Craft Fair Notes

[Richard Jones]

OK, Bernie's great day (woo hoo!!!) prompted me to jot down a lot of the things that I learned from doing my show a couple of weeks ago. If you have something, chime in.


1. take a comfortable chair
2. wear comfortable shoes
3. set out lots of business cards
4. displaying vertically will attract people from afar, with open racks or shelving, plus gives you more room and allows folks to see some things at eye level. Some shows allow this, some don't.
5. try to cover a wide range of price points. I sold quite a few spinning tops for $5, took orders for more. The kids really like them, and the kids are walking around with their parents. It's a good hook...........
6. capture as much information from people as possible, i.e., name, phone #, email. Email is really a good way to follow up on those that were walking the fence on an item.
7. take a change bag.
8. get a credit card reader for your smart phone.
9. get a Facebook page. My sales/interest has almost doubled since doing this. It really gets your name out there. Telling people to "like" you on FB is another good way to contact folks for follow up. If you have a website, push it.
10. Push yourself and your product, without being pushy. All hand-crafted items, made locally, etc. Telling folks a species that you turned that bowl from, like hackberry, will almost always evoke a response. They've never heard of it, or we had one on our farm, etc. (My wife really can sell ice to an Eskimo and I try to pay attention)
11. take some sandpaper, wax, finish and steel wool. Inevitably, something is going to get dinged up. Be prepared to fix it.
12. If you don't already have it, make & supply an artist's statement card with each piece you sell. One of my statement's is framed and sits on a table. Lots of folks are interested in this type of thing and they relate it to you and your pieces.
13. Everyone has a story to tell you: listen to them.
14. Make sure everything is priced! I use the removable colored dots for some pieces, string tags for others.
15. Take some water, gum, mints, crackers, etc.

I'm sure I'll think of others as soon as I post this..............

[Greg Just]

Richard:
That is nice comprehensive list. I have not yet done a craft show yet, but have considered it a few times. With regards to #8, are people ok using one of those scanners on your smart phone? I would think people might be reluctant.

Thanks!

[John Beaver]

Never underestimate a buyer. Sometimes the ones who look the poorest will spend the most.

Bring lots of snacks.

[Jim Burr]

Richard:
That is nice comprehensive list. I have not yet done a craft show yet, but have considered it a few times. With regards to #8, are people ok using one of those scanners on your smart phone? I would think people might be reluctant.

Thanks!

I use them for a lot of sales Greg. I haven't done a show in a while, but when I drop off a pen for a customer, they like using the reader...especially if they forgot to go to the ATM!

Another seller is stuff indigenous to the area; around here we have millions of grape so I make pens and stoppers from grape wood. We also have tons of fruit trees so the same thing, out of apricot, fig, peach, pistachio and so on. People really connect with local stuff.

[Richard Jones]

Greg,

I did about $1500 at this show, and right at 1/3 was credit cards. I use SquareUp, very simple to use. No one showed the slightest hesitation in using a credit card.......... I would consider the reader a must have.

[tom martin]

Good list Richard! I have an addition- When talking to customers explain what burls are and what they look like . I did this last year at a show and received 2 pickup truck loads of cherry burls from one guy and a huge cherry burl from another! I offer a bowl from a the burl in exchange.
Congratulations on your show!
Tom

[Steve Doerr]

Some things that I would add to Richards list:
1. The comfortable chair is nice, but spend you time standing and talking to people. Even if no one is at the booth, be standing and say hi to the people walking by. Sometimes just that simple greeting will get people to stop by and learn about your "stuff."
2. Bring a nice table cover that goes to the floor for each of your tables and store your boxes and other things under that table. The neater your area the better image you portray to your customers.
3. Don't over crowd you display. Some people want to try and put everything out for people to see. Sometimes having a lot on display can be too confusing. Too many choices to decide from. Remember the KISS principal.
4. I use a receipt book to record all sales. I get peoples name and other info and it also gives me a record of what they bought, that I later put on my computer.
5. I sell a lot of pens with wood from trees that were destroyed by the tornado of 2011. Thus, I also have order forms that I keep with me so people can order pens if I don't have what they want. I got an order that way the other day for 5 pens from one lady.
6. Bring a highlighter with you. That way, if there is a map of the fair showing the different booths, you can highlight where you are for those people that have expressed an interest in your work. Makes it easier for them to remember where you were and return to make a purchase.
7. If possible, try and find out about the type of show you are going to attend. If it is a "five and dime" you don't want to try and sell high end pens and turnings. Thus, plan ahead if possible.
8. Besides location, the most important thing is to make sure your display is attractive, appealing and pleasing to the eye, and that you are a positive outgoing person that knows how to smile and is nice to everyone that comes by.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Happy turning,
Steve

[Richard Jones]

camera for your booth and others......

[Jamie Donaldson]

Additional necessities for a show booth include:
-a sign that references your name and what you do
-an enlarged photo that shows strollers what your products are at a glance
-a chair should a directors type, high enough to meet eye to eye with your customers
-water to keep you hydrated