Sales and Success Are Around Every Turn
onversations
with exhibitors at wholesale and retail shows recently have shown me that
flexibility, ingenuity and creativity are three of the keys to success in
the current crafts market.
An artist at one show said when sales are low she either applies to a wholesale show or “gets in the car and drives.” Quizzed about the latter technique, the artist explained that she keeps all her back issues of The Crafts Report filed by month to capitalize on the magazine’s Regional Reviews that cover the same region in the same month each year.
The artist says she chooses a geographical area she has not previously visited and piles the magazines for that region on the seat of her car. Then she drives around visiting the retailers mentioned in the Regional Galleries section. When I wondered aloud how many other readers use this section as their personal “arts trail,” the exhibitor said, “They’re crazy if they don’t; I’ve gotten a lot of my accounts that way.”
The value of keeping your line fresh and your creativity at work was obvious when I talked to another exhibitor at a wholesale show. She had just written up $1,000 worth of her newest line for a retailer who also sells the artist’s older work in the same gallery.
And when looking for an advantage to beat your competition, it pays to try every avenue no matter how remote. One artist at the Buyers Market of American Craft says she called at the last minute on June 30 and was told she could have a booth space on July 3. Another artist says the promoter of a show in Ann Arbor, Mich., called him to offer a space even though he hadn’t applied at all.
As I write this, I have already talked to some of the artists I will be seeing in Ann Arbor. Most exhibitors seem enthusiastic and hopeful as they plan to sell among the 1,800-plus craft vendors expected at the four-days of shows there. The possibility of rain or excessive heat was a primary concern, but even that looks unlikely to spoil the event as the weather forecasters promise temperatures in the mid-80s and mostly fair skies for the rest of the week there –– a picture-perfect scenario for an arts and crafts fair.
Speaking of Regional Reviews, we have been delighted here at The Crafts Report to receive many press releases and images from retailers around the country for inclusion in our reviews and gallery lists. Just remember to send them as soon as possible, since we prepare these sections three months before the issue date. Some gallery owners wait until the month for that region to send their information — and that is too late!
And finally, when sending e-mails, make sure the town and state are noted somewhere in the press information. Many correspondents send in exciting and interesting news about their galleries or exhibits, but never say where the venue is located. Instead, the location is given as the name of a building, or the name of a street or a section of a town. Unless we are already familiar with the business or town, we unfortunately have no idea where the event is scheduled. When we are processing hundreds of releases each month, the extra step of checking back to get the town and state can mean the difference in whether the information gets used in time or at all.
