You Are Special Patterns

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Monday, May 24, 2010

Booth tips


In this post, I am going to show you past show booth pictures, compared to our booth today.  As you will see, we have come a long way.  A lot of hard work to get your booth to look the way you want.  This is what our booth looks like today.  My hubby built it, out of pressure treated lumber, so it is really heavy.
I bought a cupboard to hold my room sprays and a shelf that comes apart.  I use lots of wood crates, rusty buckets and basket sto hold anything on the floor. I now decorate the top of the booth with greenery. Last year I had an old braided rug I threw down. But be sure you tape it down, or you may have an injured customer.
At the Christmas shows, I always have a basket with peppermint candy for anyone to pick up.  Always have business cards to give out.
A big turnoff for me, is to go into a booth, and immediately have the crafter start trying to sell their work to you or not have it priced. I like to look without having someone behind me talking to me the whole time, trying to get me to buy. I usually just walk out without buying when that happens. I am kind of a shy person, I usually just greet my customer and tell them, just ask if you need any help. This works for me, your work will sell itself.


I can't help but laugh, while going through some old photos. I found some of my older shows, now we are talking 20 years ago at least.  I am posting some of the old photos, they are not the best photos, didn't have a decent camera back then.



This one was at an old shopping mall.  I had just the one folded display and a small card table.  Rule number one, never use sheets on a table, use old quilts or good table coverings. I noticed in some of my old pictures, the sheets were blowing could see boxes and sawhorse legs.  Not professional at all.

as you can see in this one, overlapping sheets, boxes and table legs showing.  I remember the doing the crochet cotton ornaments that you starch and stiffen.  They on the black display board.  What you can't see on the table are crocheted and wood items.  This booth says Bazaar.


This was one of first big shows at the Morocco Temple shrine auditorium.  This used to be a really good show.  The first year we were in it, we caused a traffic jam and they had to move us to the side room the next year, which worked out great, we had more room, but as you can see here, we did mostly ornaments no extras in our booth for display.




The one and only mall show we ever did. I will never willingly do a mall show again.  They don't come to the mall to buy crafts.  4 long miserable days.  I had a friend with me, who everytime I would sell something, she would take her elbow and elbow me.  A little noticable, she got a little excited about selling, but kind of embarassing, especially when the customer notices.



My booth at the Christmas made in the South Show in Jacksonville, back then we had a single booth. Looking at the picture, we sure didn't have much inventory.  But we also had a crowded booth, and people saying we needed to get a double booth. Now I don't like to have anything but a double booth.


This year I am going to change my booth, my current one is just too heavy for my hubby to handle by himself anymore.  My daughter doesn't get to go with me to all  my shows now.  So it just me and him.  So I have to come up a new prim look, that is a lot easier to handle.  I will share the new booth with you when I get it finished.

10 comments:

  1. Thank's for sharing your pics. It's so reward to see how yourself and other evolve. Great tips! I can't agree more...let the people shop and take their lead if THEY want to talk.

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  2. My how you've grown over the years...you are so ambitious and motivated with all of your crafting....what do you sell your santas in the wreaths for approximately? I have some nice 12 inch alpine wreaths and would love to make those....thanks

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  3. Hi Sandy
    Your TODAY booth looks great..wish I could afford the air fare and come visit.. :0)

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  4. yes you have come a long way & you inspire me so ! my goal this year is to cram a You Are Special booth into a 12x12 tent LOL LOL , great tip on the sheets, not only do they fly up but they cause stuff to fly off the table with it LOL
    Helen

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  5. Thanks for posting this. One of my biggest pet peeves going into a booth is not having things priced. If there is no price, I don't buy. I shouldn't have to hunt down the owner and ask the price of anything.

    You sure have grown over the years! I know what you mean about a heavy booth, though. We had a booth that was so big and heavy for a while that it took more energy making the booth than it did putting the merchandise out.

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  6. You have a beautiful booth! I would push people over to get to it!! In my shop I deal with alot of "shy" customers. I have found a simple greeting works fine, I don't like to be stalked by a salesman either. Although I do find it rude when I greet someone and ask "how are you today" and they either ignore me or just say "fine" and walk off.

    I agree with having everything priced too. Speaking of price, I do have a question for you....what do you charge for your extra large wooden santa? It is beautiful!

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  7. As odd as it sounds I love the older pics it just shows how we and our tastes change over time. I look at mine and laugh a little. I totally agree about tryig to sell your work as soon as you step in a booth. I'm more shy and I don't like it done to me so I don't do it, and yea it makes not want to buy then. Looking forward to your new booth pics.

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  8. I love your today booth! That's a very nice spread, I can see myself spending quite a bit of time there. =]

    I will agree with you. Those are my two biggest pet peeves. If people start that or things aren't priced... I leave. I don't even mess with them.

    It's fun to look back over the years and see how you've grown. That's funny about the friend at the mall. I would have been embarrassed too!

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  9. As always I got some great, helpful information from reading your blog! We do however use sheets to cover our tables BUT A. We don't do outside shows, therefore they don't "blow". B. We make sure they come to the floor and cover EVERYTHING under the tables. C. We tea stained ours and the stamped them with primitive crows and such. So far they've worked well for us. We are planning to do some sewing and make the custom fit with the skirt and top all attached. This would prevent them blowing if we ever did do an outdoor show.

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  10. Well your today booth looks very nice, but I had to laugh when I saw your older booths. I used to do small craft shows when I did my tole painting and my booth looked just like your older ones....with the peg board. lol

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