Fairs and markets

[jimbo]

Do many of you members sell at fairs and market days??, there dosn't seem to much comment on Steve's audio, I found it more than interesting, I have been in sales and marketing for 40+ years and there is always somthing to learn, do you all know how to set up a sales table, if out side do you put up a gazebo, where do you put your bread and butter lines??? do all you scrollers know this
Jimbo

[Spartan scroller]

For me it's a trial and error thing Jimbo.  Mostly error.  One thing I learned the hardway is don't do one with a carnival midway and gambling/beer tent attached.  All the other vendors are selling cheap flea market crap they bought out of the trunk of somebody's car or warehouse.  Your prospective customers stop and look on their way in and promise to stop back on their way out because they don't want to carry it around all  night.  Trouble is on their way out after buying the kids fifty dollars worth of ride tickets and losing another 200 playing black jack...THEY GOT NO MONEY LEFT!!!! So I don't do those anymore.  I just do craft fairs.  Works out a lot better.  As for displays, since you're the marketing guy what do you think works.  I think most of us go with the EZ-UP tent canopies, portable tables and homemade shelves.  I like to put out my expensive stuff to draw people in where I have nice but more afordable stuff to sell.  It's tough some times to get em to come in to your tent but if you have a good variety of five dollar or less stuff you'll sell it and some one will occasionally come and buy something that pays for your space rental.

Cheers,

Terry

[dunk]

I'm doing a show tomorrow.  I enjoyed Steve's remarks and learned a thing or two and told him so.

[GrayBeard]

I'll do our local Farmers and Artists Market in September and October. By then I will have enough 'scroll' inventory to add to my bird feeders, stools and benches.
Nice inexpensive booth rental...$15 for 5 hours...7 a.m. til Noon on Saturdays.
Usually makes for a nice fall morning and maybe this year I will pick up enough to buy a bandsaw!!!

~~~GrayBeard~~~

[jimbo]

I know what you are talking about Terry there are more secondhand dealers creeping into the fairs here as well, this because the organisers are getting to greedy, we are paying for a larger fair from $85 to $135 and you have to sell a helluva lot to over costs, and we are in a position that is not good as the weather is not to kind pre christmas.
Lets know how you get on Dunk, do you sell al scroll work and if so what are your better sellers, if it is not too personal
Jimbo

[dunk]

Well,
It is not too personal.  This day I had zero sales at the show but came home with 3 special orders which will cover costs and a little left over.
2 weeks ago I had a pretty fair day over $200 in sales and several custom orders for signs and My puzzles were a big hit along with bookmarks.

[budprine]

I have not done any shows as a scroller.  I've done lots of shows as an aerial photographer (previous life).  I suspect the criteria I created for myself would work with scroll saw projects.

First I went to several without entering.  I got a drift of what was selling and what not.  I quickly learned there were "craft" shows and "art" shows.  I learned to stay away from the craft shows and only participated as a seller in the art shows.  Why? IMO craft shows have items selling at a price point I did not want my work sold at.  If a typical item sells for say $5.00 then I just could not compete selling goods $35.00 and up.  Call it sticker shock.

Goods that sold were items the client could make an "emotional" connection with.  Here is an example:  Let's say the show was run in connection with a dog show.  I knew from that the clientel were dog lovers.  In scroll work I would show maybe dog intarsia pieces.  I would expect them to sell better than generic intarsia or clock fretwork.

You'll get the hang of it but it does take time to properly understand the clientel.

In My Opinion - IMO

[Judy Hunter]

Made my living doing craft show and the Renaissance Faires with different items I made.
Made a pretty fair living at it.  But yep.  You got to watch your P's and Q's and smile smile smile.

[MadHatter]

i like the input on this subject and appreciate all the opinions/advice of members that have been in craft shows. i havent done any craft shows yet, but in October i'll be doing my first show and very excited about it.

[jimbo]

Thanks Dunk I am concentrating on kids puzzels for my first lot of scroll stuff with a sprinkle of portraits, I get a lot of women buy my other stuff and am hoping they will be into stuff for thier kids
jimbo

[Spartan scroller]

ya know it took me a while to pick up on this (I'm kinda slow sometimes).  I used to make things I liked, wild life, outdoor stuff.  But Women do the buying at these things.  The very mention of a craft show sends most men I kinow running for their golf clubs and fishing rods.  Nothing wrong with that.  But sometimes the lady of the house will bring home hubby a present from one of these shows and he's really impressed!  He can't figure out how it's done.  A lot of them think you spent months carving it out with a pocket knife (yeah and I'm selling it for 10 bucks?).

[yyyyyguy]

i am still "OH SO NEW', having a hard time finding time to fish since i got my saw, but everything i make seems to take nearly an hour from prep time to finish, how can you sell this stuff so cheap??javascript:void(0);

[Spartan scroller]

That was just a figure I pulled out of the air yy guy.  Fact is you never really get what your time is truly worth.  You have to figure out what your market is and what they will pay for stuff.  And don't worry, you'll get faster. I did. Although some people still refer to me as just half fast.  HMMMM.  I just realized when you say that out loud it doesn't sound like a compliment!

[Dawie]

Lot of nice ideas and suggestions going round here. Doing my first ever sales in october, I will be having a stand at the fancy fair at my moms retirement home. Have been thinking of making stuff the people who live there are likely to buy. Came up with puzzles and other stuff to buy for grand- and greatgrandchildren. Also to make things for christmas. Somebody suggested here to make things for 5th of december,that's Sinterklaas here. Is alot like christmas, kids get gifts, but am not sure as christmas is picking up more and more here as the day to exchange gifts. My hands are covered in paint as I have been painting away and am now waiting for the puzzles to dry.
David

[jimbo]

Thats another thing Dawie, older people dont normaly buy for them selves but for thier family so keep that in mind, I have done shows at seniors meeting and they do duy I normally do about $200 but it cost nothing to do them as you are doing them a favour so speak, best of luck with your sales
Jimbo