Paul Lewing on fri 12 dec 03
on 12/12/03 4:57 PM, Judy Musicant at huju01@COMCAST.NET wrote:
> I have just been invited to do a 3 day show sponsored by Interior Design =
> Expo combined with a Home Remodeling and Furnishings show. I was told =
> that there are many artists and fine craft booths at these shows, as =
> well as home design booths. I was also told that I can expect 20,000 =
> people to attend the show. Has anyone ever had any experience with =
> these shows?
Hi, Judy.
I have done the Seattle Home Show in February every year since about 1989.
When they started an October show about 8 years ago, I started doing that
every year too. And for the last two years I did the Seattle Interiors
Show. There are also Home Shows in neighboring Tacoma and Bellevue, each of
which I have done three times. And there are other similar shows in the
area that I have not done, some of which I have attended, and know people
who have done them.
No, there are not "many artists and fine crafts booths" at these shows.
There are sometimes potters, and sometimes there are potters who keep coming
back. But this is not their target market. You will also sometimes find
people who make sculpture, stained glass, rugs, and other more
architecturally oriented work.
I do custom tile murals, and I could not stay in business without the
Seattle Home Show, particularly the February one. The fall one is OK, but
not nearly as good. There was one potter who did the show for many years
and has recently stopped. There is one guy who throws sinks and pots and
makes tile. There is one guy who RAM-presses and hand-decorates sinks, and
there is one lady who china paints tile and sinks. That's the extent of
hand clay work there.
This is the largest show of its kind in the nation, I hear. It goes 9 days
(yes, 9 days) and, in a good year, draws 150,000 people. These are not
guess numbers like so many craft shows- these are paying customers. It's
grueling, but it works for me. However, two of the other clay people, who
are both friends of mine, are considering not doing it any more, because it
doesn't bring in enough business. But I love it and consider it the
best-run show I've ever been associated with. I would be disappointed if I
got fewer than 20 commissions a year from that show, each of at least the
$200 minimum, with several being in the $2000-$5000 range.
Now, the other local shows:
Fall Seattle Home Show: 4 days, 40,000 people. It's OK, not great.
Bellevue Home Show: 4 days, 20,000. Made the booth fee back every time, but
not much more.
Tacoma Home & Garden Show: 4 days, 30,000. Didn't make the booth fee 2 of 3
times.
Seattle Interiors Show. 4 days, 25,000. Didn't make the fee back either
time. Didn't come within $1000 of the booth fee either time. They've
actually cancelled this one.
Home Shows in nearby Puyallup, Silverdale, and Olympia: Wouldn't do them on
a bet, even if I had a free booth.
Then there are two home remodeling shows in the area. I've never done
either, but I've been to them. I hear one's good and the other isn't.
So there you go. Take what advice you will from my experience. I'd say if
your products are home-related, in the sense that they're for the building
itself, you might do well. In my tile workshops, when we talk about
marketing, I tell people about the shows I do. I've gotten feedback from a
number of them who say that they did these shows and did well. But they
were all doing tile, not pottery.
Good luck, Paul Lewing
Judy Musicant on fri 12 dec 03
Hello potters,
I have just been invited to do a 3 day show sponsored by Interior Design =
Expo combined with a Home Remodeling and Furnishings show. I was told =
that there are many artists and fine craft booths at these shows, as =
well as home design booths. I was also told that I can expect 20,000 =
people to attend the show. This one is in the Raritan Center in Edison =
NJ. This outfit does regular shows in Edison, Pennsylvania, Virginia, =
Long Island NY, and Maryland. Has anyone ever had any experience with =
these shows? Thanks.
Judy Musicant
Diane Palmquist on sat 13 dec 03
Hi Judy,
I have also been invited to this show. I was seen at a show in Pa. and
then contacted. The promoter called to see if I was interested in the
application, called to see if I received it and then called to see if I was
going to apply. A little anxious I feel. However I do make a lot of
decorative pottery and it sounds like a good market, however March is
usually not a great month selling wise for me.
I told her the booth fee was larger than I have even done and she told
me that I would get an "artist" price. I wonder why that was not on the
application.
I don't know about this show and would like to go and see it first. Will
I ????!!!!! I am still undecided. If you want to communicate personally my
e-mail is dlpots@snet.net.
Good luck if you try it and I would love to hear about it.
Diane
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Musicant"
To:
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 7:57 PM
Subject: Interior Design Expo shows
Hello potters,
I have just been invited to do a 3 day show sponsored by Interior Design
Expo combined with a Home Remodeling and Furnishings show. I was told that
there are many artists and fine craft booths at these shows, as well as home
design booths. I was also told that I can expect 20,000 people to attend
the show. This one is in the Raritan Center in Edison NJ. This outfit does
regular shows in Edison, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Long Island NY, and
Maryland. Has anyone ever had any experience with these shows? Thanks.
Judy Musicant
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Millie Carpenter on sat 13 dec 03
Judy
my daughter, who used to set up trade shows suggested that you request
a list
of exhibitors to see what the mix really is. it should be in catagory
order, that way you will know if there are 2 potters or twenty. and
then you can contact some of the exhibitors to see what they say. she
said that 20,000 means 12,000-15,000 because the figure of 20,00
includes exhibitors and some staff. also check the promoters website
that will give you more information also.
good luck.
Millie in Md. waiting for the next 3 inch blizzard to start around
midnight.
On Friday, December 12, 2003, at 07:57 PM, Judy Musicant wrote:
> Hello potters,
>
> I have just been invited to do a 3 day show sponsored by Interior
> Design Expo combined with a Home Remodeling and Furnishings show. I
> was told that there are many artists and fine craft booths at these
> shows, as well as home design booths. I was also told that I can
> expect 20,000 people to attend the show. This one is in the Raritan
> Center in Edison NJ. This outfit does regular shows in Edison,
> Pennsylvania, Virginia, Long Island NY, and Maryland. Has anyone ever
> had any experience with these shows? Thanks.
>
> Judy Musicant
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