[Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts craft shows

Sun Oct 3 19:00:22 UTC 2010

So Linda, have you been spying on my household this weekend?  The topic of
discussion has been "professionalism".  My daughter's Theater teacher is
having the kids write a paper on it.  My daughters limited definition has
been "maturity".  We have sent her back to dig deeper.  Maybe I will have to
forward your message on to her.  

Annette

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of River Woman
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 2:32 PM
To: List for blind crafters and artists
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts craft shows

I was sitting here beading on a very bigh project, an encrusted medieval
collar necklace that has taken me three years to do, buecause I lost my
sight before I had it finished, and just this past few months I am now able
to continue on with it and complete...thanks to the encouragement of people
here who ARE doing whatever they want to do and give us the guidance and
encouragement that we too can continue to do things.
Anways, I love Joyce's comment about NOT reducing anything you have at the
end of the day. First of all, can you imagine how P***ed off you would be if
you were a morning customer and bouth something for $20 and now walk by the
booth and see the same thing for $10??? You would have lost your customer
forever, and you probably would have to give the first person back a refund
because they would be so furious. And you would have taken away your own
integrity forever.

But, I am also thinking about something that is important to me because I
sell jewelry that is made from real stuff - no cheap clasps, wire, or fake
anything...all the good stuff you cannot buy in a JoAnns or Michaels-

I DRESS to fit my product. Do you think I could sell anything if I was
wearing a T-shirt and Jeans???? No Way, I dress like the woman I plan to
sell my jewelry to - I wear a lovely hat if suitable, and I am careful to
match my clothing and look very elegant - I want to look at good as the
beautiful jewelry I am selling. If it is an outdoor show, I wear my jeans
till I get things set up - then I go to a restroom and put on my outfit for
the day.  I always DRESS well and it makes people feel good just to see me
because I feel good about ME and what I make to sell.

I have two friends who make soap and lotions. One dresses in her usually
medieval style of clothing - she is a member of SCA, and she always dresses
very well with shawls and long skirts, and her hair is long and beautiful. 
Her soap is packaged so beautiful you just want to hold it in your hands -
it is wrapped in wonderful fabrics and tied with lovely ribbons -

The other soap maker I know is a modern well-heeled woman. She looks like
she is dressed to the 9s at all times when she is out there with her lovely
soaps. She has samples open for people to use he creams so test the smells
and to see how luxurious they feel on the skin.
She wears beautiful and expensive jewelry that is hand  made to advertist
the jewelry of other vendors like me, and her clothes are always very nice.

How you look is very important to what you are selling. It reflects your own
aesthetic, and the quality of what you make. Don't overlook the importance
of appearance when selling your items. Your appearance, as well as your
people skills are what helps to make you get good sales. ok, back to my
beadwork...bye for now. Lynda Lynda Lambert River Road Studio, Since 1976
www.lyndalambert.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Starting a Business in Crafts craft shows

> One thing I can say about Craft Shows or maybe a couple of things as I 
> don't know how to just say one thing...
>
> You will not know unless you try it.  No one here can give you enough 
> information on a particular craft show unless they have done the one 
> you are talking about and is selling the exactly same things that you 
> are going to be selling and the same amount of people show up that 
> will show up at the show you  do, and I won't even get into weather,if 
> it rains, what else is going on that  same day that might change 
> attendance, etc.
>
> One thing I can say that doing a large craft show you will hear a lot 
> of comments from your potential customers that you will never know 
> from selling your items online, wholesale etc.  After a show you can 
> evaluate comments
> like: Love the color, hate this smell, do you have more of this?, sold 
> out of  that  very quickly, cost too much, gee this is the cheapest I 
> have ever seen this, there was 20 other booths that had the exact same 
> thing that I had,  how can I make mine different and stand out?, etc.
>
> This is worth doing a show.  When I was sighted before I would do a  
> show I would go to the show I was interested in as a customer.  I 
> would  case out to see what things they had for sale, attendance if 
> folks seem to be buying and check out other crafters prices.  I was a 
> professional crafter  before I went blind and that is how I learned 
> all of this.
>
> After going blind I did have a sighted friend that would be my eyes 
> and I would drag her to places to check out things, but I had done my 
> homework in the  past and kinda new which shows when I went blind to 
> try to get in.
>
> Many of the shows are juried shows and you have to have pictures or 
> slides or I really don't know with the technology out there today what 
> they use, but it  had to be pictures of what you are selling and 
> pictures of your set up  booth/tables.  So you need tables, table 
> coveringsand displays. You will need a canopy if you are going to do 
> out door fairs, too.
>
> Not all fairs are juried, not all fairs have good attendance.
>
> If you go to a church fair and all that is their is a few good 
> crafts,of course you will always find jewelry there and they are 
> having a white elephant  sale, you need to know that if you are 
> selling a good quality item at a competetive price your sales may not 
> be as good.
>
> Last, but not least, if you have a price say $10 for a bottle of 
> something in the morning when you are starting out at the end of the 
> day when you are ready to break down that item is still worth the $10.  
> I never heard that an employee  gets paid less in the afternoon for 
> his hourly pay then he got in the morning for his hourly pay.  So 
> beware of those folks coming at the end of the day and looking to 
> purchase your items at a discount.  If you have somethinng you want to 
> get rid of cheaper offer it in the morning to encourage sales and 
> interest in your booth.
>
> OK I said enough.  Class over...
>
> Joyce  Kane
> www.KraftersKorner.org  (http://www.krafterskorner.org/) 
> Blindhands at AOL.com _______________________________________________
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> 

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