[clay lover]

This is a spin-off from the great hang tag thread.

To have a successful show, first you need the foot traffic, then you need to get them in your booth, then you need to get them to pick up your ware. All sales come after that, to my way of looking at it. What things do you do that help with any or all of those factors?

What did you try that seemed uneffective?

I've got a bit of a summer break from shows now, and am planning on up-grading my booth. I want more verticle shelving, better hang tags, (Thanks, Mea), and maybe carpeting. Also some lighting.

So... some questions. Do you think display space below waist high works? Presently I'm using tables with drapes to the floor to cover the under table space for storage. I have table runner type shelving added to the top of the tables to add more shelving and raise items up to shoulder high.
How high is too high? How low is too low? Will people reach up or stoop down to pick up a piece? I do have some pedastels with baskets on them about 2' off the floor that people will dig through. is floor level effective?

[JBaymore]

Lighting. Really good lighting. WAY good lighting. Excellent lighting.

Did I mention lighting?

best,

...................john

[GEP]

Foot traffic comes from two things ... choosing good quality shows to begin with, and sending announcements to your mailing list before every show. I can't emphasize the importance of a mailing list, and using it in a professional and consistent way. At just about every show, someone will tell me "we got your invitation and realized we needed to get a wedding gift for ..." I can remember shows that were total rain-soaked washouts where I still had good sales, made mostly to my existing mailing list customers.

To get people to pick up and look up your pots, I frequently say "You may touch the pottery. Don't be shy." A lot of people feel like they are not allowed, so break the ice.

I have both carpeting and foam floor pads. I now leave those things at home. It doesn't really impact sales. I'm all for going the extra mile when something makes a difference (like hangtags) but its important to recognize the difference. Doing a show is enough work already so I pare down the process wherever I can.

Lighting, on the other hand, makes a big difference! If you are in a show that offers electricity, it's worth it.

I also use tables, covered in tableclothes to make storage space underneath, plus shelves and risers. I think it works well.

I also have a freestanding shelving unit that I only use at indoor shows (I wouldnt feel safe using it on unlevel ground) where the top shelf is above eye level and the bottom shelf is about knee-height. People do buy from those shelves but I definitely sell more from the middle shelves. Having lots of varying heights is really important and your 2 foot high bins sound good to me.

Mea

[clay lover]

Thanks for the input. So ..

LIGHTING ; How much do I need to start with? Can I get something basic that can be added to over time to spread out the cost? How high do lights need to be to not blind people?
Are they the kind of track lights that I see for sale at Lowes?

I did a raffle last weekend to get more e-mail names and gave away a nice pot. Got LOTS of e-mail, but not all of them were customers, i'm sure. Is any e-mail from anyone at a craft show worth having, or would you limit your e-mail list to customers?

Mea, what would a"professional and consistent way" of using an e-mail list be? I send out a remember to visit me at the Fall ......show in whereverville. I also tell people at shows where I will be next, they often ask. Should I send an e-mail to everyone that put their e-mail in the pot thanking them for coming by and announcing who won the pot and that I hope they come to my next show in somewhereville and put their name in again so they might win the next pot?

[GEP]

clay lover, on 01 July 2012 - 04:27 PM, said:

Thanks for the input. So ..

LIGHTING ; How much do I need to start with? Can I get something basic that can be added to over time to spread out the cost? How high do lights need to be to not blind people?
Are they the kind of track lights that I see for sale at Lowes?

I did a raffle last weekend to get more e-mail names and gave away a nice pot. Got LOTS of e-mail, but not all of them were customers, i'm sure. Is any e-mail from anyone at a craft show worth having, or would you limit your e-mail list to customers?

Mea, what would a"professional and consistent way" of using an e-mail list be? I send out a remember to visit me at the Fall ......show in whereverville. I also tell people at shows where I will be next, they often ask. Should I send an e-mail to everyone that put their e-mail in the pot thanking them for coming by and announcing who won the pot and that I hope they come to my next show in somewhereville and put their name in again so they might win the next pot?

I use track lighting now. I have two 4ft lengths of track with 8 fixtures, and I think that's plenty of light for a 10x10 booth. This was a bit of an investment .... about $350 ... but for many years before I could afford them I used inexpensive clamp lamps from IKEA. I believe they were $8 or $9 each and I used 6 of them. All of those clamp lamps are now in my studio being used as task lighting, so I was able to repurpose them. I don't know what's available at Lowes, you might be able to find something more affordable there. I bought my track lighting at http://lampsplus.com, where I was able to choose exactly the ones I wanted. The salesperson on the phone was really helpful too.

I would post a recent photo of my booth which shows my lights, but I'm currently stuck in the big mid-atlantic power outage. I have my iPad but not my laptop. All my photos are on the laptop.

Yes, all of the email addresses you collected are useful! They were signing up for a free pot, they are pottery fans. Absolutely allow email subscribers who havent bought anything yet. As long as your emails provide a way for the recipient to unsubscribe from your list (which is now required by law) keep using their address until they opt out.

All of your ideas for emails sound good. What I mean by "professional and consistent" is that I make sure to send an announcement for every show. Don't skip it. And I always format them the same way: greeting, show details, photo of recent work, link to my website. This is the fundamental idea behind "branding," presenting yourself consistently breeds trust with your customers. Proofread and proofread again. Send a mass email with a typo and people will stop taking you seriously. And don't send too many emails. When people subscribe to my list, my website says I'll send fewer than 10 emails per year, and I stick to it.

For anyone who wants to learn more about the federal anti-spam law, I think its called the CAN-SPAM Act, you can google it and get more details. For small businesses like ours, its pretty easy to follow.

Does anyone else have any ideas for collecting email addresses, and sending mass emails?

Mea

[Mark C.]

I do not do any indoor shows any more but if you do lighting is KEY
as far as street shows I like corner booths and pay for them-At my 3 best shows I run a corner double booth and its pays for itself many times over.
I use if its a rainy forecast the polypropylene 9x9 floor matt it does not ever hold any water and keeps everything up off the pavement
You can get them in Japan town in big cities or off the web and they cost less that 40$ they are sold in meter folds-I use the 3 meter one-That is its 3 meter sections-I shoe glue the seams when new as the thread wear out fast but the rugs do not.They come in colors so get one that works well with your stuff. I do not use them at every show.
Heres what one looks like-You can wash them off on a cloths line and they do not hold water as stated.
Good crowd flow is the most key element for my sales.
Mark

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[Mark C.]

Heres my 39th annual 4th of July double plus corner booth today
Easy setup-on street 6.30 am off street driving away 6.30 Pm
6th generation racks-show tons of ware-this is a lot for a 1 day show to exhibit in one day but folks here are used to me doing this amount of work and I do really good for 1 day.
I have help with setup and take down at this show
I'm not a table guy for displays. I usually have a few canopies but not on a one day show-less is more for a one day.
Mark

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[teardrop]

Thanks for the visuals, mark.

[Chris Campbell]

A couple booth inputs ...

Space your floor and table displays so people feel comfortable walking in and have enough room to navigate ... they should not worry about bumping into stuff or knocking displays over.

Table height with work on risers at different levels keeps it interesting. If you have any used store fixture shops in your area they are a good source of these things.

I would not put anything below knee level ... people will not bend down or cannot in a small booth.

Do not sit at the front entrance of the booth ... people shy away from entering if it feels like too much of a commitment to buying.

The baby strollers have gotten so HUGE since I was doing shows ... HOW do you all deal with them in your booths?

[nancylee]

I know in my shop, I use unusual displays, not store displays. I put pottery on painted stepladders, I put jewelry on branches, I have used pinterest to get ideas. I have taken old drawers, turned them sideways and hung coffee cups on hooks I screwed into the top. Surprise people! Don't stick to the expected tabletops and shelves. For 4th of July, I hung old butterfly nets in the window with pottery in each one.
http://pinterest.com...q=Shop+displays
Have fun with it!
Nancy

[metal and mud]

Chris Campbell, on 05 July 2012 - 12:34 PM, said:

A couple booth inputs ...

Space your floor and table displays so people feel comfortable walking in and have enough room to navigate ... they should not worry about bumping into stuff or knocking displays over.

Table height with work on risers at different levels keeps it interesting. If you have any used store fixture shops in your area they are a good source of these things.

I would not put anything below knee level ... people will not bend down or cannot in a small booth.

Do not sit at the front entrance of the booth ... people shy away from entering if it feels like too much of a commitment to buying.

The baby strollers have gotten so HUGE since I was doing shows ... HOW do you all deal with them in your booths?

At our Farmer's and Craft's Market dogs are allowed, and even encouraged. This makes it fun to do people-and-dog watching, but it can be nerve-wracking as well. Several times a very large dog has gotten near my table, close enough to knock it over should he suddenly be interested by a person or other dog. The owners have been oblivious to the danger to my wares. I step forward and place my body between the dog and my table. Sheesh.

[clay lover]

metal and mud, on 06 July 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

Chris Campbell, on 05 July 2012 - 12:34 PM, said:

A couple booth inputs ...

Space your floor and table displays so people feel comfortable walking in and have enough room to navigate ... they should not worry about bumping into stuff or knocking displays over.

Table height with work on risers at different levels keeps it interesting. If you have any used store fixture shops in your area they are a good source of these things.

I would not put anything below knee level ... people will not bend down or cannot in a small booth.

Do not sit at the front entrance of the booth ... people shy away from entering if it feels like too much of a commitment to buying.

The baby strollers have gotten so HUGE since I was doing shows ... HOW do you all deal with them in your booths?

At our Farmer's and Craft's Market dogs are allowed, and even encouraged. This makes it fun to do people-and-dog watching, but it can be nerve-wracking as well. Several times a very large dog has gotten near my table, close enough to knock it over should he suddenly be interested by a person or other dog. The owners have been oblivious to the danger to my wares. I step forward and place my body between the dog and my table. Sheesh.

[clay lover]

I have put myself between my work and several things. Once, 3 large truely drunk women, many times baby strollers, and dogs on a leash, attached to an oblivious human always make me get up and go to the front of the booth. I don't think I have ever made a sale to someone dragging either dogs or children and I often asses the aura of the unit and move to fill up the opening to the booth when I see them coming. They are not proven to be worth the 'price of admission."

[Mark C.]

Drunks -oblivious humans and dogs peeing on my booth-been there done that. Refused service as well,it's the public after all and that often means the lowest common denominator.
I actually have sold lots of pottery to stroller folks over the years they have been great customers really same thing with wheelchairs -they mostly park the semi truck rig outside in walkway and come get the work and pack it into bottom under stroller-
I have a rule that if you break it you buy something same value and get to take it home or pay me 1/2 the value and get nothing-that has always been fair to who have tested me on this.
Just a few days ago on the 4th I sold over 300$ to two women who had a red wagon to put it all in. It was to much to carry.Never had one smash a thing. Seen a lot of sleepy kids to.
Mark