How do you set up your tables at craft fairs?

[Mark Ling]

Hey ya'll, I just got finished up with my 4th fair so far, and was wondering how ya'll set up the tables. I have always done them in a "U' shape, two on the sides, one in the front, and the opening on the back was behind the crowd, and the people would walk around the outside of the "U". Also, what's your tables like when you are doing a demo? are they set up differently, causing pausibly a bairer from the crowd and the forge? I'm just curios to see what ideas ya'll got, and if ya'll do anything different. Interested to hear ya'lls replies, thanks guys and gals.

                                                                                                                                                                               Littleblacksmith 

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

As a fair goer I would say that the U shape is good. If you have items that you need to store in the booth having the front closed off is best for you. If you have an area that those items can be moved to , and you have a EZUp or similar tent, having the front open allows customers to get out of the sun.  Here the summers are so hot that items that are not shaded can get close to 200 degrees sitting on the table. You just want to make sure that you can keep an eye on the items for sale---some may walk off if they are obstructed from your view. Not having items tagged with prices is a pet peeve of mine. 

 

[Joel OF]

I'd say it depends on whether you're a commission or product based blacksmith. If you're commission based then photos of previous work may be more important than displaying stock.

For when I do demos I've made a couple photo gallery boards from foldable decorators tables that I fasten to bits of old railway sleeper. Off to the side will be a small amount of stock & business cards on a small table. The attached photo was a board I made for a local sculpture show where I demonstrated, so the emphasis is on decorative work.

I help my girlfriend with her markets a lot (she's a baker) and I've noticed that the most common stall shape is an L

Using a L shape means your stock can go across the front with a bit of space to the side/back for other bits and pieces that you want visible, but not for sale. Eg you may want to take a sketch book incase it's quiet and you get bored, or you may want to take a couple framed pictures of previous work that you're proud of but don't produce as a stock item, but it could be made to order.

Your stall shape depends a lot on the size, volume & price of work you produce, but for my money it's always better to produce a small number of well presented items that are of a theme. Choice confuses people and I've definitely lost sales due to people's indecision.

[Mark Ling]

Thank you BigGunDocter for the information! I know what you mean about things getting hot. yesterday at my fair it was only in the low 90's and things were getting hot. Yes, I share your pet peeve, when buying if it's not priced, and I don't need it, I typically don't ask what the price is I just keep walking.

Thanks Joel OF! for the record, I try to stay away from commissions currently, I dont enjoy them as much. 

19 hours ago, Joel OF said:

but for my money it's always better to produce a small number of well presented items that are of a theme. Choice confuses people and I've definitely lost sales due to people's indecision.

good advice. I have noticed It seems to go better if I put out 3 of the same thing rather than 10, also it makes people feel that it is more "unique" if there is less.

                                                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith 

[ThomasPowers]

In general I have not found it possible to both demo and sell.  You need someone to run the sales while you work the crowd and pound on metal.  People watching you should not block access to your sales area; but if possible they should have to go by it to get to the watching area.  I like to use wattle panels to do crowd control on 3 sides and a double rope: Adults and Kids on the open side. Crowd control should be spaced out that someone cannot reach in and touch something. You should have a "safe" area to put hot items to cool.  Blades are NEVER left on a counter or table within reach of someone in a crowd!

The demo trailer the ABANA affiliate has for the State Fair in NM is very nice indeed: It has two built in coal forges each with postvise. They are separated by a roofed area that the folks running sales sit behind a counter. the forge areas have a waist high wall at each end there are large folding doors that will shut together at the sales counter at night with a lock!  During the day they are used as display areas with the pieces screwed to the plywood and so not able to walk off.

Now the "backside" of the demo trailer is a enclosed space with steel storage, coal storage, power tools, lunch boxes and coolers; first aid kit, etc. Access is a door behind the sales counter folks.

[arkie]

If you happen to demo forge welding at some point in a setup, a guard from flying flux is important. Our group has a member who made one out of plexiglass (or maybe polycarbonate) about 3' x 4' encased in a portable frame and set up in front of his anvil. The clear material allows spectators to see the anvil work. This is used primarily at club demos and not at craft fairs.

[rockstar.esq]

I've never run anything like this but I've visited quite a few art fairs, swap meets, etc.  The "bunker" arrangement for display is nice for getting a lot of fairly small form-factor things visible at the same time.  It's also handy for giving the retailer somewhere to store their cashbox, lunch, dog, etc.

As a visitor, I've been to more than a few "bunker" setups where the proprietor was so deeply engaged in their conversation, pet, lunch, computer, etc. that I couldn't attract their attention.  The personal connection to the maker is a huge part of why people go to fairs.  It's gotta be exhausting to be personable, engaging, and attentive to all the people coming into a booth.  I suspect a fair amount of burnout is to be expected on the trade show circuit.

The inverse arrangement offers the same amount of display space, but obliges the retailer to be out among the people.  There are booths that I've entered on the strength of the retailers personality.  If these folks are listening, they'll gain valuable feedback from the visitors.  I often compliment talented artists whose work is simply beyond my financial reach.  Most artists appreciate the compliment, but there's the rare few who act on the information and offer something I could afford.  At a minimum, their card goes on my wish list.  

More than once, I've followed up on a lead later and made a purchase.  While I don't think the table arrangement factored into that decision, I can say that the personal engagement was more important than anything else.

 

[Kozzy]

This is from other similar selling but I prefer a sort of _|_ shape where the middle sticks out in front as far as the "fair" people will let you get away with.  On the end of that middle is your vacuum display--a showpiece that -sucks- in passers by being so visually interesting that people divert for a look.  What the shape basically does is force "casual" passers to be in the position of looking at 2 tables at a time--almost doubling your view effectiveness.  You only have about 10 seconds to grab em and you need as much working to help that grab as possible.  You can also do similar with a /\ and only 2 tables (point toward the crowd).

People go into zombie mode at these kinds of things so you need to break up the view---and since most other people displaying do the usual flat across the front display or U into the booth or U around the booth perimeter, you must break the trance.  Different is important.  

Hiding behind your tables is nice for you, especially when the day is getting long...but you really need to be in front on your feet showing off your wares and meeting new friends (yes, that sounds like fluffy hippy talk but it actually works)

Obviously there are so many exceptions that there is no single answer...and you also have to be aware of thieves so the best display for attention might not always be best in terms of security of items.

2 people working a booth is FAR FAR FAR better than doing it all yourself, especially on multiple day events.  Being the only one working a booth sucks the life out of you and you need "breaks" to actually sell your best.  

[Daswulf]

You bring up a good point rockstar. A few times I have been tied up in conversation before with people. I try to keep it short because at times there are other people trying to inquire about something and I have to tend the table. Sometimes it is great info, like about other local shows to attend and places to check out, or once in a while telling me about some old scrap they have  " sure I'd be more then happy to have it" ok, that was one time... 

But anyway, most of the time they are considerate and let you go to talk with others. When they want to keep on its probably best to hand them a card and politely excuse yourself and ask them to email or call you later. 

 

I really need to get an easy up canopy too because it's not easy to sell some items when they can't even pick them up being so hot from the sun lol. 

Oh, and it's great to have a large "attention grabbing" item out front to draw people in. I learned that from my flea marketing days. I'm sure if you are demoing, then the ring of the anvil should be enough. 

 

[ThomasPowers]

The ring of the anvil will certainly draw other smiths to your setup!

[rockstar.esq]

On 10/17/2017 at 7:59 PM, ThomasPowers said:

The ring of the anvil will certainly draw other smiths to your setup!

Judging by the last hammer-in I attended, a lot of smiths are broke!

[ThomasPowers]

Misery loves company!

[Joel OF]

15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Misery loves company!

Just read that per chance whilst watching the DVD of Misery. (Kathy Bates, James Caan film). Gives your comment another meaning.

[ThomasPowers]

Did you watch it *alone*?

[rockstar.esq]

On 10/19/2017 at 5:45 PM, ThomasPowers said:

Misery loves company!

Thomas,

I recall talking to a very enthusiastic "salesman" at a shop I worked in.  

Him: "Man, I'm making lots of sales today, I can't wait for my commission check!"

Me: "That's great, what margin are you making on your sales?"

Him: "Well I make 10% on the sale if that's what you mean..."

Me: "Actually, we make 10% on the gross margin.  So if you sold something for $100 more than we paid for it, you'd earn a $10 commission."

Him: "But that hurts my earnings because things sell better when they're cheaper."

Me: "Yeah...that's true. In fact you could just make a sign and give it all away. "

Him: "That wouldn't work!"

Me: "How do you figure?"

Him: "If I just gave stuff away, they wouldn't need a salesman like me at all!"

Me: "You know what? I think you might be right!"

 

[JHCC]

42 minutes ago, rockstar.esq said:

Thomas,

I recall talking to a very enthusiastic "salesman" at a shop I worked in.  

Then there's the old joke about the two guys in NYC who get a truck, drive to the farms in New Jersey, load up on sweet corn for $6 a dozen, and bring them back to the city to sell for 50 cents an ear. At the end of the day, they're completely sold out, so they count up their money and see they have exactly the same amount as when they started. One of them turns to the other and says, "Wow, we need a bigger truck."

[Mark Ling]

Thank's ya'll for the ideas! Yes, not having everything flat does make a difference. I typically have some logs sitting upright on the table with horse shoe hearts hanging on them , and they always want the heart on the stump not the ones sitting flat, even though they are very similar, almost the same. 

                                                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith 

[John R]

On ‎10‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 7:48 PM, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

As a fair goer I would say that the U shape is good. If you have items that you need to store in the booth having the front closed off is best for you. If you have an area that those items can be moved to , and you have a EZUp or similar tent, having the front open allows customers to get out of the sun.  Here the summers are so hot that items that are not shaded can get close to 200 degrees sitting on the table. You just want to make sure that you can keep an eye on the items for sale---some may walk off if they are obstructed from your view. Not having items tagged with prices is a pet peeve of mine. 

 

Your pet peeve is  big peeve to me.    I do not sell at shows or craft fairs, but go to buy, usually with a few thousand bucks in my jeans.   I cannot stand seeing items on a table with no pricing!!!!  If a guy wants to sell something, a price tag should be on it.   I will not hunt up a person to ask how much.  Many times I have passed on buying something I wanted just because of no price tag.

If a guy does not have pricing on his items, he is telling me he does not want to sell anything and is just showing off his wares.

 

 

 

[ThomasPowers]

I find that a hole punch, a spool of thin ribbon and a stack of business cards makes a good price tag kit.  I like folks that BUY my stuff to have my card associated with it!

[Charcold]

From a handmade wares table I like to see prices as well, if for no other reason than avoiding offending someone by offering less than their material cost let alone the labor. 

 

From a junk seller at a local flea market, no prices means a potential bargain is in play. I just pray that I ask "how much is this" and I hear back "well, i'm not sure since i don't know what it is". I bought a pair of "black smith tongs" that were actually farriers clippers, which i got a discount on for educating the seller.