I'm going to be showing my work at Art Fair on the Square in Madison, WI this weekend (13th-14th) and am thinking about setting up my iPad on a table with a loop of videos showing what actually goes into this stuff and pictures of other work. Do you think this would be beneficial or not?

Here's a video I had made this afternoon. Also shows my forge and trip hammer setup. Thanks!

 

I assume you aren't going to be demoing at the Art Fair so a video might be a good bit of marketing.  This one is maybe too long, I've found it's hard to keep spectators focused for more than a couple minutes even when talking to them, describing what I'm doing, why, etc. What I found works best for demos are projects that take under 10 minutes start to finish.

I'm not suggesting you do a forging demo in the video I'm just thinking this vieo might stretch the attention span even if you're describing what and why you're doing to folks watching. I think your viewing audience is going to have a 2-3 minute attention span, it's got to move start to finish quickly and be entertaining. I hate contrived flash but it has it's place.

It's a worthwhile idea I just don't know how to put a good video together. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Yeah, good point. I'll try to keep them to around 30 seconds or so, should be able to get a few clips out of this long one. I've got links to the full videos on my website so they can go there if they want more.

That might be a little short but I think it's maybe better too short than too long. It's going to take some playing around but I think it's a workable idea. 

Hmmm, maybe a cycling play list of 30 second videos rather than have the spectators surf links?

Frosty The Lucky.

The plan is to have it on a repeating loop with no way for them to interact with it. I thought about doing something more complicated like adding a signup form for my constant contact email list but I'm thinking I'd better go stupid simple the first time around.

Yeah, KISS it, you have your contact info on cards, they can sign up to what they wish later. You might lose a potential customer but I think it'd put off more if you seemed pushy. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Hi,

Nice set up! I think it will be good to have the videos on your booth. You can tell visitors that the full video is on the website and give them your card (with the website address on it). 

You could print some forms and have a competition for visitors to enter. Or do a prize draw for people who sign up to your mailing list during the show? You might get more leads and seem less pushy if there is something in it for them.

Best of luck with the show. 

 

3 minutes with lots of variation tends to be good for those.  What we do at the museum is use the cheap electronic photo frames and put the vid on a memory stick.  You don't have to worry about anyone wrecking something costly or important like your good Ipad..nor about someone monkeying with it by "swiping" or playing around with settings.  The vids automatically loop simply by having only a single file on the drive.  Of course, you have to make sure you get the right photo frame that will play vids.  You do need an external power source, though.

More than 3 minutes and if you want someone to see something specific so you can explain, the wait time for the loop is too long and feels like f o r e v e r.  Shorter and you haven't captured  a potential customer quite enough yet.  

Addendum--if you can de-clutter the background in your vids, it makes a huge difference in legibility.  

The video did seem to help in explaining my process when I had someone serious in the booth but i don't think it brought anyone in. Here are a few photos of my booth and new chair design. Thanks!

Very classy booth with extremely nice work. 

Looks to me like you are anticipating commission work from the show, rather than direct retail sales (grab and go items).  In my experience with craft shows, even the high end ones it can make a huge difference in the results to have at least some of the latter.  Selling a set of candlesticks one year can lead to an end table the next.  Of course you do include free shipping and local delivery, which can help to offset, but I still think you may be missing out on impulse purchases.

Definitely, we wanted to have more small stuff but have been too busy with commission work for a few bigger clients and didn't get to it. We did sell some of the plant hangers and a few of the cattail sets though.

Very nice work.