My Craft Show Experience
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- Опубликовано: 1 июн 2024
- I did a craft show and I might have made too many things. I detail what worked and what didn't in this video.
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#woodworking #craftshow #craftfair 
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I did one craft show back in the 90's and learned the best way to work for free.
Not only the material, labour and operational cost to make the goods, there's the time spent at the show trying to be a salesman.
Yeah, for sure. I guess since it was so far back, you learned that's not what you want to do. ha ha. It was something I don't really want to do a lot of. I did this one with a friend, and I've since been able to sell a few hundred dollars more of stuff after the show. If I didn't have those avenues, I wouldn't do it. Thanks for the feedback, John!
I seen one of these 'craftshow result' videos that said what helped the best was a woman salesperson that was really good. If you think about it, a lot of customers will be on the fence, and a good salesperson will pull them over and bang! 30% more sales.
I can see that for sure.
I do a farmers market in the summer and Christmas markets in the fall. What I have learned is one market you will do great and the next week could be next to nothing.
I hate how unpredictable they are!
I have a few products that catch eyes and draw people in but they don't sell so I made them a staple at my booth took the price off and it's mine now and just is used to draw people in. Works great !
I like that thinking! Good idea
Good info! Just a couple of notes, hope you don’t mind.
If it is on the ground it shouldn’t be less than a few feet tall. We don’t want to crouch, bend, stoop to flip through. Maybe a folding table to prop the crate? Think hotel luggage rack.
Most of the stuff on tables are flat. Height can really draw you in, especially for things towards the back. If you can create a back “wall” to hang things from, it can really make your presentation pop.
And this one is just personal, take with a bucket of salt - plastic folding tables without a cover. Covers create a cohesive look through out the space, and separate you from your neighbor.
My average was 1800 for two day events, 2 per year for a couple of yrs. Avg item at $40. Highest was $90
Those are great tips. Personally, there was only so much I would invest into the setup, not having the goal of doing many more of these, if any. I understand that could have been a limiting factor. Thanks for the great tips though! I bet they would help a ton.
I made the mistake of making and displaying too much stuff. The stall looked great but I realised that there just wasn’t enough space for people to browse and handle stuff. People walked by and complimented the stall but not many came in to really look. A lesson well learned.
I can see that for sure. I think my booth was plagued with a bit of that also.
This is THE best YT video on craft shows. The information you share is really valuable. Thanks for taking the time to make this video and share your experience.
Wow! Thank you! It took a while to put together, so I’m glad you found it useful.
Love the true “transparency” truly paying it forward. Thank you for your honesty
Glad you found it helpful!
I’m as shocked as you were about the ornaments. Thanks for sharing Bruce.
Yeah, that blew me away
I've seen other channels suggesting to have 5-10 items and only put a few at a time out on display. Keep the extras under the table in a tote and maybe a few 'back up' items to set out should you sell out of something.
That seems like some pretty good advice.
@Bruce A. Ulrich Share if you try it and whether or not it works for you!
I knew those serving board were going to be a big hit with my clients when my wife insisted on keeping one for herself! You do always do great work!!
Oh snap! Which one did she want to keep? I'm really curious. Appreciate your support and kind words!
Tons of great info, Bruce! Thanks for putting it all together and making it easy
Thanks, buddy! Glad you found it useful.
It's unbelievably difficult to determine what people will buy at an event like this. I used to do the same thing with t-shirts. Often, I would sell very few of the ones I thought were hilarious and yet sell tons of the ones I thought were pretty lame. Hey Bruce, love the podcast. I would've liked to see an outro to wrap this up.
Trying something new and clipped off the outtro. You talking about outtakes? Glad you like the podcast…thanks for letting me know! You’re right, it’s so hard to know what to make for these shows.
Even if you didn't sell everything this go around, you'll already have that stuff made for next time you go to a craft show! Love your videos, Bruce! keep it up!
You’re totally right! Thanks so much!
Great info, Bruce~! As I get closer to retiring (again), I'm bouncing with starting a home business with my woodworking. The wife has mentioned craft shows, whereas I'm thinking something web-based (order-based) instead. We'll probably do a few local craft shows for the experience, but a lot of what you shared as a seller is what I experience as a buyer...a lot neat stuff out there, but few things for which I'll pull out my wallet. I'm probably not a good example of that because if I see something that I want bad enough, then I' just go home and make it myself. ;- )
Thanks for sharing your experience~!
Yeah, I think order-based is the way to go for low overhead. I think many people don’t tell the true story of craft shows. You can do well, but you have to take your time into consideration.
Bruce, thank you for a great video. It’s very informative. I love your channel. Scott
Hey thanks, Scott! I’m glad you found it informative
This is all very good information. I have done 1 show and I will literally never do one again. There is just no money in it. They are almost a labor of love in my opinion.
I think you’re right. They’ve been built up as this great side hustle and maybe they can be, but I don’t see it many times. I’m not sure it’ll be a staple for me going forward.
@@BruceAUlrich I think it's for people who like woodworking but also like safe and easy projects.
Yeah, maybe so. Or they’ve just never really sat and calculated their time.
I did a pop-up market near me at the beginning of December. I had made some cedar jack o' lanterns back in Aug/Sep and made $900. With Christmas coming up, I had some ideas and thought the pop-up market would really be the place to sell. Not so much. I went on successive Saturdays at the start of December and made about $450. I had enough to make about $1200, but the items I had were either over-priced or just not attractive to the audience at this market.
I had plenty of ways to pay (CashApp, Venmo, Zelle, Square and cash) and the QR codes for convenience. I had zero problems taking payments, so that didn't seem to be a barrier for anyone.
Having been in a couple of bands later in life, I learned that it's not what you want, it's what the customers want. I tried to apply that to the items I made/sold for Christmas, but I think I may have still been a little biased on what I wanted to sell. I really liked the way my items came out and I really thought they'd be a hit. Unless you have that sixth sense, it's mostly hit or miss.
I'll be going back to that market in late-February. For a pop-up, it's pretty well traveled on a Saturday. There are a lot of repeat vendors so it must be worth it to them, to a certain degree. Of course, it could also be the items they sell. Again, hit or miss. Here in So. TX, people are itching to get out by the end of February so the items I have planned kinda go along with that theme. We'll see what happens.
I know what I'll be making come late summer. Lol
Yeah, it really it hit or miss with many of these. You're totally right about making what the customers want, but knowing that that is can be tough. Thanks for sharing and good luck at the upcoming shows!
When I started doing bottle openers the same as yours I posted the ones I made on my Instagram and asked people to come up with some fun sayings - the one that made me laugh t the hardest got one made for them for free. It gave me another 20 ideas 😂😂
Ha ha...that's a great idea!
Great info, thanks Bruce
Glad you found it useful!
Fantastic tips, Bruce! Thanks! 😃
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
And happy new year!
Thank you!
What a great video, every moment was so interesting!
Well, thank you, Jimmy! I’m glad it was informative.
Hey Bruce Greetings from Australia just a couple of more suggestions, 1) a mailing list, send them an timely update on what you have and what you can make eg seasonal/ holiday based items, 2) Perhaps a screen with you explaining how you make the items, might engage the audience 3) bundles eg by more than one item and get x free / or at a lower cost 👍
Those are some good ideas! I think if I did more craft shows, I would definitely try to implement some more ideas like this.
Great video mate. Lots of good info!
Thanks so much! Glad you found it useful.
Great video! Definitely worth a shot!
You gotta try sometimes, I suppose. Thanks!
Really great tips Bruce! Definitely will use these if I ever do a show.
Thank you! Craft shows really are a lot of work.
Bruce thanks for the video and the information. Can you provide me with the cnc art for the bottle opener and a resource for the metal insert. Thank you.
Great tips, Bruce. Santa trays were a hit at the show I did.
Good to hear! Thank you!
Great video!!
Thanks so much!
Excellent! 💯
Thank you!
This is great information, Bruce! My ornaments sold rather decent. I'm gearing up for another sale tomorrow. Hopefully it goes better.
I wonder if I was just too far ahead of Christmas for the ornaments to sell well? Hope it goes well for you!
Great video, love listening to we built a thing :) , would you consider showing your workflow around your shop - not so much a shop tour but how you make items and get the most out of your little floor space ? Thanks 😊
Hey, thanks! Yeah, I’ll thinking about putting together something like that. Sometimes, I’m surprised at how many tools I have in there. Ha
Great insight! One thing I have found on doing trade shows is that having one or two very extravagant very high priced items is more for drawing a crowd and getting people to come in. I have displayed items that were too high for most people to buy, but if someone did I was very happy to get what they paid for it. It also showcases the high end of a skillset over and beyond the smalls that usually sell, that will lead to custom orders. Also, get stuff off of the ground! People do not like to stoop down and look through boxes. I bet you lost a ton of potential customers just for that reason.
Thanks for checking out the video! I like your thinking of high-priced stuff. I'll have to keep that in mind about putting stuff on the ground...I think you're right.
Great video and beautiful products! Thank you for sharing the detail info. How long did the show last, all day or few hours? I’m to the point of thinking about moving from hobby to “for profit” and this was very helpful!
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful! The show was about 6 hours long.
90 hrs... 😬 Appreciate the info, Bruce, thanks!
Yeah, so much sanding!
@@BruceAUlrich I was thinking about your hourly rate, also...
Yeah, not great for just sales at the show. I’ve sold probably double that since the show
Informative. Enjoyed.
Thanks so much!
Your ideas and selection were awesome as well as very reasonably priced but your setup needed consideration. You just needed to showcase them with some accessories to give people presentation and usage ideas. Just display finesse would have made everything so much more professional and memorable. No food things on the floor - only maybe large home decor things that are leaning - if on the floor you need a rug - grass = yard sale?
Those are very good points. You’re right, I needed a better presentation
So many awesome items and really interesting to hear your thoughts on it!
Thanks, Ethan. It was a lot of info, but hope some people will find it useful
@Dixon Custom Woodworks, LLC
Thank you Bruce for this information. I have been in business for about five years and am considering trying selling at craft shows.
Hope it helps!
Great idea, on recipe boards. Did you design, the recipes, or get them off esty?
Thank you! I got the recipes from Etsy. I came up with putting them in these boards.
Lol. I did a flea market when I was in my early 20s.. it was more a moving sale than craft fair for me. I had about 350 records and they had been picked over. At the end of the day, I wasn't going to bring the last 100 home. They were in a laundry basket. A guy was contemplating buying a couple but wasn't sure. So I said 'how about $5 for all of them, including the laundry basket? I think I paid $6 for the laundry basket so it's probably the best deal here today!'
He gave me $10. I'd have given him $5 to take them off my hands. lol
Ha ha. That’s one way to do it.
It seems to be a very different dynamic for the American market as opposed ti the UK market.
The 'clean/dirty' dishwasher signs would be a complete non starter in the UK as it would appear as unnecessary as crash helmets for squirrels.
Though, i do find plenty of inspiration for ideas and information from a business perspective, which is a bonus.
Hmmm…interesting. Why would they not go over well there?
@@BruceAUlrich It's just a different mindset, I think.
Americans seem more open minded and accepting of new ideas in general, whereas Brits can be more 'particular' about if what they're buying is more essential to them.
It's a tough market, especially with the cost of living being as it is, where people really only apply themselves to specific needs.
Items such as bread/cutting boards have an immediate use and therefore handy to have, but charcuterie boards would be seen as a luxury buy that would be sparsely used.
Most party food spreads would be dumped into bowls and one time use paper plates.
It's a very simplistic approach where people buy out of convenience and simplicity without hitting the pocket too hard, the essence being a throwaway society.
Brits are just not that easily pleased.
I live in a small market town in the northwest of England, full of history and beautiful architecture, but over the decades, I've seen local providers shutting shop having faced competition with cheaper online purchasing.
It's sad to see the soul of our once vibrant town fall victim to mass produced, cheap produce, though there are initiatives being undertaken to introduce a more artisan appeal (we have so many wonderful local craftspersons) with the insight to create a jewel amongst the city limits spread.
Like I say, videos like yours do open up different avenues that people like myself would like to explore and hopefully find a niche that provides sustainability.
@@Scratiznutz Ah, that makes sense with the cultural differences. Yeah, hopefully it is something you can explore more and keep some craftsmanship going in your area.
I was always told I could not charge for my time, making or selling. So I use $10 a inch for bowls. Dia X height and add for extra's. It works for me. My small stuff (tops, ornaments and such) I sell as give aways..
I don’t know who told you that but that’s simply not true that you cannot charge for your time. That’s most of why things cost what they cost…labor. Glad you found a formula that works.
I don’t know who told you that but that’s simply not true that you cannot charge for your time. That’s most of why things cost what they cost…labor. Glad you found a formula that works.
you could've used magnet tape. it comes in a roll and it has adhesive on one side and you don't need to use a lot
I didn’t even know that existed. Cool
Hey Bruce question did you have vendor insurance to sell items at the show.
I did not
How did you colorfilll the cutting boards?
Which ones?
How did you find out about the show? I think the thing for me is, I don't know how to find stuff like that in my area.
You’ve got to watch Facebook pages, community newspapers, etc. I found out about this one from a friend who was doing it. We shared a double booth.
we have bottle openers just like yours and people buy them for 20 bucks with out even blinking an eye
Wow! Wish that was the case for me.
Want to go to a big craft show. 🤔 go to Quartzsite Arizona in January and February.
I’m pretty far from Arizona, but sounds like a good one.
At the end of it all, it’s only worth what someone is willing to pay for it and that depends on who goes to the show. The wood bowls I turn may be worth $90 a two hour drive from here, but here they sell from $25 - $30. There is also the concept of “perceived value”. Price it too cheap, and people will think it’s just that, cheap.
You’re very right about all of this.
Do you have an SVG you’re willing to share or sell of the bottle opener? I have a Craft show in March, and not only like the simplicity of your design but the idea of impulse purchases under $10.
Well, I just saw this. Sorry about that! I guess you've already done your craft show by now.
Ha! All good. Yes. The show is past and went well. I threw together a simple and similar design and brought with me. Didn’t take long to make. Thanks for the response.
@@CampfireWoodworksRVA Did those get people's attention?
They did well! Great add-on for other items purchased. $7ea or 2 for $10. Most grabbed 2. And aside from the opener and magnet, they were made of scrap. I’m doing a market next weekend as well. Will try to up-sell them alongside the father’s day grill scrapers.
I made several pens for a craft show. People would pick a pen up and say, " How beautiful" look at the $45 put it down and say "i cant remember the last time i used a pen" i guess most people do not write anymore.
That’s a shame. I don’t write as much as I used to, but I still think it’s important.
Is that your new laser in the background? That thing is beefy.
Yessir! It’s a big boy
An Idea.... Find someone that does a lot of shows whos items complement yours. Give them your entire inventory to sell and a cut of the sales. They are going to sit there all day at every show anyway (or at a farmers market)....
that is a good idea. Most people doing those things have a limited amount of space and from what I've seen, they're already pretty full on it.
yeah right dude they would need to haul around everything and store it between shows, easily doubling their work
Great video. Please when you say you are going to link things do so. No link to bottle opener piece and no link to your buddy.
Glad you found it useful. Yep...sorry...I forget links here and there. It's a mistake. I've added them to the description, but if you want to check out some of the inserts I used, look at these: amzn.to/3QKBu4Q
@@BruceAUlrich thank you ! I really appreciate the follow up.
Sure thing. Sorry I missed it.
Stage ornaments on a small tree.
At the airshow, I've seen vendors stage ornaments hanging on a wood pegboard to showcase their laser engraved items.
@@mountainchalkersstudio4736 That's a good call too!
That's a great idea! I'll have to keep it in mind.
One thing to understand, is your customer in your area. A 150 cutting won’t sell here. My area is a bunch of blue collar and farmers. You may get a couple of sales at $100 but $60 -$70 for live edge and down is the sweet spot. I do what you are doing but you must have a lot higher dollar per man hour for your wage than I do. I still make good profit even after charging machine time and over head into the product I take to shows. Play with your prices. If you want to keep $150 cutting boards, take one or two. A healthy dose of milk money,
$1-$10 items.
YsH, it totally depends on your location and demographic. For these live edge ones, $150 was not on the high side. Good thing is I’ve sold them all since the show.
1 way to think of things that aren't worth your time. If you enjoy making it, if it drives traffic, it becomes a calling card, even if you ultimately give it away
You can do a certain amount of that, but I cannot work for free. I ultimately have to find things that sell if that is my goal, and this was my goal in doing this craft show.
Great video, but I need help with the math? Was that $800 profit? or do you need to subtract labor and materials?
At 100 hours labor you made $8:00/hr. if you include materials, finishing supplies and running expensive machines you are down to even less.
Doesn't quite seem like a worthwhile endeavor?
No doubt. If you’re tracking the hours, it might not be a good investment. If you’re counting on getting more of your items out there in your community, making new connections or can sell more stuff after like I did, I might be worth trying. I’m not sure I would just be a craft show guy all the time. I’ve probably sold more after the show than I did at the show, so it helps to make that a better hourly number.
$65 bucks for a plank of wood..... literally just a BOARD. thats insane.
Ooooookay
I see a guy at a booth, with the items you had. It makes you wonder is it hand made in the usa or bought from some trinket shop to be resold for a profit?
So having a machine there helps spell out the point you made it.
I think its very important to show your the craftsman that made it, it didnt come from some factory in china. Dress the part. You dont want to be showing turned bowls in a 3 pec suit no ones going to belive uou made it.
That's why I speak to everyone who walks by and answer questions for them. I don't know why I didn't see this comment...sorry.
Making knickknacks, doodads, widgets, & trinkets for the hoarders & the lonely elderly that attend flea markets seems like a really tough business
Yeah, could be. At this particular show, I personally didn’t see anyone over 60.
@Bruce A. Ulrich
When I was little my grandparents would pack me in their hot station wagon on the weekends and spend several hours driving from garage sale to garage sale looking for garbage that I could later take to the dump when I grew up.
One day, the children of those buying your stuff will be driving it all to the dump. Circle of life
Everything is trash to someone.
Another way of saying that is “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
@@BruceAUlrich
I need to have a shirt with that phrase printed on it
Good video. Go be a model for a men's hair product company. You'll make thousands.
Well, Thank you!
This is going to sound negative, but I'm not sure I'd buy anything you made either. Everything is so uniform, it doesn't look hand made anymore because it's not really. CNC cut and laser engraved/printed. The craftsmanship doesn't really show up at all. Everything looks like it was batched just to get it done, or like it was made in china and resold because it's all so perfect looking. I get it that you don't want flaws and dinks in your finished products, but to me, imperfections make a wood product look hand made and show that your time was spent actually making something instead of telling your CNC/laser printer to make it for you. It reminds me of how the Cricut invasion has occurred and you see all these perfectly cut vinyl letters on cups and every other manner of products now. Your stuff is all beautiful, but it doesn't look human made.
Well, I don’t think you were the customer I was going for. Also, is there something that says everything sold at a craft show has to be handmade? Nah. I saw whole booths that just had little trinkets they imported from china. All of the refinement of my pieces was done by hand since I sanded them all. And I turned the candlesticks on the lathe by hand and almost none of them sold.
to be successful at craft shows, you have to stuff that is unique. literally NOTHING that you showed us was unique in any way. it is the same stuff that everybody else is selling..... its the kind of stuff that makes a person say " if you seen one, you seen them all". they are boring, average kitchy type stuff that the market is already super saturated with. you need to have unique goods and projects. thats how you do well at craft fairs and markets.
Have you done a lot of craft fairs? Actually, have you done one and sold anything?
The stuff I brought I had not seen at other places where I am.