There are some basics in choosing an art show to participate in, after all, not all shows are created equal. Know your art, know your customer before you spend hundreds of dollars on a canopy, supplies and displays. Wasting your time at a Christmas bizarre in the cafeteria of the local elementary might not give you the best return on your investment if your selling original, framed oil paintings. However, it might work just fine if your craft is re-purposing dresser drawers into pet beds or hand quilting tea towels. Again, know your art, know your customer then find an art show that fits you.
Believe it or not your personality can play a role in how well your art or craft is sold. As I've mentioned in the past, people buy from people...they like. You might be the best artist, or have the most beautiful craft, but if your reputation is hard to get along with or abrasive, you might not want to do art shows that require a softer, customer service, humble attitude.
Screw up your art show by not doing your homework
- JURIED VS. UNJURIED. Know the difference! Farmers Markets are a great starting place since they are established, and affordable. Usually ranging between $25-$45, with discounts for vendors that sign up for multiple weeks every month. Juried shows will ask you to provide photos or slides of your work, they also limit the number of vendors in a particular venue – no one wants to be a customer at an art show where every booth is jewelry (unless of course it’s a jewelry only show). These shows are usually established, well patronized and cost in the $100's (some can be much higher). But all the vendors are high end crafters and artist. Unjuried shows usually allow ALL types of art and craft. You’ll see a variety of lower end & DIY crafts all the way up to mid-range crafts. These shows are less expensive and usually cost between $20-$60.
- PRE-VIEW the show. This can be very important. Once when I arrived at a juried art show I learned it was in a dirt field, it was awful, dust and dirt was everywhere and got into everything. Especially when children would play, they really could kick up the dust! My Glass Etching looks its best when clean! Some shows have a theme, visiting that show you can make sure your art fits in.
- DON’T DO A SHOW THAT HAS MOVED LOCATION recently. I made that mistake, I visited the show it was great, shade, park like, and other vendors were high end, tons of customers – walking around with BAGS, which is always good. It seemed perfect. I signed up, paid and received my packet in the mail about a month before the show was scheduled to start. It drew attention to the new location – several miles from the original. Got there, set up. It was a dud. The people that did show up all said they went to the old location not knowing that it had moved! Fail. A few years later the Art League I was part of also moved locations. It had been located outdoors right in the middle of town. Now they were moving three miles out of town to the inside of our local Tribal Community Center. Again, the show was a fail. When I moved three years later the show had still not ever recovered from the bad move. To this day, I RARELY do a show the first year or two after a move to a new location.
- FIRST TIME SHOWS are another one to beware of. They have not established a style or reputation yet. This is either a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor or it’s another set up for a failed show. To be sure, ask questions. Find out the location, go see it. What types of art and craft vendors are they inviting, will there be food vendors, where are they advertising, what target audience are they hoping to gather, what’s the estimated attendance? They must have done some research, you don’t just grab a place and date out of a hat, so ask them!!
How can I screw up an art show once I am there?
- READ A BOOK – Be completely unavailable by reading a book, newspaper or other media. Stay especially near the back of your booth where customers will have a harder time finding you when they are ready to purchase. NOT!! When visiting art shows it is amazing how many are doing exactly this, upwards of 75% of vendors. It makes me wonder why they bother being there in the first place. You must be ready and available to your customers, they are the number one reason you are there, without them you make NO sales. If you worked in a retail shop you would be expected to greet the customers, be available to answer questions, you would be taking inventory, cleaning, etc. If you need to “do” something while you are at your booth, then work on your art where people can see you. This attracts many visitors. Any time I paint or draw I have crowds gathered around me. It also helps your branding, advertising and relationship building for immediate purchases or future orders.
- BE ON YOUR CELL PHONE – This works similar to reading, if you are talking, texting or posting to social media you look busy and important. NOT! I have personally seen customers with an item in their hands wanting to buy and the vendor is talking on their phone behind their booth. Eventually they give up and walk away, no sale. If you are so busy making sales on the phone, then bring a partner to handle the booth or open a retail shop.
- SIT DOWN – Sitting is most comfortable and customers love to look down while talking to you, this works especially well if you have sunglasses on to hide half your face and expressions. NOT!! You must stand up for the entire show. Don’t argue, if you were a cashier you would be standing. You will not sell your art sitting on your butt.
- DRESS LIKE A CHAIN SAW CARVER – Customers love that down to earth look of torn jeans with an untucked, pizza stained shirt. NOT! Please make sure your dress and grooming is clean and simple. If you’re selling jewelry, wear a few pieces. If you sell tee-shirts, wear one. Dress appropriately for your profession or activity. Be sure to check yourself after eating and I don’t just mean your teeth, check your hands, breath and clothing.
- THINK CAR SALESMAN – After smiling and saying hello, follow the customer around offering to show them more and be sure to start right in with explaining everything about yourself, if you see a customer looking at something be sure to ask them if you should go ahead and wrap it up for them. NOT! Listen and observe the people looking at your art. Smile, say hello then watch, listen and mirror what they do. If they smile back and move away from you, you need to move away from them – they want space to look. Be available, friendly, and conversational but never act like a used car sales man.
- COMPLAIN – about everything: your booth location, the show promoters and most of all the other customers. NOT! No one likes a complainer, even when you have cause to complain. If you don’t like your booth location mention your concerns ASAP and only to the show coordinator, remember he or she might not invite you back if you’re unreasonable or rude, so be on your best behavior. If you have a rude customer, engaged them in conversation as you are walking away from your booth, once you’re a comfortable distance, simply say “have a good day” and return to your booth –don’t mention anything to other customers – if they were seen or heard by others that want to console you, thank them for their support then spin the conversation to something positive ASAP.
- DON'T WORRY ABOUT BRANDING - having a color theme, business cards, displays and other media materials professional looking is only for retail shops. NOT! Think about your brand, how do you want customers to see you, see your craft or art? When customers leave your booth and later see your website, your social media sites, your displays, business cards, tags, even your show outfit, they can only recognize if these things all "match. " Make it all fit together, match. *Get help if you need it!
All the best to you and your next, or first, art show!
*I can help you with branding if you'd like me to give you an estimate please contact me directly at four two five.443.five six 03. or email me at charlotte AT shermanstreetdesign DOT com
