Craft Shows Tips and Suggestions - Page 3 - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

missyintx · 08-31-2008, 08:41 PM

Okay, so a quick trip to half . com supplied what I needed. Don't know why I did not do it earlier. lol

It is called:
You Can Make Money from Your Arts and Crafts: The Arts and Crafts Marketing Book (Paperback, 1988)
Author: Cindy Long, Steve Long

It is old now and it really has been 20 years. Yikes! It has been a long time since I read it but I really used it many years ago.

Missy

jblock9907 · 09-08-2008, 09:20 PM

Great info. Thanks

cskipper · 09-13-2008, 06:19 PM

Thanks for sharing all that good information. I haven't convinced myself to make that plunge - cowardly I guess.
Cathy

missyintx · 09-13-2008, 07:04 PM

Cathy,
Go ahead and jump in. You can find small craft shows to start with. They are run by a church or a school booster club usually. Cost can be as low as $15. sometimes they even provide a table.

My first show was at a college and cost me $10. I had one 6 ft table and sold $3.25. But....I had such a good time doing it that I went back for the next year and sold $250. The last year I did that show (their last year) I sold over $1000 and was still having a good time.

Just start small and build from there.

Missy

lcwoodworks · 10-16-2008, 02:45 AM

Great advice! I have been scrolling for a few years and I am doing my first show in a couple of weeks. I am thinking with the holidays coming up.... I'll try holiday stuff. Kind of intersting, I applied to a juried show and ended up getting 2 other shows calling me too. I have not seen much scroll saw work in my area so I am not sure how this will come out at all. I'll let you know.

lcwoodworks · 10-25-2008, 10:17 PM

Well Just got home from my first show. It was put on by the local Jaycees org. It was at a assisted living home with really not much of a crowd other than the residents. I think I did ok, i only took collapseable baskets and ornaments. I took in $120, I am ok with that for my first show.

missyintx · 10-26-2008, 01:32 AM

Congrats on the first show. It will whet your appetite for more....

Missy

tomsteve · 11-10-2008, 01:24 PM

this is all good advise people. kevin, my kudos to treating teens like humans!!!! sometimes that can make or break a sale to a parent. one thing i learned is not to haggle on price. i read this somewhere and used it and made a sale on a $125 log cabin lamp. i asked if they would like if their boss came up and said," hey, today you are gonna work for $3 less an hour... that okay with you?" took about an hour for the man to come back, but he bought the lamp. there's a good book out there by Dan Ramsey title, " The Woodworker's Guide to Pricing Your Work." highly suggested.

steveh · 11-10-2008, 05:27 PM

Thank you to all the posters above to this thread! It has been a most interesting and informative read. I am trying my first local craft show this weekend and got some very good advice here!

markdavd · 11-11-2008, 12:18 AM

One more thing. Make sure you keep a friendly demeanor and a smile on your face. If you need to sit, take some stools - do not use the low slung folding camp chairs.

I don't know how many times I've looked at someone's table/booth and see them sitting on a low chair, arms crossed with frowns on their faces. The low chair makes it look like they're trying to relax, and they're usually hard to get out of. The whole appearance makes the customer feel like they aren't wanted.

Also - if you have someone with you, don't get so involved with talking to them that you ignore the customer. A lot of people aren't going to want to interrupt your conversation to ask a question.

09-13-2008, 06:19 PM	#23
cskipper Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Forest City, NC Posts: 172	Thanks for sharing all that good information. I haven't convinced myself to make that plunge - cowardly I guess. Cathy __________________ Cathy

11-10-2008, 05:27 PM	#29
steveh Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Qualicum Beach, BC Posts: 30	Thank you Thank you to all the posters above to this thread! It has been a most interesting and informative read. I am trying my first local craft show this weekend and got some very good advice here!

11-11-2008, 12:18 AM	#30
markdavd Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, Ga Posts: 65	One more thing. Make sure you keep a friendly demeanor and a smile on your face. If you need to sit, take some stools - do not use the low slung folding camp chairs. I don't know how many times I've looked at someone's table/booth and see them sitting on a low chair, arms crossed with frowns on their faces. The low chair makes it look like they're trying to relax, and they're usually hard to get out of. The whole appearance makes the customer feel like they aren't wanted. Also - if you have someone with you, don't get so involved with talking to them that you ignore the customer. A lot of people aren't going to want to interrupt your conversation to ask a question. Last edited by markdavd; 11-11-2008 at 12:20 AM.

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08-31-2008, 08:41 PM	#21
missyintx Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Grand Canyon Posts: 51	Okay, so a quick trip to half . com supplied what I needed. Don't know why I did not do it earlier. lol It is called: You Can Make Money from Your Arts and Crafts: The Arts and Crafts Marketing Book (Paperback, 1988) Author: Cindy Long, Steve Long It is old now and it really has been 20 years. Yikes! It has been a long time since I read it but I really used it many years ago. Missy

09-08-2008, 09:20 PM	#22
jblock9907 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Beaumont, CA Posts: 44	Great info. Thanks

09-13-2008, 07:04 PM	#24
missyintx Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Grand Canyon Posts: 51	Cathy, Go ahead and jump in. You can find small craft shows to start with. They are run by a church or a school booster club usually. Cost can be as low as $15. sometimes they even provide a table. My first show was at a college and cost me $10. I had one 6 ft table and sold $3.25. But....I had such a good time doing it that I went back for the next year and sold $250. The last year I did that show (their last year) I sold over $1000 and was still having a good time. Just start small and build from there. Missy

10-16-2008, 02:45 AM	#25
lcwoodworks Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 47	Great advice! I have been scrolling for a few years and I am doing my first show in a couple of weeks. I am thinking with the holidays coming up.... I'll try holiday stuff. Kind of intersting, I applied to a juried show and ended up getting 2 other shows calling me too. I have not seen much scroll saw work in my area so I am not sure how this will come out at all. I'll let you know.

10-25-2008, 10:17 PM	#26
lcwoodworks Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 47	Well Just got home from my first show. It was put on by the local Jaycees org. It was at a assisted living home with really not much of a crowd other than the residents. I think I did ok, i only took collapseable baskets and ornaments. I took in $120, I am ok with that for my first show.

10-26-2008, 01:32 AM	#27
missyintx Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Grand Canyon Posts: 51	Congrats on the first show. It will whet your appetite for more.... Missy

11-10-2008, 01:24 PM	#28
tomsteve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 407	this is all good advise people. kevin, my kudos to treating teens like humans!!!! sometimes that can make or break a sale to a parent. one thing i learned is not to haggle on price. i read this somewhere and used it and made a sale on a $125 log cabin lamp. i asked if they would like if their boss came up and said," hey, today you are gonna work for $3 less an hour... that okay with you?" took about an hour for the man to come back, but he bought the lamp. there's a good book out there by Dan Ramsey title, " The Woodworker's Guide to Pricing Your Work." highly suggested.