. They have different styles of sales but both are quite effective. The show is in December in Wisconsin so the turnout can vary.
Great info. Maybe I can recruit my granddaughters as sales agents!
Thanks Mike, I have conducted four shows over the past few years ( with other club members). even had a small table top lathe and did some small simple demo's. Having done most of the things you have done/suggested, we barley made any sales. We have been very disappointed. It was also frustrating when you have very modest prices, and customers still try to beat you down. I'm not sure we will bother again
I can appreciate how frustrating selling our work can be. I guess that is why I have not worked very hard at it. I love giving my work away.
Thanks for the information Mike. I’ve been turning for 2 and a half years now and been doing craft shows for about a year and a half. I am really lucky where I am at as people love craft shows. Don’t get me wrong, some smaller ones we have with 12 vendors or so I barely make 30.00. Then large ones with 100 plus vendors I have made 2,000.00. Making notes on the shows you do make a big difference and you can tailor your products to where you will be. Some places I sell more food safe items and others more decorative stuff. I use two large rolling luggage cases to carry my stuff. The delicate items I wrap with that shelving mat stuff for protection. All in all the shows are fun for me as I enjoy talking and interacting with people. Your work is amazing and I’ve learned a lot from you, tomislov, Richard, and Sam. Thank you for what you do.
Sounds like you have progressed well with turning and have a good selling system that works.
I loved doing shows but now my back won't take it. I only did two day shows because the set up and down in one day is too much. My area I found bowls don't sell well so I took only a few. Have to have smalls to go along with high ticket items. I specialized in hybrid mills and would sell 8 to 10 a day. My smalls would pay my entry fee easily. I had people around me all the time but found one has to go to shows that at least ten thousand people would walk through.
Wow, 10K! Thanks for sharing.
Sorry MIKE I watch this two days ago but forgot to respond. I’ve not done a table top or craft fair or what ever you’ll would like to call it. This was amazing the tips you have given us so and im building up to my first one this Xmas.
Im getting a not seen yet collection together how can you stop other people from copying your designs?
Not many original designs out there. One famous bowl turner commented that the ancient Greeks had been copying his designs for thousands of years. Good luck with your Christmas show.
The better a display the better the sales. If you get one table cloth, get 8 ft one. It can be adjusted to fit a 6 ft table and should go to the floor. Don’t over crowd and vary the height of your pieces.
Sales are not a reflection of your work. Show should match quality of your work.
I am enjoying William and Mary! I will have a really nice shelving unit for the show in Nov. I made for my club with a friend's help 8' long with 4 shelves.
So you have only sold at a few shows? Dare i ask what you do with all your turnings? You must have a barn full by now...?
Well, perhaps not a barn full. I give a lot of pieces to volunteers I work with at church , AARP Tax Aide and family members. I have donated some larger pieces for charity auctions. But yes, the backlog kind of pushed me to participating in a couple of shows this year.
And his family gets great gifts!
@@lynnpeacemarino2637 I’ll volunteer to be in your family! You’re my favorite go-to for learning Mike. You never talk down to newbies and are always generous with your advice.
People around here will not pay $5.00 for a bird house like you made a video about.
If it won't sell for $5 you need to raise the price. Funny how that works.
@@MikePeaceWoodturning I tried 35 first and now I’m down to 5
Just so you know there's something a bit weird with this video. Middle is blank then large unedited chunks repeated.
Thanks for reporting this. I was able to edit out the fragments that were inadvertently left after what should have been the end of the video.