Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Frosty thanks for the advise. I know what you mean about the colors. It was an experiment. Now I know better what to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Mostly just my perspective. Taking so many photography classes helps with things like: background colors, contrast and how to draw the eye where you want. Doesn't always help though, I looked at your pics for a long time and still couldn't come up with a better arrangement for your tall critters. They bug me where they are but I can't think of better. The more you do this the better you get, it's an acquired skill and you're off to a good start. We used to hit Salvation Army for blankets for photo back drops. It's much easier to get a blanket slightly out of focus and bring out the subject in photos and not distract. It's much the same with table covers. If you hit second hand stores take some of your smaller pieces so you can see how they look. A strong flashlight is good to take along too. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Hi, My setup in these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 So, a truncated cone made of pvc pipe draped in fabric. Right? What size do you hypothecate? Maybe 12-14 inches high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Das, it always helps to have a spider or two hanging on the wall or at the exit to the demo booth. Spiders like walls and the visitors will sometimes jump back when they see them. They then do a full scan of the area looking for other creatures they may have missed. A little Halloween spider webbing is always a nice touch. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Nice display Gergely. Glenn that's a good idea. I should make some hanging spiders or wall mounts. I have some chain that would be perfect for webbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Yesterdays Freaky Fair was a huge success in my books. Awesome turnout and interest. Great people and good sales. Having a cardreader was pretty much a Must. The first hour or so was pretty slow then it was busy. Talked with a lot of great people. Some very interested in blacksmithing and some kids very interested in what was there and art in general. Sales were good and I have some happening soon from a couple Very interested in a few larger pieces. Tho my setup was better, its still nowhere where I want it to be and the background was rough since they rented a shabby vacant " yet spacious and equipped" building to put on the Fair. My quick pictures from a minute before doors opened aren't great but thats the jist. They even had a professional photographer coming around and he was at my table at least 3 times getting close ups. Curious to see those. Only had an 8'x8' area to be allowd to setup so things were a little packed. Needed a little breathing room behind for Elizabeth and Ayana. Thank God for Elizabeth's support and help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 A simple to assemble frame and a plain bed sheet or table cover can serve as a backdrop as well as additional vertical display space. Instead of those little price tags, use a business card with a hole and string to price each item, business card on one side, price on the back. That way each sale also gets YOUR business card. If the buyer shows the purchase to someone else, they can give the viewer your business card which can generate future sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Appreciate the advice as always. I am constantly learning new ideas to improve through advice and experience. I had no idea what the venue would look like and we were not allowed to attach anything to the walls. I was thinking a collapsable framed backdrop afterwards and will make a simple setup to tuck away for future events "just in case." Business cards seemed too large for most items and even the larger tags ar the last event. I like the smaller tags and will use the advice on using Both sides! For now, I do have my name and website On the tag so people know where the item came from. They are attached and stay with the idem after the sale aside from a few items like keychains and necklace pendants and such. Those might get custom smaller tags in the future. One issue I ran into was people expecting bags and packaging. I'm so used to doing local sales that I'm not used to this. For some items it's nearly impossible due to size, shape and weight. Each item, other than small ones, would need their own special box and packaging made. In some ways I can do this but it will take a heck of a lot more organization on my part. The other items that could be bagged I'm looking into that but its been a slow go due to many factors including being a pretty new parent. I do have ideas in the works and rarely sell at shows but that may start ramping up next year so I will look into more over winter. Another rough time is hauling everything. It's all heavy. Last show I even forgot a dolly "truck cart?". This time I had two dollies and I Was on a second floor (thank goodness they had an elevator!), but I'm thinking of Building a better wheeled cart. Some sculptures just don't fit in totes or boxes. The small stuff packs away easy enough. Loading and unloading, I had to double park with four ways on. (Having a trailer and all.) Thankfully they had some awesome staff to help out in anyway they could. ( then parking on the roof of a parking garage in one of the two spots that I wouldn't inconvenience anyone else.) Fun. Ugh... I prefer country life.. Always learning, always improving. If I hadnt had that cardreader service I would have missed Most sales. It is " in my opinion" totally worth the small fee to use it. Times are changing and most barely carry cash. I'm glad for those that do tho. I guess the last point on my setup would be unifying the table cloth coloring. I was expecting only two tables but was able to use three. I will be getting more consistant cloths to match. The black and grey theme seem to work fine and a back drop will make it all the better. Also, I have some stools instead of the antique lawn chairs I took. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamboat Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 2 hours ago, Daswulf said: Yesterdays Freaky Fair was a huge success in my books. Glad the fair was successful for you, Das. You have an amazing selection of cool items! A couple of fabric wrinkle-resistant shower curtains might make a handy backdrop that you could easily adjust to the display area size as long as you have telescoping curtain rods or something similar. You could also clamp a couple of small LED spotlights on the frame for a bit of dramatic lighting. Al (Steamboat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Thanks Al. I Did take some lighting but found it pretty bright in there. Better to have it and not need it that to need it and not have it. The shower curtain idea is a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackegg Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 My first ever show this last weekend went very well. I didn't know how my items would do but it turns out I was the most popular table/vendor at the show! These are from before opening on the first day. Now I'm busy making more for the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Good looking lot Blackegg. Kind of hard to see the necklaces hanging off the log. Probably easier to see closer up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackegg Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Thanks.... I didn't get any good pics of the necklaces. They're bent hearts, Leaf pendants and Trolls Crosses...with a couple pf forged cable runes. You're stuff is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Thank you. I'm still working on the commission of some coctail spoons I got from this show and had a couple more sales this weekend from a couple that bought a piece at the show. There was lots of interest. I have another possible show coming up soon that I have yet to hear back about but I need a bunch more stuff to take if I'm in. Always crunch time. Is that a shark in the middleish of the table in the last picture? Glad you did well as you should have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Love that broad short blade, bottom left last picture (skinner knife ?) Reminds me the knife the cheese merchant used to cut Romano or Parmigiano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackegg Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 4 hours ago, Daswulf said: Good looking lot Blackegg. Kind of hard to see the necklaces hanging off the log. Probably easier to see closer up. I need a better way to present the necklaces. I don't like the thing I currently use. Its time to make something else. 4 hours ago, Daswulf said: Is that a shark in the middleish of the table in the last picture? Glad you did well as you should have. The shark.....well.... I was trying to make a trout! It's a bottle opener and it came out looking more like a shark than a trout! I wasn't even going to try to sell it and someone saw it and wanted it. It was the first thing I sold at the show! Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 A piece of advice, If you make a nice necklace/ jewelry holder make Two or Three! and hide one away, put a price tag on the other one or two. The first holder I made sold when I didnt even have a price tag on it. This one at my last show was more just to get the job done and not very ornate. Also, same with business card holders. Tuck one away and put a price tag on the one you are using. Sold the one I used at this show. People like to See how something is used and are more likely to want it. One thing I plan to do next show is actually be wearing one of my pendant necklaces. Couldnt see it up close but figured it was a trout but looked a little sharkish. Looks great from what I can see tho. Take those things you are unsure of. They will probably sell. ( unless its functionally flawed, then leave it at home) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkunkel Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Daswulf, thanks to you and many others for sharing your sales booth experiences. I dug around and found some photos of displays I had used for my wife to take to farmers markets/craftsales in 2012 and 2015. Lots of trial and error with signage, labelling and product mix. My wife and I found that the wood background got peoples attention. I am in the process of making a story board for a bottle opener, to better explain the time and processes involved. Too many people seem to have some sort of sticker shock but it is always nice to get the customers who appreciate and buy and who are excited to gift themselves or others! I did my first holiday craft fair by myself last December. Need to get photos of that included. Had learned from previous experience to have better signage. Tried string labels and found them ok for the time I had. I like the idea of combo bizcard/pricetag. I don't like stickers or the ones I have tried, as they tend to unstick. I had a credit card reader, which we knew from previous experience increased sales. It was a good experience, lots of adrenaline getting prepared, set up, made new contacts, shared/gained info from other vendors about how this show compared with others. Money was so-so for the time but the experience was worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Tkunkel, I have been learning along the way and each show it better than the last. It certainly is a learning experience. What is a great seller at one show might not be at the next, or it will. Have extra eitherway. Lol. All in all have fun and make contacts. I was put off with the business card size tags but with my printer and a program made smaller tags with my name and website where they can contact me. Stickers look cheap or do or wont come off. For multiple items a smaller placque or tag works for multiples. Yes, get vertical. Dont block yourself tho. You need to be there and answer questions and interact. Have your buisness cards in plain view. There are lots of things to learn going out and selling. Take what you learn to the next show and hope for the best lol. Thank you for sharing as well. I thank all for the great advice I've recieved here. Still working on it as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackegg Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Nice looking goods tkunkel. Thanks for sharing the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkunkel Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Daswulf and Blackegg, thanks for your comments. Daswolf, could you explain a little bit more about your smaller tag making process? Did you use smaller font and copy your name and website multiple times in the same space of the business card and then cut the card up? I have included photos from my table at a craft fair last November. I was a last minute sign up and got a table in the middle the room, so people are walking on both sides of your booth. Different then farmers market but it gave me a start. I lost my previous display board in a fire and hadn't made time to build a new one. I want to explore using wooden louvered doors, cut down a bit to use on a table top, with an A frame setup. Being able to have flexibility in moving display hooks around up/down and side to side quickly, without redrilling and screwing in hooks would be nice. We'll see how my project schedule goes this next month...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 On 10/19/2018 at 8:34 AM, tkunkel said: could you explain a little bit more about your smaller tag making process? I just made a sheet in photoshop with multiples of a single tag to print on card stock and cut out. A small hole punch and some string and done. I'm sure it could be done better but this is working well for me at the moment. I'll be changing them up a little when I need more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkunkel Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Thanks, Daswulf! This points me in the right direction I need to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 God bless all you guys for getting out there.. More power to you all as it ain't easy.. Having been there and done that and continue to do it though I shake my head every time.. You guys are way more advanced than myself.. So great to see.. Keep up the good work.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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