showing in the tent venue

updated thu 25 jun 09

Mary Starosta on mon 22 jun 09

The Show in Parker Colorado, went well for me. It's the second show in a 5
part series but you can go to any one show along the way. Sales were about
the same for me as the May Show and I was moved into a different location.
This week-end I was by the stage and tables so when the entertainment
(music) was played, it was loud and difficult to talk to your buying
public. Still I sold about the same as the May show, so no complaining
here.

My booth fee is low (only $50.00 for 3-days) and the support for local
artist's is the greatest I have seen. They have security all night long,
so both shows, I was able to leave my stuff and return with no issues.
There must be something political happening, since I have yet to meet a
Guild member either from Castle Rock or Parker? The store owners support
artist's by giving discounts for food, and I believe they must be paying fo=
r
advertising and entertainment.

Some of the artist's were discussing up coming shows and were interested to
see if I was going to any of the bigger venues where the booth fees were 27=
5
or $300.00 They were saying I would need to upgrade my display area (
right now I use black milk crates, some black plastic shelves and wooden
shelf's across the top of those to display). The system works well for me
at the moment, with a jetta, not a lot of room for packing, and I can put
the pottery back in the the crates at night or when I go home. It's close
to my home, so no big travel expense, and no over night fees.

Some folks thought I could compete at the larger venues, my worked looked
good, and they thought I could make more money but it's a risk as some folk=
s
have done well and others never even broke even. At our little show in
Parker, some of the artist's didn't sell one thing, others made just their
booth fee, and others a few hundred dollars.

What are your thoughts on shows that have requirements regarding, booth
fees,tents,displays,etc. When do you take the risk with those? Is it wort=
h
it in this economy? What happens if you have a lot of upfront expense and
never make enough to cover your costs? How do you decide which shows to
attend? I have seen artist's work all week-end and not make many sales.
What is the best venue for functional potters? I thought my pots would be
limited to holiday purchases, but have found a niche in a local market. Ho=
w
do you deal with other potters coming by your booth, unhappy in their sales=
,
and trying to see what you are doing that makes your pots sell? How do you
deal with the competition, when you are selling, and they are unhappy with
their sales?


Mary Starosta
Colorado Potter
http://marystarosta.wordpress.com/

Dawn Kleinman on mon 22 jun 09

This is an excellent topic.

I have found that I can spend $20-$50 on a show and be booked every weekend=
.
Those shows mostly get me wasted time. I might get lucky sometimes, but not
usually.

I have found that I can spend $200-$500 on a show and book them once a mont=
h
or so. Those shows get me sales - because the better promoters know how to
advertise better. The better promoters have been doing shows for a long tim=
e
and the public comes to see the new work by the talented artists. No, I
don't do well every single time. But, 80% of time at these shows, I will
make 4 or 5 times my booth fee - or more.

So, in January or February, I book these (what I call) important shows for
the entire year. Then, throughout the year, I will do things like farmer's
markets, and little shows that a friend might be doing as well.

This process has gotten me invites to other good shows and repeat customers=
.


I always get invited to 'consign' at someone's shop. I cant waste the
inventory anymore. I had to pull it all - 6 shops with a dozen or so pieces
each. I can fill an entire booth. I just dont make any money consigning.
Maybe others do.

My display still remains simple. A table with muslin over it. 2 milk crates
on either end and a board as a shelf - all covered in muslin. I also have 2
round cafe tables covered and a milk crate on each. I make tent cards with
things like 'mugs', "berry bowls", "juicers". I know we all know what a mug
is but I think it makes the display more merchandised ( I just made that
up).

I have also found that I sell way more functional pieces than anything else=
.
I do usually have some big amazing piece in my booth and set it up front an=
d
center to draw attention - it wont sell for a while.

So, my staples are, mugs, juicers, berry bowls, colanders, lotion/soap
pumps, chip n dip sets, sugar n creamer sets, yummy pots, spoon rests,
pitchers and flower pots (from 1# to 4#s). I fill in with pieces that I wan=
t
to make with new glaze combos, a new technique and happy accidents. Those
dont sell as well as the staples.

Credit card sales make up more than half of my sales

And wholesale will be next for me - but I need a minute and some more money
to do it right.

The bottom line is - 1 good established, well promoted show will make me
more money than doing 10 little, local shows that cost less than $100 each.

Go to my face book and look in my pics. You will see what I am talking
about.

Dawn
-in Philly where we have had 1 dry day out of the last 14.



On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 6:46 AM, Mary Starosta wrote=
:

> The Show in Parker Colorado, went well for me. It's the second show in a=
5
> part series but you can go to any one show along the way. Sales were abo=
ut
> the same for me as the May Show and I was moved into a different location=
.
> This week-end I was by the stage and tables so when the entertainment
> (music) was played, it was loud and difficult to talk to your buying
> public. Still I sold about the same as the May show, so no complaining
> here.
>
> My booth fee is low (only $50.00 for 3-days) and the support for local
> artist's is the greatest I have seen. They have security all night long=
,
> so both shows, I was able to leave my stuff and return with no issues.
> There must be something political happening, since I have yet to meet a
> Guild member either from Castle Rock or Parker? The store owners support
> artist's by giving discounts for food, and I believe they must be paying
> for
> advertising and entertainment.
>
> Some of the artist's were discussing up coming shows and were interested =
to
> see if I was going to any of the bigger venues where the booth fees were
> 275
> or $300.00 They were saying I would need to upgrade my display area (
> right now I use black milk crates, some black plastic shelves and wooden
> shelf's across the top of those to display). The system works well for m=
e
> at the moment, with a jetta, not a lot of room for packing, and I can put
> the pottery back in the the crates at night or when I go home. It's clos=
e
> to my home, so no big travel expense, and no over night fees.
>
> Some folks thought I could compete at the larger venues, my worked looked
> good, and they thought I could make more money but it's a risk as some
> folks
> have done well and others never even broke even. At our little show in
> Parker, some of the artist's didn't sell one thing, others made just thei=
r
> booth fee, and others a few hundred dollars.
>
> What are your thoughts on shows that have requirements regarding, booth
> fees,tents,displays,etc. When do you take the risk with those? Is it
> worth
> it in this economy? What happens if you have a lot of upfront expense an=
d
> never make enough to cover your costs? How do you decide which shows to
> attend? I have seen artist's work all week-end and not make many sales.
> What is the best venue for functional potters? I thought my pots would b=
e
> limited to holiday purchases, but have found a niche in a local market.
> How
> do you deal with other potters coming by your booth, unhappy in their
> sales,
> and trying to see what you are doing that makes your pots sell? How do y=
ou
> deal with the competition, when you are selling, and they are unhappy wit=
h
> their sales?
>
>
> Mary Starosta
> Colorado Potter
> http://marystarosta.wordpress.com/
>



--
www.DawnPottery.home.comcast.net
www.DawnPottery.etsy.com

KATHI LESUEUR on mon 22 jun 09

On Jun 22, 2009, at 9:03 AM, Dawn Kleinman wrote:

> <> once a month
> or so. Those shows get me sales ..... But, 80% of time at these
> shows, I will
> make 4 or 5 times my booth fee - or more.>>

Interesting. In the eighties a 10 times the booth fee was considered
a good show. I never used that method because I think there are many
other factors, such as the expense of doing the show. But , 4 or 5
seems low.
>
> I always get invited to 'consign' at someone's shop. I cant waste the
> inventory anymore. I had to pull it all - 6 shops with a dozen or
> so pieces
> each. I can fill an entire booth. I just dont make any money
> consigning.
> Maybe others do.

I think consigning only makes sense if you can't move all of your
inventory in other ways. Retail or wholesale. I have only consigned
with local stores that I can watch carefully and pull the work
easily. I no longer consign at all. I can't have work sitting hoping
it will sell when I have orders from stores willing to pay for it.
>
> Credit card sales make up more than half of my sales

Again, I'll say that I don't take credit cards. For twenty years I've
allowed people to send checks to me if they don't have the cash. At
my last show in Massachusetts I came home with almost $2000 in
"sending checks". A week later all checks were in. In the twenty
years I've had one problem. Judge Judy took care of that one. That's
a whole lot of credit card fees I avoided and a lot of good will from
people who were honored that I trusted them.

KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com