Here We Go Again!

My first craft show a couple of months ago wasn't a tremendous success monetarily, however I learned a great deal from my daughter....the "master of marketing" when she stopped by that day. So, as I prepare for my second show this Saturday, I am making the changes that she suggested.

The first thing she suggested is to NOT price things $5, $10, $15, $20 and $25. Of course, that is exactly what I did because I like things nice and neat and tidy and those prices looked so "clean". She said to always price under those numbers like $4, $9, $14, $19 and $24. It's all about price brackets and how people budget and perceive prices of things. So, I have been changing a lot of prices this week.

She also said never to put your price stickers on the front of your items. If possible, put them on the side, the back or the bottom. Of course, I thought I was making it nice and easy for people by putting all of my prices right on the front of every item.

You actually WANT people to pick things up, to touch them, to feel them and therefore "connect" with them. Think about when you go into Hallmark. You have to pick up every item to see the price. At a jewelry store, the tags are always upside down or tucked neatly under the jewelry. Even in clothing stores the prices are inside the collar or the sleeve.

Lastly, when I set up my booth last time, I had my things grouped neatly on the tables. That meant as people strolled by, they could easily see my cake stands and my light switch plates....but nothing else. If they weren't interested in those two things, why would they even come in?

So, Tresa used the front part of the table and put up an assortment of everything I was selling...a couple of these, one of those, a few of these etc. The funny thing is, that more people stopped to look and more people actually came into my booth. So, I already know that works and I will be setting my booth up with that in mind this time.

Something else I learned is NOT to put things in plastic baggies unless absolutely necessary...like with the pillows. I had all of my light switch covers in zip lock bags and first of all, it really took away from the beauty of the colors of the fabric I use AND when the sun hit them, condensation formed inside the bags and we had to open them all up anyway. So, this time they won't be in baggies at all. If they get dirty, they can be wiped clean with a damp cloth...no harm done.

I have never been to this show. It's in McHenry, Illinois at Veteran's Memorial Park right in town. If any of you live in the area, come on by! Hopefully the fact that this is the 29th year for it means that people like it. I'm thinking of it as another learning adventure! We shall see.....