Display Thoughts - Creating a Theme

Your craft show display has a number of practical elements to it -- size, cleanliness, traffic flow -- but it should also have personality!   An interesting display will attract more people and potentially more sales.  Your craft show booth shouldn't look like an afterthought -- it should be one of the tools you use to lure people in to look at your product.  Consider that large department stores have professionals to design their window dressing -- and there's a reason for that -- their goal is to attract customers.  Your craft show booth may only be 10x10, but you still need to think like a window dresser!

 

Create an overall theme or color scheme.  If your product is for children, use bright cheery colors.  If it’s for babies, use sweet pastels.  Consider your style too and make your color scheme fit.  I make jewelry with lots of crystals and pearls and most of it has a fairly Victorian feel to it (and these days, I’m also trying to market to brides) – so my table skirts are hunter green, my table cloths are white (although they are also interchangeable with pale green or pale pink cloths) and I decorate with a few small bouquets of pink roses.  Make sure your colors or scheme don’t overpower your product – they should enhance it.  By the way, I’ve followed through with my theme in my business cards, which are hunter green background with flourishes and a few little pink roses (if you look at the banner in my Etsy shop, it also coordinates --gentleadornments.etsy.com) – it’s part of my branding.  If you have a web page or Etsy shop, utilize some of the elements in your banner to create a connection in the minds of your customers.  And be creative about your theme – if you sell jewelry of semi-precious stones, consider a Caribbean or African theme; if you sell teddy bears, do a “teddy bears picnic”; if you sell aprons, add a couple touches of retro kitchen; if you make soap, try to create a “spa” atmosphere.  One online friend makes macrame plant hangers – she’d found a great deal on a rack used for apparel in department stores which was ideal for displaying her wares, but knew she needed a little something more.  I suggested that she head to her building store and get a small section of fence and place it at the end of her rack, then decorate it with flowers to create a garden feel – she loved the idea!  You don’t necessarily need a lot to set the mood, but a couple good props, strategically placed, can make your booth way more interesting – and isn’t “interest” what you want?

A word of caution however -- don’t be too busy looking.  If you look cluttered or disorderly, it can be overwhelming.  Keeping things in the right balance between full and neat will really pay off.  Make sure your display has a visual flow that’s natural for the eye.  Think of your display as a room, needing a focal point -- put a best seller in a prominent place and arrange the rest of the “room” around it to enhance it.  I have to be honest here and tell you that I haven’t actually done this as much as I’d like to yet – but as I’ve been considering how to polish my displays, I’ve realized this is an area I need to improve.  My husband and I are working on a plan to develop a stronger focal point in my display – and I'm very optimistic about the direction we’re going.

To music or not to music?  That will depend on the show and may depend on the time of year.  I think a little Christmas music helps set a great mood at holiday shows!  Music can add to the overall feel of your booth.  Just be sure you’re not too loud and not competing with someone else’s music.  Your music selections (and volume) should draw people, not repel them, and they should be appropriate to your theme.  Sweet little lullabies would be a great addition for the crafter making baby apparel.  Fun pre-school songs would be great to enhance kids toys.  Pachelbel’s Canon in D would be a great addition to my booth.  Nature instrumentals would work for spa products and a little homey bluegrass might be a good choice for the maker of fine jams and spreads.  Do keep an eye on your show information -- some shows may not allow music.

Keep in mind that your attire can reinforce your theme – wear a denim skirt and checked shirt if you make homestyle jams or wear a rich African print if you make stone jewelry.  Guys who do woodworking look great in buffalo checks or flannel plaids.  As we consider doing bridal shows, I know that my husband will wear his black suit with his silvery gray shirt and tie while I wear my silvery gray linen dress – it’s a classy combination and perfect for a wedding venue. 

Lighting can be important, especially for indoor shows.  Keep in mind that at indoor shows, most lighting is going to be flourescent, which will distort color – if you make a product (particularly with fabric or glass) where the color is important, consider the use of lights.  Place lights so they enhance your product but don’t glare into customer eyes.  We use a string of puck lights, placed behind and slightly below our earring displays – the light comes from behind the crystals, making them sparkle – and it attracts a lot of attention.  Even if you’re not concerned with color distortion, consider using lights – good lighting look professional and can be part of your scheme. 

Signage should look professional.  Use your computer and quality cardstock to make attractive signs.  Most craft stores offer individual sheets of cardstock – choose colors to compliment your theme.  I have not yet invested in a banner for my booth, but that’s on my “wish list”.  Banners and signs should be sharp and crisp and  should further enhance (not detract from) your display.  Memorable is good!

Tomorrow -- A Primer on Colors

Display Thoughts - Making a Plan

First and foremost, what is the most important point in developing your display?  Why, sales of course!  So the focus on your display should put the focus on your display.  What do you need to do to draw favorable attention?  What will catch the customer’s eye and cause them to stop at your booth?  You used imagination to create your product ... now use some imagination to create your displays!   And remember that this is a shopping “experience” – how can you make the experience pleasant?

Your display should show off your product to it’s best advantage.  Does your product fit a certain “style” – is it Victorian or cottage or modern?  Make sure that the displays you use are in keeping with your style.  How would these items be displayed in a brick & mortar store ... can you get any ideas from visiting one?  Product should be clearly visible and easy for the customer to pick up.

Use multiple layers/levels.  I’ve seen shows where vendors just laid everything out flat on a table ... BO-RING!  Use stacked crates or something to give your display a stairstep feel.  Hang items from a pole.   If you are using busts to display jewelry, use some taller and some shorter busts or if using all the same sized one, figure out a way to elevate some of them   A length of dimensional lumber (like a 2x4 or 4x4), covered with a piece of cloth, could be an excellent way of adding height to busts or your small craft objects. 

Group similar items together.  If you make gourmet jams and salsas, keep the jams together and the salsas together.  This may seem self-explanatory, but I’ve seen displays where it wasn’t done – it was hard to find what I was looking for and the whole thing seemed disorganized and cluttered.

Keep it clean.  Table cloths and skirts are going to get dirty, especially if you’re doing outdoor shows.  Make sure your product is clean.  Make sure your business cards have no bent corners.  Everything should be crisp and sharp.  Because I make custom items during the show, I also want my work area to be neat and clean.  Organized is good – it makes things easier for you and your look more professional to your customers.

If using a table, use well fitting table cloths and table skirts.  Too big looks droopy and dumpy .. too small looks like you were too cheap to buy enough to do the job.  If you are just starting out, and you’re doing a couple small local shows, you probably don’t need table skirts for your first couple events – but don’t wait too long either – they really do add a professional look to your display.  Oh, and one last thought about tables – I use 3 tables that are 2'x4'.  Booth spaces vary and I can adjust my configuration to accommodate different size booths.  They are also easy to transport and easy to store and most vendors won’t need more than 2 feet of table depth – if it’s deeper, it’s also more awkward for customers to reach near the back of the table.

When planning your space, be sure to have a comfortable traffic flow.  You may need to experiment with the space ahead of time at home – set it up and walk through it as a potential customer.  Is there a natural flow?  Is payment made at the end of the shopping experience?   When I can, I try to set up so that customers can watch me work on my custom orders – it seems to draw a lot of interest and some customers love to see it happen.  Some customers have their own ideas of what they’d like so it’s helpful for me to have some “design space” where the customer and I can create together.

Coming tomorrow -- Creating a theme.

Oh Man, I Forgot!! The Hunt, pt 4

I almost forgot one of the great ways to find more craft shows!!!  Do you have family or friends who live away from you?  Planning a visit to their area?  I have a son and parents in Michigan and 2 daughters in Colorado and friends in other parts of the country.  If I'm planning a trip to see them, and my schedule can be worked out, I look for craft shows in their area using the internet hunting techniques I've described in my earlier posts.  You can find some wonderful shows that way!   Use the Etsy team connections to inquire about shows.  

One thing to keep an eye on are the sales tax procedures -- every state and sometimes locales can be different.  If you are doing a show in Michigan, and you only plan to do 1or 2 shows in the state this year, they have a wonderful option for paying tax on a single event (I REALLY wish every state had that method!!).  In Wisconsin, you can be exempt from sales tax for your first $1000 in sales in a calendar year.   However, in Florida, you pretty much have to have a sales tax license to breathe.   That local Etsy team may be able to advise you on their tax procedures and most states have a "Department of Revenue" with info online.  Generally a Google search for the state name plus "sales tax" will get you where you need to go.

So happy hunting!  Get out there and find those shows!!!

In or Out?

At first blush, you wouldn't necessarily think there was much difference between an indoor craft show and an outdoor one ... and to some degree, you'd be right.  You have to have a reasonable stock of merchandise to sell, a way to display it, the usual supplies of business cards, gift bags and ready change.  But each type of show also brings it's own unique set of concerns.

Obviously, at an outdoor show, the biggest concern is weather -- wind or rain can really put a damper on the show.  Since most organizers make no guarantee for beautiful weather, your profits are a bit more at risk when applying for an outdoor show.  When you attend an outdoor show, you'll see that most vendors have some sort of canopy -- it gives shade on sunny days and protection from rain should a sudden storm blow up.  Some vendors use sides on their canopies.. I don't.  I only do a handful of outdoor shows in a year and didn't want to make the extra investment in sides (at least, not yet).  I also find that the sided ones have less air circulation, which can be stifling in hot, humid weather.  My overall set up is fairly easy to move to one side or the other if a sudden storm pops up and our rack is designed to hold up to windy conditions.  We did have to develop displays that are unaffected by a breeze, including business card holders, and the little extra props I use to decorate with.  And frankly, if the weather is too nasty, nobody is going to attend -- so trying to manage the worst weather situations is unnecessary -- I'll go home.  The upside to outdoor shows is that, as an artist using crystals, the natural light is phenomenal!  At one show, the vendors were in a park in the shape of a giant oval -- as the afternoon wore on and the sun got lower, it made my crystals sparkle!  One lady, shopping on the opposite end of the oval, caught sight of my jewelry and hurried across the oval to shop with me -- she had seen my jewelry shining from 400 feet away ... and couldn't WAIT to see what I was selling! 

So, indoor shows would seem to be ideal, right?  Not always.  While you may not be faced with wind or rain issues, those factors can still affect attendance -- who wants to get up on Saturday morning and trudge out in the cold damp rain (or snow) when they can lay around home in their jammies and drink coffee?  Indoor shows can also be a lighting challenge -- they usually have commercial or industrial lighting that may affect the appearance of your items.   Our perceptions of colors can be significantly altered in such lighting -- and with something as sensitive as crystals, it can be an extra challenge.   We have started using a string of puck lights that we can strategically place behind and below most of my earrings -- they help to keep the true color of the crystals and give them a little extra shine visible from the front of our displays.  Because indoor shows are often in large areas with concrete walls and floors, they can also be louder environments -- less "soft" to absorb sound in a  confined area makes more echo.  And someone may be playing music -- if you're the one near a speaker, it can make communication with customers a bit more difficult.   One upside (if you need it) is that some indoor shows will provide a table for your display and a chair or two for your booth -- outdoor shows rarely offer these.  And it's great for craft show newbies just starting out -- who are usually making quite an investment in supplies to have enough product -- nice not to have to invest in tables and chairs too.

So as you can see, each type of craft show venue has it's own unique issues -- the key is to plan ahead and be prepared.

The Great Hunt, part 3

I have a few last thoughts about searching for craft shows ... hopefully they're helpful!

I mentioned in the earlier posts that some craft shows are attached to festivals or other events and in that part of the hunt, I'm looking for "craft shows".  However, sometimes shows are not included in the statewide craft show listings because festival planners don't think to advertise specifically for the show.  They advertise the festival and list the show as one of the featured events.  Nearly every small town has some sort of festival at some time during the year -- so when I'm checking the events listings for the towns near me, I look for their festival guide to see if there is also a craft show.  Once again, if the festival sounds like fun and sounds like it will attract  a lot of people, it's usually worth the gamble.

Keep your eyes open in your local newspaper in the classified ads -- in some areas, that's a common way for organizers to seek vendors.  These shows may be a bit on the smaller or newer side, but they are excellent  if you're just getting started.  Shows seem to "grow up" too -- as they grow older, they seem to get more and more juried, develop their own reputations, and have less need of being advertised.  

Some churches have craft shows to raise funds.  If the church is large or the show is well established, these can be very productive shows.  Most parishioners will support the event and will be great word-of-mouth advertising.  If it's a new show, or a small church, ask around to check it out -- or be prepared that your day may not be predictable.  Being small isn't always bad ... but it may not be a guarantee of good either.

I have, on several occasions, found show compilations online that are available for sale ... either by buying their book or purchasing their membership.  I have never purchased show information -- some such sites will give lists with either the name of a town or the name of a show -- and that's all I need to Google to find the information for free.  As I have never made these purchases, I can't address their value -- they may be worth the costs if you are heavily dependent on your craft show business (for me, my business is our second income) because some offer detailed show information (such as average attendance, etc).   I could see where someone like retirees, who are willing to travel extensively wandering from show to show, supplementing their retirement incomes might find this type of resource very helpful.  My current search method is sufficient for my situation.

When you're doing your internet search, don't avoid previous years show listings that you may find.  You can get an idea of what their dates should be (like, 3rd weekend in October) and as some shows get more established, they no longer need to advertise -- you may not find the information readily available for the current year (at least, not early enough to apply for the show -- you may not see anything about the show until it's being advertised which may be too late for application).  If you don't know who to contact now, look who is sponsoring the show or who was the past organizer and start by contacting them.  If that's not available or you don't have any luck, contact the town's Chamber of Commerce, tourism office or municipal offices -- usually you'll find someone who knows something about the show.

One more source for locating craft shows is by talking to other vendors.  I met a vendor at one show I was doing who had a bookmark for her customers with a list of the shows she was participating in over the next few months -- that little bookmark was a gem!  Not only was it a great way for her to advertise and seek repeat customers, she had been doing shows for some time and was able to tell me which shows were the most profitable.  One of the shows on her list never came up in any of my searches -- but it's been a very good show for me.   So if you attend a craft show, watch for such lists being given by vendors.  And there are other ways to connect with show vendors --- if you are part of the Etsy community, there are teams for nearly every state and many countries.  Find your local teams and ask who does craft shows.  Even if you don't want to join the team, many teams are quite friendly and by contacting the team leaders or reading the team forums, you can find out who is doing craft shows .... and who are the good bets to contact about shows in your area.  

If you are selling jewelry, keep in mind that your chances of getting in to a show are better if you apply earlier.  Due to the number of jewelry makers, many shows these days are limiting the number of jewelry vendors (usually some percentage) they allow. 

In the next few weeks, I hope to do a blog or two about preparing for craft shows -- the differences between indoor and outdoor shows, my preparation list and some of my observations for what and what not to do at shows.  Hopefully, this has been helpful for someone.  Just keep in mind that my thoughts are based on my experiences and my observations -- and if you live in another part of the country, your experiences ( and local practices) may be different.  

Catch ya soon!

The Great Hunt, Part 2

Yesterday, I explained my process for finding good craft shows .... but I missed a couple points that I think I should share.  And I have some observations for other types of venues.

The size and attendance of a craft show can be a factor to consider.  I have no hard and fast rules about this because it hasn't seemed to matter.  One of the best shows I ever had was an Oktoberfest with only 10 or 12 vendors.  The festival was brand new and there were only a few hundred people in attendance -- but because there were so few vendors, my sales were excellent.  Another excellent show I've done has about 150 vendors but they must have had close to 7-10,000 customers and was a benefit for a school.   Obviously the greater the ratio of customers to vendors, the better my potential earnings ... but it's not guaranteed.  I like having an idea when I apply and I'm more concerned about these factors so that I am adequately prepared with supplies like business cards, etc.

The last factor I look at is whether or not there is an admission fee for customers.  When I first saw that some shows had such a fee, I avoided them but I've come to like those shows best, especially in the early fall.  This might sound odd, but we came to realize that for a lot of people, craft shows are not only a form of entertainment, but a lot of home crafters attend with an eye toward "shopping" to find craft projects they can copy... they have no intention of purchasing and when they do buy, their purchases are very small.  An admission fee, even a small one, seems to help weed out some of those non-buyers.  There's something about the mental attitude that if they are willing to pay a couple dollars to get in to a show, they're also willing to drop some dollars shopping.... they are more serious buyers.

Some seasonal notes -- I tend to do ok at summer craft shows and those into the early fall.  My best shows are usually in late October and November.  The saturday before Thanksgiving is often one of the best shows of the year and if the opening day of deer season falls the saturday before that, it's a  great show -- while the guys are out hunting the wives are out shopping.  And people are looking for Christmas gifts.  I've done a couple shows in early December -- found them disappointing.  We figured that most people were at the mall.

There are several others types of venues for selling crafts and they all have pros and cons.  

FLEA MARKETS

I did a winter flea market while on a project in Florida -- it was ok but I'm not sure I would do it again.... at least not regularly.  People going to flea markets are looking for great bargains on cheaply made junk -- not the best venue for handcrafted items.  The price wasn't bad -- my booth fee was only about $15.00 so it wasn't a huge investment but I didn't see great sales either.  However, I heard from some other vendors that there are the occasional summer flea markets in the north that cater to a more high end shopper.  I would want to check out a flea market before getting involved .. and would want to talk to vendors about it.

FARM MARKETS

In some places, farm markets allow handcrafted items from local artists and crafters.  Farm markets can go either way.  I've attended some and went away feeling that it wasn't the right venue for me.  I don't want to sound snobby but there are some crafts that have a lower price point and appeal to a less spendy group of customers -- some of my items are out of that price range.  Last summer, though, I was involved in a farm market that was a pretty good venue for me -- it was in a town that has a lot of summer homes for big city executives.  Those customers love the small town feeling, the fresh local produce and most of the craft items were of a more artisan nature.... and they weren't afraid to spend money on items they liked.   I would want to attend a farm market before I applied to be involved.  One other note -- most farm markets are a weekly event.  Crafters need to be aware of how quickly they could "saturate their market".  If you don't sell something that's "consumable" you may run into problems with sales dropping off, either toward the end of the season or in the second year.  I have one friend who makes beautiful miniature scrapbooks -- she did great her first year but very poorly in the second.  But another friend who sells handcrafted soaps does well all the time.  Just something to consider.

WOMEN'S EXPOS

Women's expos can be a great venue although there are some differences from craft shows.  Expos generally are open to all the home based sales companies as well as local small businesses, not just crafters.  Most juried craft shows are only open to crafters while some open shows are also open to a few home based sellers.  In my experience, the craft show customer is less likely to shop online, less likely to use a credit card and  more likely to be older.  The expo customer is more likely to be younger and does a fair amount of internet shopping.  Most expos have looser display restrictions than a juried craft show but the more professional the display, the better.... the crafter is "up against" some home sales marketers who have fairly professional "boutique" displays.  Expos usually offer "gift bags" to customers so most require a supply of samples, business cards, catalogs, or other promotional items.  I've seen fees range from $50 to $500 -- have done several with the lower fees, none of the pricey ones.  Factors to watch for in choosing expos are organization and location.  Is it well put together and well advertised?  Is the location familiar to the community and easy to find?  Is it clean?  I did one expo that ended up being on a road under construction -- poor attendance resulted.  My last expo wasn't bad but it wasn't good for sales .. except for the wedding jewelry order I got from a bride-to-be -- her order equaled my sales for the rest of the show.  Made my day!!

Because I sell jewelry, and because I can make a design in custom colors, I'm hoping to expand to include Bridal Shows -- I can make any of my styles in colors to match a wedding party.  I'm currently researching and have made some observations.  The fees are quite a bit higher than craft shows -- I've seen fees run from $275 to $1000 to participate.  With other types of shows, the profit is more instant -- at a Bridal Show, I may not get orders for several months afterward.   So, it will be a larger investment and a bit more risky ... but a better market with greater potential.  It will require a more "long range" view.  And displays definitely need to be more "boutique".  Professional promotional materials are also important -- rack cards, brochures or catalogs are critical.  The investment is greater but the potential for return is also much greater.  Bridal shows could also be a great way to round out my show year -- most farmers markets are in the summer, craft shows (in the north) tend to be summer and fall but the biggest bridal shows tend to be in the winter and spring.  So they could fill some of the gap in my show year.  Working on it!

The Great Hunt

How do I find good craft shows to participate in?  Because of our ministry, we usually move every 6-15 months and usually the moves are to entirely new states.  All the advice I've seen about finding good craft shows says that you should attend one year as a customer to get a feel for the show, then apply the next year if you want to be a vendor.  I don't have that luxury ... I'll probably be gone next year.  So how do I pick the shows I apply for?

I start my internet search by using Google.  I use key words "craft show" then the cities and towns in my very near area.  I make a list of my finds with a few pertinent details -- date, location and fees if I can find them, and whether the show is part of a festival.  If the info is available, I also note how long the show has been in existence and whether it's juried.  Then I use alternate phrases like "craft fair", "art fair" and "art show" and keep googling.  I also expand to include the state, rather than the specific towns near me.  I've found that some states have very organized directories -- those are wonderful!   I also check the various towns for their own Chamber of Commerce, visitor information or city events listings.  Compiling this list can take some time but is well worth the effort.

Once I have my list, I begin the sorting process.   I first eliminate anything that is both a Saturday and Sunday sale -- our ministry comes first and we've committed not to do sales that take us away from our Sunday worship.  Most shows want the actual vendor in attendance, not just a representative .. and some are very specific about it.  I then look at distance -- how far is a show from my location?  I like to keep them within 45 miles, although if a show sounds really great, I'll go further.  I next look for juried shows -- even if I've missed the application deadline, I"ll check to see if they have space available -- sometimes they do, especially if someone dropped out.  In my experience, a juried show that has been in existence for many years is a good bet -- they will likely have quality arts and crafts with a good reputation which usually draws serious buyers.  But sometimes, that's not the kind of show available .. so then what?

Open shows can be good or bad .. and there are several factors that I look for.  How long have they been an event?  Are they supporting a school, team, or community group?  Are they part of a festival?  What is their booth fee?  If I can find out previous attendance and how they advertise, that can be valuable information.  The longer they've been around, usually the better they are and the better they're known.  A long running annual event will generally attract repeat customers and because of word of mouth, will have a larger customer base.  Those shows benefitting an organization will depend on how actively the community is involved -- and I can't always tell that by looking online.  I've done one show benefitting a fire department that had hundreds of people -- another show, in the very next town only had about 150 attendees.  Festival related shows have also gone either way.  I've come to the conclusion that if the festival sounds like lots of fun to ME, the show is worth the gamble.  The 2 best shows I've ever had were part of festivals .... as were the 2 worst shows I've ever had.

Often the booth fee can be an indication of a show's success.  For one, shows with higher booth fees have bigger advertising budgets.  Most of the shows I do fall in the $50 - $100 range.  Shows that are cheaper are usually poorly advedrtised, with fewer attendees -- and lower profits.  Shows that cost more require that I sell a lot more just to break even. 

Organization and a "friendly professional" attitude are also factors that I consider.  Once I've decided to apply to a show, I generally contact the organizer to make sure there's space available.  Their response is important to me -- how quickly they respond, the tone of their message and how organized they sound are critical factors.  There are some shows I've thought sounded like good possibilities until I heard from the organizer.  If they sound like they don't have a clue what's going on, I avoid it.  If they sound cranky, I avoid it.  I do like shows that have applications that can be downloaded from the internet or are sent as attachments in that response email -- it seems that if someone is tech savvy enough to make their applications electronically available they are savvy enough to use tech as one of their advertising tools.  Frequently, the potential customer who is tech savvy is usually better educated, younger or from a higher economic demographic -- all of whom tend to be better spenders.  And since my objective is to make sales, it's nice to have customers who want to spend money.

When I first started doing craft shows, I did all open shows.  They are usually less investment up front and don't require displays that are as professional.  Every juried show I've seen required table skirts and sometimes other display options.  The profits weren't as large in those early shows but I learned a lot from them.

There are other kinds of shows for the crafter to be involved in and there can be differences in shows in different seasons ... next time!