I recently shared some craft show etiquette tips on the Pennsylvania Guild’s blog and thought this would be a great one to get additional advice from HiP-sters. Here are 7 new tips for newcomers and veterans of the craft show world. Be sure to share your tips in the comments.
- Be you. People are buying you as much as your work.
- Stay awake and never look preoccupied. No reading. No napping. No txting, tweeting or phone calls. You should always be available when there’s a question.
- If you are bored and looking for something to do, re-arrange items in your booth. It draws attention to your work.
- Say thank you when someone compliments your work. Compliments can turn into sales.
- Always greet people who walk into your booth. A simple ‘hello’ breaks the ice.
- Small comments can open big discussion. Such as ‘do you know what that’s for?’
- Always smile. If you’re unhappy, fake it.
So what are your tips? Share them in the comments below!
Bruce Baker says you should never say thank you because then the viewer just paid you in compliments instead of money. He says you should turn it into an opportunity to tell your story. I think that he’s right in some ways about this, but it’s hard for me not to say ‘Thank you.”
I like to have a couple “in-process” pieces in my booth to illustrate how my work is made. A half-log bowl blank and a rough-turned bowl are tremendous conversation starters.
I ask “Do you know of anyone having a baby?” a legitimate question, and opportunity to show off my WrapADoodle swaddle baby blanket. If they say yes I tell them it’s the best baby gift ever….if they say no then I ask ‘Do you think you will ever know of anyone having a baby?” to which they laugh and say maybe yes or probabably and then I give them my card and tell them how to order on line for when they do need a baby gift.
Wouldn’t it be nice if people used those 7 in their everyday life as well?
Lois
I compliment the customer, but it has to be honest and sincere. If I compliment a piece of jewelry she’s wearing, her purse, an article of clothing or even a color she’s wearing, it shows that I value her sense of style. Often, it will open up a conversation. It might even lead to a suggestion of a necklace to go with that lovely blouse or a pair of earrings that shows off the color of her eyes. But, it has to be natural, sincere and honest. Customers can see right through a sales pitch. I’m not trying to pitch something. I’m trying to engage the customer. If she happens to buy something, that’s great. If she doesn’t, she may remember me the next time she sees me and, since we made a connection previously, she may be more apt to buy something at that time.
When my sister and I set up our jewelry business at local flea markets ( our first step towards craft fairs) we are never sure how to engage the people walking into our tent. It seems like if we say Hi we scare them away. A women next to us once was selling things like creams and was able to ask people to “try” her product and tell them how good it was for their skin. She was a very “aggressive” seller, we can’t do that with jewelry. Dose any one have any suggestions on how to get the customers engaged in our shop and maybe buy something?