My first Craft Show...I think I may pass out...

[SpankySmith]

For reasons that are escaping me right now as I sit and hypervente an hour before doors open for vendors to do their setup, I signed up a few months back to do my first craft show table at a local church. What was I thinking?!?

I have plenty of stuff to sell, I actually made a "production calendar" months ago that had me on a careful schedule to produce at least a dozen of something every Saturday. Last weekend I sat down to price things, and after culling out items I wasn't happy with I still had over 200 items. I have "fits in your pocket/looks good in a trailer" pieces, as well as some nicer pieces. I have a coworker who is meeting to help with the setup today and will be there tomorrow. I have cash for change, I have order and receipt books, I have carefully planned display racks and a newly minted card scanner.

What I'm lacking is nerve! I was actually ok until I picked up the local paper and the church had a nice color ad in it for this craft show and they included mention that a Blacksmith would be there....panic ensued! OMG, now people are going to be coming in LOOKING for a Blacksmith and finding ME, he total novice. I'm having a crisis of confidence here, people, help!

Deep breaths...in and out....in and out.....in and out......Is it normal before your first show to want to pack a bag and flee to Mexico?!

[Michael]

You'll be fine! That feeling will completely turn around when you sell out everything you brought before half the day is done.

[billyO]

As one who had recent experience with their first public smithing at the state fair 2 years ago, I can say yes.

But, that shows that you care about doing a good job, so you will do a good job.

 

Have fun, enjoy the experience, and good luck with the sales!

[dablacksmith]

first ...DO NOT PANIC! you may be a beginner but to 99% of the public YOU ARE THE EXPERT!it really does not matter to them if you are just learning the hardest thing you will likely run into is explaining that you can not reforge the broken piece of cast iron or pot metal.It will be fun just bring entheusiam and injoy! good luck make money!

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

 

You don't need me to say 'GOOD LUCK', you already have it. At the end of the first day, a rest will be enjoyed.

 

Take a little notebook or someplace where you keep notes, keep track of how many people will say 'My grandfather was a Blacksmith' or 'Are you a REAL Blacksmith?' Gotta keep up the humour!!! We started keeping track of the silly statements / questions a couple years ago. Now we just look at one another when someone makes a statement and say the number to each other. People may think that we are nuts, but we actually are!!!! :) :)

 

The stage fright will be fine. Enjoy the moment.

 

Neil

[Grant]

Break a leg!  ;)

-grant

[ThomasPowers]

Now you just need a good shirt---I wore my Village Idiot---(crossed out) Blacksmith shirt the last time I was smithing in public.

So you tend to stress out right beforehand? Plan to sit and sip a cup of tea and nibble on a cookie ahead of time because you may not get a chance afterwards.

Last time I did the Festival of the Cranes my biggest sale days were set up and tear down; so mainly to the *other* artists and crafters. They found my prices *very* reasonable and my quality too. High praise in my book!

[ianinsa]

Pack a bag and head for Mexico(Cancun?) Hey Spanky, 200 items? You might need to sell a lot more to pay for a good holiday! :)

 

Good luck with the show & have fun. 

[SpankySmith]

Thanks for the encouragement, seriously. Just got back from the setup, this is a small church show, not a ton of vendors, one day thing. I wanted to go small, something easy to dip my feet into the concept, see what people like. I'm happy with how the table turned out, I had some good help from a coworker. I'll attach a few photos here. Show starts at 7am tomorrow, I did ask if they provide sedatives!

[SpankySmith]

No idea why some of the photos loaded here upside down, maybe one of the moderators can help? Also, btw I'm wearing my electric PINK iforgeiron shirt tomorrow, with the anvil on the front!

[John McPherson]

Just as stated above "You are the Expert!" Don't underestimate how much more you know about this than the average person, but be nice about it.

 

And for heavens sake, put a bold note next to your business cards that says: WANTED: Anvils and other Blacksmiths Tools. Keep up on the TPAAAT, I have gotten some great leads at demos. You never know when you may want an upgrade, flip it for profit, or pass it on to another aspiring smith at cost.

[SpankySmith]

Oh John, why didn't I think of that?! Great idea and I have a mini anvil and a spare sign already, I will add that. Thanks!

[ThomasPowers]

And every once in a while you will get a ringer; had a lady stop by who had spent a summer forging nails at a VA historical site as they were going to build a barn...Or a lady who told me I was making too much smoke---she had worked with Beau Hickory and he would never allow her to make so much smoke! (green fire, travelling forge, just starting up...) or the famous story about "My Grandfather was a Blacksmith and yes Clare Yellin's grandfather *was* a blacksmith!!!!!

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Spanky,

Your set up looks much better than most ... Walk with confidence and smile.. Make a little sign that says (IMPORTED.... From my shop. Hand made ) Brings out interesting conversation. ... Smile and just tell em it's BLACK JEWLERY... You will do just fine.. Good luck

Forge on and make beautiful things
Jim

[the iron dwarf]

my first event, a 3 day reenactment market, at the end of the first day 2 eastern european guys who had been on an armour and weapons stall bought at least 80% of my stock ( armouring tools ) though my day had already been 14 hours long since I left home I went back to work to make more stock so I would not have an empty table, they came back at the end of the last day and bought more.

have seen them since a few times and they are still using the tools, even the ones I said were not very good and would wear out fast.

after the second day I worked too for a few hours but was very tired and running out of materials.

 

my shop was 40 miles away

[Glenn]

Spanky, we are all a bit nervous at the beginning of each new show, even if we have been at it several years and many shows. You will always forget something you wanted to bring, you will will always meet some very interesting people. 

 

Take a note book for names and their email addresses. This is YOUR customer base for future sales or special sale items. 

 

Always take food and fluids, more than you need. No reason to leave the table for a drink of water or a bite to eat. A chair and cloth cover is both a support for display items but a good place to take a load off your feet and relax, even for just a little bit.  If you get a chance purchase food from the vendors as they are trying to make a buck too. Who knows you could sell them utensils for their display, such as salt spoons, or meat forks.

 

Next year you will want to have a tall coat rack type stand to hand an additional banner from. Gets your sign up above the table and who knows you could even sell the coat rack. :)

[yves]

I have a fair tomorrow. It's my fourth. I go there not expecting to sell anything. It did not happen that way the first time where I realy made money then and there. I did not sell anything at the next fair. But a couple of months later, I got a phone call and got a 2000$ comission from someone who had seen my booth. Then I sold some at the third one and also got some commissions. Last year was bad. I was in a corner and everybody turned left just before getting to me. I didnt even speak to three people. And then again I got 2 commissions this year from people who had seen my sign. All in all, fairs are worth my effort.

 

So please, go there with your lovely set up and just enjoy it. For my part, I am quite  sure that you will sell at least some items and surely your passion for the work. And dont worry, things will fall your way.

[SpankySmith]

Glenn, I'm putting together a support tonight to get one of those signs up, above and behind us. I planned to put one up on a wall if I had a back wall, but don't, so I'll make a placard-bearer type thing in my wood shop tonight.

Good thoughts and wisdom, all...I'm grateful for your posts. I'll let you know how it goes. I have a prime rib planned for AfterShow, so good or bad, there's at least THAT to look forward to!

[Frosty]

I don't have much to add to the advice rendered already. In future though I'd lose the "hobbyist" part of your banner. You have stuff for sale so it's NOT a hobby technically. It's also not relevant to either demos or craft shows. The only thing it will do is open you up for people wanting hand made for China prices.

 

Just don't misrepresent yourself, if anyone asks tell them you're into it as I put it, "mostly for fun with occasional lapses." I have a number of stock lines and say everything with a smile.

 

It's going to be a ball if you don't get into hard selling, not that I expect you will. Look at like a chance to meet a bunch of new enthusiasts who just haven't found THAT piece of iron yet.

 

Oh there IS one piece of advice I haven't seen covered. Take a pad of graph paper, ruler, divider and pencils. Graph paper is EASY to scale from. You aren't going to meet that many people who can reliably say their cabinet is 30" wide and 96" long or whatever. However, what they CAN do is sketch what they want in relation to what they have. Say a fire place. It's easy greasy to sketch the fireplace and mantel from the front and then sketch in how big they want the grate or tool set or whatever. Then all you need is a couple minutes with a tape measure to set it in stone.

 

I LOVE graph paper and use it almost exclusively for working drawings in the shop. I can take drawings drawn on 1/4" graph paper and enlarge it accurately to a 20' grid or anything in between or heck reduce it if I have to get out the mic and calipers. Heck I print my CADD drawings on graph paper for shop drawings.

 

Most importantly though have fun. Sure you're feeling butterflies now but you are likely to be the only person there who knows a bic from a hardy. Make the rounds of the booths before the gates open buy a nibble and a cup of tea. If the butterflies are too noisy make it Chamomile tea, it's good for settling nerves or letting you sleep.

 

These things are fun, the poor folk wandering through don't get to have nearly as much as the vendors. You get to sit there and let the folk come to you.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Jakesshop]

I just had my last event for the season last weekend and though it was a little slow on the stock I brought, I more than made up for it by telling as many people as possible that I buy and sell blacksmithing equipment. Sold two anvils to aspiring smiths at just above cost. Couple of tongs too!

I like the idea of keeping track in a notebook on how peoples grandfathers were blacksmiths or "is that a real fire?" .

[SpankySmith]

Thank you all for your first show stories, it really does make me feel better about my butterflies.! Bring 'em on, more First Show tales!

IF I do a show again after this, it will be very different next time, I've cut my child's teeth on the little things, I'm anxious to move to more involved projects, combining steel and wood.

The "hobbyist" notation, Frosty, is a nod to my Southern heritage, I think...it emphasizes, purposely, the difference between me, a floundering Newb and the professionals in this area, particularly the two very fine Blacksmiths over at Athens Forge Council who got me started down this path. I know it sounds old fashioned and some might not understand, but I feel it is important to distinguish myself from those men, whom I greatly respect, as Blacksmiths with a capital B and as generous people and teachers. I cannot hold a hammer to those guys, though check back in 20 years and if I can still even swing a hammer, it might be a different story. It's an old thread here...when do you get to call yourself a Blacksmith? I just don't think 10 months into the learning curve that you should. I hesitated to even put Blacksmith on the craft show form! To me it would be like taking a Saturday class at Lowes on tiling your bathroom, then calling yourself a Contractor.

It may be a Southern thing. That said, yours was still a good point, Frosty.

[arkie]

Put up an additional sign that reads..."Made in America"...that'll get their attention too.  :D

[billyO]

Better make more of those letter keychains, I bet they go fast.  You probably get a really good price for the cost in time and material...May take that idea and run with it my way....

[DSW]

Very nice well presented display. I've done a lot of shows for different things over the years and your layout looks really nice. The placards are much nicer than a lot of guys simple hand written notes on scrap paper. I also like the banners. It sets you apart from the average person who just sets up a table with a sheet. Little touches like the silver bowl show you have a flair for doing things like this.

 

 

One thing I would suggest for the future is to thoroughly document what you make. Take each piece or a nice representative sample and lay it on a nice neutral background like a sheet or some sort of cloth with a neutral color and texture and photograph it for as many angles as possible. Best way is to do this with "natural" lighting vs a flash. By "natural" it can be some sort of bright electric light vs the sun, the idea is to avoid the bright spots a flash can make. In time you'll make a lot of "one of a kind" things. Having a picture allows you to show others later what you can do without having to expend material on a project that might not sell right away.

 

In my construction business I'm always looking for new projects to add to my portfolio book that highlights the different things I'm capable of. In some cases I'll do a bit of extra work at minimal cost to the customer simply to enhance it's look for my portfolio. Right now I'm pushing to try and get a really nice trim job so I can add that work to my book to replace all my detailed trim pictures from work I did a few years back that  I lost. I just added 2 bathrooms and a new kitchen to my book after the last job.

 

Take the best of these pictures print them on quality paper, and file all of them in a nice binder to take with you. You can lay out the binder at the show to use if you start to run low on product, or use it to show an example of something you have sold out of or a previous project  to a customer. I like to lay out my book so potential customers can flip thru it when my table gets low.

 

These picts can also help remind you of things if you ever have to reproduce something in the future. I often like to take process picts and print them up and note key points on the picture. Base material dimensions, key sizes of say radius's used to make bends, final overall sizes etc. I keep these "notes" in a separate file at the house for future reference. Notes on order of operations and what works and what doesn't. That way you don't have to waste material learning these things all over again later.

 

One other thing that can be a nice addition to your binder is a few action shots of you working. A bit of thought in advance can remove a lot of background clutter from the picts and make it more impressive. It might simply be taking a shot towards a wall where you have alot of blacksmithing tools hung. It might be as simple as clearing the clutter off the work bench in advance, Or it might simply be hanging a sheet up to hide the car and kids bikes so they don't detract from you working.

 

 

One other thing. Take notes on what works and what doesn't as well as documenting your table ( which you have already done) This helps you remember what happened for later. Next year you might want to remember that key changes with the letter S sold really well, but chains with Z's didn't sell so good, or that customers commented that something was too big, too small, to heavy or what ever. Maybe it's that a part of your display didn't work so good. ( My business card holder didn't cut it well in high wind this summer for example and I needed to use a clip to keep them from blowing away.) It might even be something someone else has on their display that catches your eye, a sign, stock holder or whatever. Picts and notes make it easy to add that to your display later. You might not even be showing your work when you see something like this and want to remember it.

 

 

Good luck and have fun!

[Frosty]

Okay, I see your reasoning about calling yourself a hobbyist up front and can't disagree. It never hurts to give the old sods the nod so long as it doesn't mean sucking up. Being at it for 10 months and doing as well as you are now, I'd say you have a knack for smithing and it won't be that long and the old guys will be calling you a blacksmith.

 

Frosty The Lucky.