October 14, 2005
Show season for the fall starts tomorrow. I love shows because they are a chance to meet new people, talk to other vendors, and make some money. Random thoughts about craft shows…
- After a while, I feel like I should be using the old beauty queen tip of Vaselining my teeth. I like to be a FRIENDLY jeweler, but all that smiling can be wearing!
- I need a better “elevator speech”…when someone stops by and I try to make small talk it usually ends up being about something besides my jewelry. I want to be approachable and not pushy, but keep the attention on my stuff. I’m proud of it and I should be talking incessantly about it!
- Some vendors need to just get over themselves. I am not stopping by to talk to you to steal your business or ideas. Everyone has their own niche and we can all learn from each other. On the other hand, don’t stop by my booth to chat and then monopolize my time when I have customers…step away and chat later when we are having down time!
- My mother always taught us to look with our eyes, not our fingers. I wish more parents would have the same philosophy.
- I pay, I stay. Why pack up and leave early if it’s a slow show? I always bring work with me…more time to create beautiful things. And if I packed up and left early, I’d just have to do laundry or mow the lawn.
- I never, ever start to pack up until the dot of closing time. And I fully appreciate those of you who do, because that’s just less “competition” for a shopper’s business.
- Don’t forget to drink plenty of water during a show or you’ll get cranky and dehydrated.
- Bring a cooler with healthy, non-messy and quick to eat food. Who wants to buy jewelry from someone with nacho cheese sauce all over her fingers?!
It’s going to be a gorgeous day here tomorrow, but I hope there are plenty of folks who are anxious to get out and start shopping local craft fairs….will let you know tomorrow how it went.
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oooh! Lots of good advice on crafts shows.
Some vendors need to just get over themselves. I am not stopping by to talk to you to steal your business or ideas. Everyone has their own niche and we can all learn from each other. On the other hand, don’t stop by my booth to chat and then monopolize my time when I have customers…step away and chat later when we are having down time!
I’m with you. I always enjoy talking to other vendors–even sharing what type of fibers I use and how long it takes me to make something. But I do wish they wouldn’t block sight lines from customers walking by or keep talking to me when a customer is in my booth about to try something on. There’s always somewhere off to the side where we can stand and conversations can be picked back up after the customer has left.
My mother always taught us to look with our eyes, not our fingers. I wish more parents would have the same philosophy.
Actually, for our booth, we need a sign up that says “please touch.” But then, the softness and feel of the fibers and fabrics are one of our biggest selling points. The only time it bothers me is when there are chocolate-covered fingers that drip on our creations.
I pay, I stay. Why pack up and leave early if it’s a slow show? I always bring work with me…more time to create beautiful things. And if I packed up and left early, I’d just have to do laundry or mow the lawn.
I never, ever start to pack up until the dot of closing time. And I fully appreciate those of you who do, because that’s just less “competition” for a shopper’s business.
This is a big one for me–though one that my partner often disagrees with. She’s usually all about packing up the final half hour of a show if it’s slow. I’ve pointed out, though, that we often get great sales in the last half hour–in part because others have packed up early. It does create a certain urgency in the minds of the shoppers and makes them more likely to buy.
Oh Bridgette, don’t get me wrong. I want responsible folks to touch, feel, try on…it’s just when a small child grabs a handful of jewelry or starts yanking on a chain, it’s annoying and destructive. “Responsible folks” can be an 8-year-old…but my parents always told us not to touch something that didn’t belong to us, or to ask if we could. I see too many little kids who just haven’t been taught common courtesy.
I’ve just been surprised at the number of adults who apologize for touching our items–when that’s exactly what we want them to do.