enJOY it

This weekend was my first attempt at hosting a table at a craft fair.

After 24 hours, I feel like I have started to figure out what I loved about it and what I did completely wrong. While it would be easy to share a few photos and say "it was great!", I would like to lift the curtain a bit. Please understand I am not asking for love, pity or advice, I just want to share my honest realizations.

The event was held at Space 4 Art in downtown San Diego. They were hosting an open gallery event, three live bands and plenty of food and drink. A group of fourteen local crafters, led by Susie of Boygirlparty and Dain of Dainty Handcrafted, jumped in on the excitement and held a craft show in one of the classrooms.

From 6-10 PM the center was open and it was packed. I was shocked at the amount of people and the good energy. ART IS GOOD. This I know. It was so exciting to be able to be a part of it. I really loved meeting the other vendors. (Long live handmade.) And enjoyed seeing and meeting so many people who came out to support.

That's the good stuff. Seriously, it was a lot of good stuff and it out weighed what's coming which I would like to call… LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

To start, Paul was on call Saturday which meant he spent the night at the hospital and couldn't make the set up, the actual event or the take down. I knew this going into it. I was bummed, he was bummed, but there was nothing to be done. I figured I would go it alone.

LAME PLAN.

I should have asked for help. I needed a real life teammate. Like my mom. Or one of my girlfriends from LA. Someone who I could have been honest with and who would have been honest with me. Someone to help carry bags and boxes. Someone to guard my table while I escaped to the bathroom or wandered the gallery.

LESSON ONE : You need a teammate, a backup, a shoulder, a friend.

Secondly, I needed a much better display plan. One reason I have been hesitant to sell at craft shows is #1 : I didn't have enough inventory and #2 : I sell to a niche. Mixed paper books are a niche. They are awesome and perfect on the internet where I can show samples to people who love little books like I do. But in a small booth of a crowed room in front of a non-niche customer it's so much more difficult to get the idea across.

BUT I KNEW THIS.

So I thought since I have added prints and posters I would be able to cast a wider net. And that was true. The prints and posters are better sellers in a non-niche market. But I failed to make them FRONT AND CENTER of the booth. I had my prints in trays that had to be flipped through to see the options. I had a chart for the posters so people could see what was available but very few actual posters visible.

LESSON TWO : Every print (or close to it) should be faced. The wall space should be used to showcase as many poster options as possible.

THE GOOD NEWS : This show cost $20 to enter. I could have spent a lot of money to get into a larger show and have come out way behind. Here, I came out with evidence of areas to improve. I think I will try one more show with my adjustments and see how things go before I become an all-internet-all-the-time girl. Because, bottom line, I did make a little money. And I met really cool people. And it was important that I got out of my comfort zone.

THE BEST NEWS : I am beginning to think it was neccesary to get a bit knocked down too. Today, I have felt a completely different fire under me to make this small business of mine stronger. That is exciting. And seriously … LONG LIVE HANDMADE.

If you are newly visiting and we met at the show, Hi! Thank you for stopping by. I hope you'll stay and read awhile. If you are a regular visitor, Hi! Thank you for continuing to come back. I am glad I have a place to share the ups and downs.