First Craft Sale

I attended my first craft Fair on Saturday with my humble offerings of pendants, earrings, rings and a couple of bangles.

My wife had created the layout and it looked very professional. Anyway the net effect was we sold about 25 items which was a lot more than I expected and got 5 commissions - one of them quite substantial (at least for me).

Our technique was to stay IN FRONT of the stand (actually each exhibitor had a table - stand sounds a bit grand - it wasn't) and to just chat to people about generalities rather than trying to sell. Conversation soon gets round to how the items were made and which ones they liked and ultimately to a sale.

I was amazed how many exhibitors just sit behind the table reading a book and looking completely bored. The stand next to ours was one of these (selling cards and Christmas decorations) and they took the grand total of £20 - I don't know why they bothered to turn up. Their products were quite attractive and seasonal but they showed zero interest in their potential customers.

Learnt a lot, really enjoyed it and made a few quid - we will definitely do it again, but I must get back to the work cupboard (work shop is an overstatement) to get some of the commissions done for Christmas.

Did you hear about the two TV aerials who met on a roof? They fell in love and got married, the reception was briliiant.

Sounds really encouraging, and I agree you need to stand in front of your stand, not sit behind it looking bored and reading a book, as so many of these stall holders seem to do! I'm sure you didn't forget your dealers notice either :)

Interesting about the TV aerials - I heard that after getting their wires crossed they pulled the plug on the whole idea of getting married......

Had a xmas craft fair last Saturday and the result was overwhelming lol.I sold loads of my jewellery.I brought my commission in my stall, people so intrigued what i'm doing coz i'm wearing my messy gloves..he he.It was a good event and i made money.

What a great result well done!

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Originally Posted by BarryM

I attended my first craft Fair on Saturday with my humble offerings of pendants, earrings, rings and a couple of bangles.

My wife had created the layout and it looked very professional. Anyway the net effect was we sold about 25 items which was a lot more than I expected and got 5 commissions - one of them quite substantial (at least for me).

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Well done Barry! Bet it was nerve wracking initially. It must feel amazing to get the first one under your belt (and positive feedback that you're doing something right :) ).

I'm way off doing fairs yet, but out of interest may I ask how many pieces you took?

Well done flowerpecker too.



Vos

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Originally Posted by SteveLAO

Sounds really encouraging, and I agree you need to stand in front of your stand, not sit behind it looking bored and reading a book, as so many of these stall holders seem to do! I'm sure you didn't forget your dealers notice either :)

Interesting about the TV aerials - I heard that after getting their wires crossed they pulled the plug on the whole idea of getting married......

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Of course I had the dealers notice, after spending £170 to register my mark, i need to make it a sales benefit.

It was the two toasters who pulled the plug. The aerials have been married for 5 years and have two little antennae.


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Originally Posted by Vos

I'm way off doing fairs yet, but out of interest may I ask how many pieces you took?

Vos

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We had about 40 on show and some "refills" boxed up behind the stand - total about 60.

Took just over £500 in 5 hours, not bad for a beginner. I have already spent half of it on a Foredom SR - my Dremel 4000 just doesn't have any "grunt" at low speeds.

Stand shown below:-
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...842ccc351e.jpg


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that looks amazing! Well done:)

Well done both. Your table looked really inviting Barry.

That said your fairs were at an ideal time with Christmas in view. Traditionally, you sell more gifts in the weeks before Christmas, than for the whole of the preceding year.

Dennis.

That's excellent Barry, and it's something on my to do list next year. Still building up stock at present, and as Dennis said your display table looks tremendous.

Nick


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Table looking nice - good to see you got some height into it, which is a mistake a lot of people make. If the table next to you took such a little amount at Christmas time, there's no hope for them.

As Dennis said, you'll probably make as much at Christmas as you'll take the rest of the year. That is unless you find a really good show in the summer.

I've given up all my shows now and sold all my display stuff. It was a scary decision to make, as I did them for many years, and some of them were very lucrative, but I haven't regretted it. This Christmas has been so much more chilled, partly also because I have elves now. I even managed a weekend away at the beginning of the month, which I haven't been able to do for years.

We did a craft fair on Sunday and sold about £30 and got a couple of commissions, but our craft stall is in a pavilion and if the weather is cold and miserable people are more interested in going into the adjoining cafe, then home to the warm. In the summer its a very different story - which gives me another reason not to like winter.

Thanks for all your compliments about the table, it is l down to my wife who has a "Good eye" for design.

My Foredom SR arrived today and I have just given it a test run, really good, loads of grunt at slow speed and the foot control is great.


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Well done Barry.....great start!! (and well done flowerpecker), you must both be thrilled!!

Table and pieces look great Barry, I find that engaging with customers is key, whether it's just a 'morning' or discussion about the work, it always helps.....though there is definitely a balance between engaging and allowing to browse!!