Doing a Show or Home Jewelry Party
The follow is a synopsis of a couple of threads that ran in early 2002 that are useful to anyone planning to sell their jewelry at a craft show or are thinking of trying a "home jewelry party."
Q. Well — I've decided to take the plunge and try getting into a crafts fair — what should I remember to take with me?
Janet reponds:
- If it's outdoors,
be prepared for WIND. You don't want to spend your time holding things
in place or chasing down items which have blown out of your display.
YOU WANT TO SELL!!! Bring weights to hold your canopy down. I've seen
canopies break apart, blow away and collapse that weren't properly weighted.
Check out other shows before you go to see how they pull their booths
together structurally. (In Crafts
Report, Bruce Baker writes frequently about booth set up and display
techniques--maybe you can get into their archives online....)
- Qualify your prospects
first and fast! Nice as we all are, it's a waste
to spend much time with folks who are interested in talking technique or resources. Because I use a lot of semi-precious stone beads, I get a lot of rock hounds and fellow bead freaks. Wonderful folks, but if they're not shopping for jewelry, I need to be concentrating on someone who is. We love our colleagues but we're there to make money, yes? Exception to the rule? I will talk to them if there is no one else in my booth. I'll do anything to avoid an empty booth.
- Even if it kills
you, be positive ALL the time. Don't express a lack of confidence about
your work OR put down the work of others. Just sell what you do —
(sales techniques are a volume in and of themselves)
- Personally, I
don't have low end items in my booth. In my experience, there are too
many other folks selling jewelry out there who use low prices as a selling
point. It can and often does work, as B'sue pointed out, but I don't
want low-ball or comparison shoppers in my booth. It's up to you to
decide who your customer is and to play to them.
- If you display
your work on flat surfaces (like a table), make sure you use a riser
of some sort to raise up the height at which people can view your work.
Bending over to see things is backbreaking. You don't want customers
leaving because it's uncomfortable to shop in your booth. I used heavy
duty cardboard boxes turned upside down covered with cloth for years!!!
They were also what I carried my show stuff in so they served a double
purpose.
- From my point
of view, jewelry is THE most competitive category in any show I've ever
done, juried, screened, invitational or otherwise. Any way to find out
in advance who your competition will be so you can do a little research
ahead of time? Best not to have too much work similar to those of others
who might be displaying if at all possible.
- People LOVE handouts.
It takes a while to develop a reputation and a lot of handouts go to
waste but I do get calls after the show and if people didn't leave with
something which identified me in their hands, I never would. I have
a little artists statement, business cards and philosophy of my work
that are there for the taking in my booth. Color postcards are good,
too.
- Bring a mailing
list for people to sign. Have them include their e-mail
addresses.
- If you're interested
in wholesaling, be prepared to field questions from buyers and shop
owners.
- It has been said already but it's one of the most important things so I'll say it again for emphasis. WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!!!
B'Sue responds:
All really good points,
but it also depends on the TYPE of show you
are doing. If you are in an OLD, ESTABLISHED show in an area where the
general income is decent and the people have some style, then yes, by
all means, leave the cheapy earrings and necklaces home, as it will demean
the rest.
A new exhibitor, however, will most likely not have that sort of crowd, first time out, and will also need to feel your way in a new area. How discouraging to go to a show, take all your best and priciest work, and just have people walk away and not even make your rent. As for lowball and comparison shoppers, only if you have something to COMPARE! LOL My experience with this group is that you are all so wonderfully unique there's nothing to compare your work to, in most cases.
And there's always going to be a low-balling idiot come by, no one likes them, no one wants them there, but they'll show up and you just have to smile and get rid of them.
YES … like she says … SMILE. All the time. Til it hurts.
There are also ways to make inexpensive things that do not LOOK inexpensive, and with a fine looking, clean display, those items will not demean your best work.
I've done the gamut from gallery and museum shows, mall shows, high school auditoriums, send-away designer boutiques, outdoor festivals, fine arts shows, private exhibitions, trunk shows and trade shows. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have done way more than I have, and I'll be honest … I stayed between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The spending mindset might have had a lot to do with demographics. AND, I did know gals whose work sold for more, required more labor and who did have a clientele for it--- but, around here, that also took them years of shows to develop.
Me, I needed to get some income out of every show I did, didn't have the luxury of that sort of time. So I made expensive looking things, had a wonderful display, and things anyone could afford. Just the same THAT IN ITSELF MIGHT have been one of the reasons why my better things didn't go--I trained them to look for lesser expensive items. You are right, YOU CAN train clientele. You must also be patient. ;-)
And you have to decide.
Bottom line is, get all the info you can about the show you are doing, the area, and perhaps if you can, info on average jeweller's sales in previous years, including price range of best sellers. When I belonged to the OACG (Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild) they would furnish us a comprehensive list of all this information every year. If there is a similar guild in your state, you should explore joining it, as this info can save you from alot of effort and grief doing new shows that don't get the gate and whose promoters are clueless, just there for your rent and not there for you.
One last thing: She
mentioned WIND. YEP, it can be bad. My advice is
don't buy a K-D Canopy. I've seen at least three of them take right off
in
the wind, even if they were anchored. Get something with ZIP DOWN sides
in the event it gets breezy.
LIGHTS: if you are
inside, don't even bother doing a show with jewelry
without them. You'll probably only do half the sales at an inside show,
displaying jewelry and not using lights.
...
The best sort of show, an invitational. It gets better, though, when it is juried, however. Perhaps you were automatically juried, the judges looking for new blood and discovered you. It happens and it's heady.
I think perhaps I've recommended THE CRAFTS REPORT to friends on this list and at Jewelcollect, before. I used to advertise in there frequently for wholesale reps when I had my line in THE CRAFTS REPORT, it was not expensive to do, they were very helpful and I did garner several decent ones who understood representing an ARTIST, not a company, while I did so.
But I digress....do you subscribe?
Any who anticipate selling or showing in galleries, at holiday boutiques, doing commission work, or SHOWS should get this magazine. IMHO it's better for someone at our stage of the game than NICHE or The ACC Journal (right now the name is escaping me, drat, and I used to belong to the ACC, too)...it's for the ARTISAN. That's a professional who works on a limited edition basis in top-shelf handmades and runs his/her small business as a big company would, only on a small scale. The information is so helpful on the business end of things, and you can get alot of background on some of the very high-end shows, knowledge of the jury process....shoot, you can even hire someone to do your jury photos (and if you get to that level, yes, I would pay the money no matter HOW good you are with a digital camera, this is a different thing altogether and can mean your getting a show or not.)
Again, I digress....
Here are some of the most important things *I can think of* to remember when going out to do a show and being new at it. (I no longer do shows, but I did tons of em for about ten years and learned alot of stuff the hard way. SO PITCH IN GALS...if I miss something, DO TELL ANDREA, why should she go through it?)
1. Best to do JURIED SHOWS with a PAYING GATE. Yes, there is a process as varied as the shows themselves. Read your contract carefully and follow the directions TO THE LETTER. Juried shows ***usually*** mean they will at least TRY to keep the imported stuff out and the quality of your fellow exhibitors high. A PAYING GATE insures you serious buyers, rather than someone who just wants to come in and find an idea to make for Gramma's birthday.
2. If you are exhibiting out of doors, BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH RAIN. Buy, rent or borrow a decent shelter that will not leak. Also, buy tarps or large plastic sheets to cover your stuff in the event of hard rain UNDER the shelter, it can blow and better safe than sorry.
3. Be sure you take enough change. For the sort of show that you will be doing, Andrea, I'd recommend five tens, ten fives, 50 1's and a good variety of change INCLUDING PENNIES.
4. YOU MUST HAVE A STATE SALES or VENDORS LICENSE and learn how and to remember to collect sales tax. Think you can get away with not doing it? Maybe. My advice is don't try. If the state man comes through the show and you don't have a license you will be a very sorry joolcrafter.
5. Make a clean but interesting presentation. If you do not have enough merchandise or your set up is too austere, everyone will just walk by. Make some bejewelled mirrors and frames to attract attention and card your merchandise. You can make something on your computer or with gilding pens on poster board, or if you need jewelry cards, I do carry them but they won't be as interesting as your own handmade interestingly designed ones. Make a presentation and they'll think you're somebody. Fourteen years ago when I started to show, I became B'sue. I decided to sign my stuff and got tired of writing out Brenda Lansdowne. Somehow people got the idea when I signed B'sue Boutiques, this was somebody who owned some stores (rather than made stuff FOR boutique stores) or was an established artist. Imagine that. That name got me sales off the bat. And, it still does.
6. Take a comfortable chair, wear comfortable shoes, but dress like a professional and WEAR ALOT OF YOUR STUFF.
7. Take food and lots of water to drink. Don't count on the show having good food or water bottles available. Oh, and take a roll of toilet paper and some wet wipes. Sometimes you'll have to rely on portajohns or the one restroom they have will run out of toilet paper at about 1pm in the afternoon. This way you're prepared to stay comfortable.
8. When you plan stock to take to the show, remember, the majority of people, even IF THERE IS money in the area, will buy $5-30 merchandise. Some of my best advice would be to take a rack of $5-6 beaded, drop or charm earrings. They'll pay your rent. Take a FEW of your best, most artistic items, but be prepared for the lower priced things to sell best and take lots of interesting, colorful things that will sell for under $20.
9. Don't forget bags, wrap, business cards, pen, paper, notepad, printed info and handouts on your website, sales book.
10. Bring help to assist you so YOU CAN BE THE STAR. That means, DEMONSTRATE!!! Bring work and sit there all day and WORK. People LOVE to see you making your stuff. It validates what you do and fascinates the customer, and the show exhibitor will also love you for it, they LOVE an artist that will exhibit. Demonstrating will also get your sales up.
I could say more but I'll shut up here. Hopefully someone will jump in and do the next ten!
Best
to one and all,
Brenda Sue Lansdowne
B'sue Boutiques
repair stones,
designer stones, specializing findings/stampings
BeeGee responds:
I would just add a couple of things to B'Sue's list. Sparkly jewelry needs lights to show it off to the best advantage. There are a couple of inexpensive set-ups you can rig. Those clamp on (tall) lights for sewing and crafts work well and they will certainly help your tables look sparkly.Wear a nail apron or something with front pockets pockets so you don't have to have a money box sitting on the table that you turn your back on. If you have a helper, have them wear a nail apron, too. (Bad)-People like to distract you and you want to save all your energies for helping the (good) people who came to buy jewels, so fix it so you don't have to worry!!
I know you will do really well. I agree with B,Sue that items in the $5 - $30 area are the best... lots of $5 - 15 items are supreme!
I've been invited to sell my jewelry at a "home" jewelry party type setting. I'm so excited I can hardly think. What should I take?
Dwyn responds:
A couple of years ago, I investigated getting involved in selling jewelry at home parties -- selling 5th Avenue, which is a Cdn firm that sells only through home parties. Fortunately, my sanity returned and I never went forward with it. (Trust me, I am not the kind of person to do that!)
However, while investigating this, the sales rep involving me gave me access to all her sales info stuff -- so here is what I remember from it.
Bring everything you might need. Check if there is a dining room table that you can set up on. If not, bring a folding table. If you can get in to see the space in advance, even better. Bring tablecloth or display cloth, (invest in a big piece of black velvet or a nice white table cloth. Make sure it is ironed and nice.) display stands. Bring pen, paper, bus cards, polishing cloth, mirror, small garbage bag, bags, boxes, etc for putting the sold items in. Tape, Lights, extension cords. If you have earrings, what 5th Ave suggests is that you have stir stix (like for coffee) and when people want to see what an earring wil look like on, then put the earring card over the end of the stir stick, or the earring itself, and hold it up to the ear -- their take is that people do not want to buy earrings someone else has tried on, and it also makes it easier to not have someone put them on and have you forget them and they leave with them still on.
Personally, I would just carry alcohol pads and clean the earring post/hook between users and not worry too hard about the theft aspect.
Bring all the sales stuff you need, receipt book, etc, cc machine, whatever. Have everything priced and ready to roll. Try a practice session w friends, so that you don't mess around looking stuff up and losing their interest.
Arrive an hour before the guests so you can set up.
Start w everyone sitting down, talk about your jewelry a bit. Make a personal connection, talk a little bit about how you make it, the care and attention to detail, etc. Then direct their attention to the display.
Do a dry run of the set up and take down. Check your timing, find out what else you need to pack.
Anyway, some of that is relevant to you, and some of it isn't. Take what is useful and discard the rest, as always!
and a final note - 25-30 is probably too many people. You could be overwhelmed! Take an assistant.
Good luck!!!!
I have a dear friend who is married to a well known silver/gold smith, and when they do the Big craft/art shows she goes along wearing a slinky long black skirt with a simple but classy top, *and* a lot of his jewellery. It makes people want to buy the stuff right off of her wrists, neck, and ears!! May I suggest you take plenty of your jewelry and also business cards? The #1 reason for stress is not being prepared. Take the time you need to organize your presentation, your product and your mind.
Attempt to identify your audience before you go, ask the host to give you a brief run down of the people involved, is it an organization or group that meets regularly? Or is it a group of neighbors?
Don't make the mistake of finishing everything the night before, 24 hours before you go, you should already have everything you are going to do already done. Take the day off, knowing that everything is already packed and ready. Have your clothes packed also, everything tightly organized? Leave nothing to chance for the day before you go, is your day to organize your thoughts, not to be running to the hair dresser or out buying a new outfit.
When you arrive fresh and relaxed and organized the guests will take note and be a lot more open and receptive than if you go stumbling in with mis-matched shoes or you are frazzled and look like you haven't slept in weeks.
It's OK to drink but not to get drunk. You are not there to really "party," you are going to establish new contacts, explore custom ideas with these people, talk jewelry and design or whatever your expertise may be.
Set an amount of time you will be actually making your presentation. If it goes horribly wrong during the presentation, your emergency escape is to open it up to questions. remember that. If you should find your audience is just completely turned off, gone mute or decided they are going to choose up teams for a volley ball game, and there are no questions, thank them for their time and leave.
A lot of how comfortable you will feel and the success of the presentation will depend on how well the host introduces you. You should have several quality conversations with your host before this party so she can get to know you a little better. You don't just want her to say "this is Victoria, she is the lady with jewelry I was telling you about" and just drop it in your lap.
Imagine the worst and prepare for it and you will do just fine.
I hope this helps … good luck!
Q. How do you go about compensating the hostess who is having the show at her home. What is a fair percentage to give the hostess? And also, if one gets other shows from the guests that are there is that more compensation? I would like to be fair, but I also want to make some profit. I need some ideals. Help.
Hmmm, I think the usual is along the lines of a gift of a piece of jewelry (not too expensive - $20 - $40 range) to the hostess that is not available to anyone else at the party, and a one-time discount on any jewelry that she wants to buy, say 40 - 50% off.
There is usually a bonus for having other guests sign up their own parties. I think it is usually more like a credit towards the purchase of jewelry. You may not know if you've got one signed up until they are just about to go out the door, so you may have to offer it as credit to be taken later.
HTH
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