Festival of Fear '09: My Experience
Going to take a break from the art posts to talk about my side of it all. So what can I tell you? I think I'll start with tidbits that might help other people who are new to selling/showing like I am.
- Plotting out my table display before I got to the venue helped cut down on assembly time (and stress).
- Never underestimate product placement. On Friday I might have sold 1 book. On Saturday morning, I decided to put a second sign with 3 books on the opposite end of the table. Like magic, they started to sell.
- People like little extras. The black Chinese food takeout boxes were a hit. And people thought the skull design on the front were custom made. For the peek-a-boo plants, I stamped paper bags, hole-punched the folded top and tied it shut with ribbon. Simple, but effective.
- I realized too late that some people thought I used stencils to decorate the Halloween boxes I'd painted, when really they were all painted free-style by hand (which impressed them). I should have had that information on the price sign.
- Having the stories for the Underbiters on the table was a nice reference piece if people asked questions about them. Some people were really excited about the idea of adopting (and actually, their excitement gave me a little thrill too, and I felt better about saying goodbye to the little fellas).
Now let's get to the bigger news.
So how did I do? Well, I made back all my costs, plus enough to pay for next year's table, with a bit left over (most of which went to fixing my car the other day).
I sold out of peek-a-boo plants by Saturday afternoon. By the end of Sunday, I was left with only 4 Underbiters (and sold one you folks never even got to meet. She'll be introduced later). Sold all but 1 Halloween box. Sold all but 4 owls, and have 9 pumpkins leftover.
You can see two of my little pumpkins in their new home, snuggled beneath a Halloween tree (taken by the handsome zombie I showed in a previous post).
I'm not worried about the extra pumpkins I still have because a woman who has a flower shop and a vintage furniture store in Toronto might be interested in selling my pumpkins :)
And if they don't sell there, they'll sell at the next show I'm in this October 25th called The Bazaar of the Bizarre (more on that later as well).
I met another woman who owns a cafe. She's put in an order for some Brains Vs Coffee books she'll be promoting to her customers.
I also met a musician who might want to work with me on a project. More on that if something comes of it.
And that's the last lesson I walked away with: having a table at an event like this isn't just about what you hope to sell then, but the sales and opportunities it might lead to in the future.
i so appreciate you walking us through your experience! and can't wait to hear more about this upcoming show!
congratulations!
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Submitted by Diane (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 9:32am.I'm glad the preplanning the table helps to relieve the stress, will have to remember that for any future displays that we do - sometimes you are so busy with the miniscule things that you forget why you are there...
And I know that there is so much about future opportunities and you have to be on your game right now when you meet people in order to have those future opportunities, so relieving the stress benefits in that way too.
Too bad you had to spend earnings on car repairs though...
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Submitted by Peanutgnome (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 9:49am.While I'm pleased to hear that your projects were so well received and that you covered your costs for the event (and sorted out those auto repairs), I'm especially excited by the possibility of future collaborations and art distribution. As much as a convention is about reaching potential fans and putting your work into the public arena, it's also about making those connections with like-minded people that open new doors and present curious corridors to explore.
This is an exciting time. I hope the momentum keeps building through The Bazaar of the Bizarre and beyond.
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Submitted by King Unicorn (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 9:55am.that it worked out well for you, you learned some useful marketing strategies, and obviously had fun while you were there. Here's to bigger and better things on your next venture!
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Submitted by RoxyBlue (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 9:59am.Any advise on setting up a product table is helpful, and these are good tips to keep in mind. Hopefully (in the not too terribly distant future) I will start selling some of my little baubles but I'm pretty clueless, so it is greatly appreciated!
Sounds like all of your little guys went to good homes, and congrats on making enough to put into your next show! Looks like the connections you made will lead to some great opportunities! I can't wait to see what comes...
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Submitted by Smilodonna (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 12:29pm.. . . and a busy fall. October 25th isn't that far away! :D
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Submitted by halloween spirit (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 12:47pm.I am so happy to hear that everything went so well and you made some good connections. I so wished I lived closer, I would have loved to have gone!
Good luck with all your future endevors!!
Cheers!
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Submitted by the Frog Queen (not verified) on September 4, 2009 - 2:24pm.Thanks folks :) The whole thing was such a learning experience. Even the delicate art of adjusting prices and deals on multiple purchases...you really can't know until you've done it at least once. I was pretty spot on with my prices, but my deals were off.
I'd come to terms with letting items go (not being attached to them). The trick for that (at least for me) was choosing a favourite out of a batch and keeping it.
Of course, I had two moments when I'd left the table for just a minute or two and came back to find an Underbiter sold. "Oh no! Where's Dimly? Did I miss him? Who adopted him? Were they excited?". It was less painful when I was there and talked to the people. Some were fantastic because they played with their new Underbiter in front of me before I wrapped them up. One woman pretended to let her Underbiter say bye to the rest of them.
I said bye.
Don't judge me.
Even talking with people is a big deal. Finding that balance between talking too much and too little. Letting people talk to you instead of talking to them (know what I mean?).
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Submitted by Ghoul Friday on September 4, 2009 - 3:59pm.It sounds like you had a very successful show! A lot less left overs than I would think most vendors end up with! And the connections you made sound promising, I hope they all work out for you. Good luck with the next show - may it be an even bigger success!
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Submitted by Custom Zombie (not verified) on September 5, 2009 - 8:31am.Post new comment