My first fair

[linkshouse]

It was the Westray Autumn Craft Fair yesterday and I took a table to see if I could sell some of my work.

I must say, being my first foray into selling my stuff, I attended with some trepidation.

But oh my! They cleared me out!

My wife and I came away chuffed to bits but somewhat shell shocked.

 

[NazNomad]

Nice one. I keep getting nagged by everyone to do something similar but I don't have the confidence.

If anyone asks me how much something is, I usually let them decide. :-(

 

[Claymore]

....

 

[CHJ]

Well done linkshouse, it's a boost to the self esteem and can come as a bit of a surprise, no doubt you will get some requests from folks who have purchased or passed on your details, if you are in a small community be prepared to think about different projects and a change of theme for new stuff before you do another one in the same venue, you can reach saturation point quickly.
Listen to 'customers' comments as to what or who they are buying for and going to do with them, it can be a guide to future production.

 

[linkshouse]

Nice one. I keep getting nagged by everyone to do something similar but I don't have the confidence.

If anyone asks me how much something is, I usually let them decide. :-(

You really should give it a bash Naz.

I was pretty anxious going into the event. I had visions of trying to discreetly get all my stuff back into the car without anyone noticing.

In truth we are all our own greatest critics. We look at our stuff and we see the mistakes (because we know where they are). Others tend to take a more stepped back view and just see the overall piece and think it's wonderful.

I can't encourage you enough to have a go. It is such a boost when someone buys your work.

After all there is no greater proof that the praise is genuine than parting with cash for it.

 

[linkshouse]

Great stuff Phill! not surprised you sold loads as you have a great selection of different stuff. I remember years ago doing a craft fair at Holmfirth and sat freezing for hours and sold 1 keyrack for £2.00 and when we went out to load all our stuff up into the car we had a sodding puncture!.

Oh dear!

I think part of the reason for my trepidation is that it was our local Industrial Show last month, with competitions for veggies, flowers crafts etc.

So, for the first time since we moved here 13 years ago, and with much encouragement I entered what I thought were my two best pieces (the Puffin and Heiland Coo feature in earlier posts).

They didn't even get placed!

I said that I wasn't bothered and that it is always the same old people that win every year (which at the risk of sounding bitter, it is!). But I can't pretend I wasn't a bit miffed,

Naz give it a go..... just put price tags on your items and it saves them asking how much, I`m the same as you we used to get asked how much and i usually said "ask my wife she has a list of prices" lol its a good time for craft fairs for xmas stuff so worth trying one Naz.

As per my last post... I would definitely recommend everyone to do this, I'm sure you won't be sorry.

Phill what was your best seller? its usually the one thing you think won`t sell and then you could have sold loads of them, get some made ready for the next fair.
Cheers
Brian

You're right Brian, things that people had "loved" prior to the fair, and that I thought would be popular didn't do well at all, and things that I nearly didn't take because I thought they were either sub standard or just plain didn't like, went like hot cakes.

The real shocker was...

I took that Stag Intarsia, mainly as a centre pice (and in honesty to thumb my noses at the Industrial Show committee :lol: ) and price it "not to sell" at £140. It sold, I was flabbergasted!

There is another fair in Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland next week. Unfortunately that requires a ferry and an overnight stay so makes it and expensive show to attend. With this in mind the local Craft Association have at joint table and are taking members items over to sell, so I'm sending a box of stuff over with them.

Sorry, everyone, long post.

Phill

 

[linkshouse]

Well done linkshouse, it's a boost to the self esteem and can come as a bit of a surprise, no doubt you will get some requests from folks who have purchased or passed on your details, if you are in a small community be prepared to think about different projects and a change of theme for new stuff before you do another one in the same venue, you can reach saturation point quickly.
Listen to 'customers' comments as to what or who they are buying for and going to do with them, it can be a guide to future production.

Thanks. You're right it was a real boost. To be honest I was genuinely in shock.

Good advice about saturation. I will need to think about what else to do.

The Christmas themed stuff went well so I guess that's no surprise and would need to be dropped at another time of year anyway. Other items that seemed to do well was boxes in various shapes and sizes.

Listening to people chatting, most seemed to be buying for other people, many for Christmas.

The small community as you mention is a concern, we live in an island with only 600 people on it including children so it is a limited audience. But there is a potentially much more lucrative audience which, although suggested to me, I had dismissed out of hand because I didn't think my work was good enough...

During the summer we have a pretty regular stream of cruise liners calling at Kirkwall disgorging literally thousands of tourist with with lots of money to spend (after all they're cruise liner passengers). When they arrive it is "heaving" in Kirkwall. We usually try to avoid going over on cruise days because it is so busy. Anyway, the local craft groups have stalls on the pier for them that want to get rid of their money :roll: it may be worth biting the bullet and going over for the odd day next summer.

Sorry everyone, another long post.

Can you tell I'm excited :shock:

Phill

 

[Homerjh]

looks good, made me laugh though, you have found the same templates for the Xmas present and star tealight holders that i have used. out of interest how much did they sell for?



I was going to try a craft fair but bit late now as only got limited stuff, but your table looks good, and plenty for the eye.

Always think that a lot of the same is boring, so you see tables full of almost identical items, on first scan you have seen everything so move along, but on your table there are lots to look at so people may take a bit longer, and then this encourages them to look a bit closer at the items and once engaged more likely to buy.

 

[linkshouse]

looks good, made me laugh though, you have found the same templates for the Xmas present and star tealight holders that i have used. out of interest how much did they sell for?

£4.50 but the present one didn't sell. To be honest I didn't really think it would. It's not really obvious what it is. Perhaps cut outs in the bow might help. I might put some in and see if it fairs better at the Christmas Fair in December.

I was going to try a craft fair but bit late now as only got limited stuff, but your table looks good, and plenty for the eye.

Always think that a lot of the same is boring, so you see tables full of almost identical items, on first scan you have seen everything so move along, but on your table there are lots to look at so people may take a bit longer, and then this encourages them to look a bit closer at the items and once engaged more likely to buy.

Yes I think a variety definitely helps.

It works well for me, and I suspect many other on here too, in as much as I don't do this for income and don't want to or it stops being a hobby and starts being a chore.

Rather, I make what I want and so that tends to be different things to try out different ideas and experiences. Then I end up with so much stuff that i have t get rid of it. Selling it just makes sense.

Regards

Phill

 

[Alexam]

Well done Phill, that's the way to do it. I haven't done any shows myself as I wouldn't want to sit around for hours on a stall, but you seem to have cracked it. Now get working on the next lot.

Malcolm

 

[Bm101]

Congratulations. I bet you had a nice day of it to boot. Maybe the best thing to come out of it was the realisation that you can do more in the future. Longest journeys, small steps and all that. Enjoying this thread. Nice positive one. Thanks for sharing. I traveled up to Orkney once. Most 19 year old lads go to Magaluf, me and my mate Nick went to Orkney. Had a fantastic time and we were looked after very well by some wonderful people. Not sure they knew what to make of us but nevertheless they were lovely to a person with us as young lads at least. You'll not be getting much locally felled timber I'm guessing? Bit Windy for trees an' that. All the Best.
Regards
Chris

 

[beganasatree]

Hi Phill.
Well now that you have taken the first step it now starts to get easier.You at least went to the fair,I did'tor the second one I let Janette and my stepdaughter do them.I went to the third one and I now look forward to the next one.Keep ringing the changes and give them something different and ENJOY IT.

Peter.

 

[linkshouse]

Well done Phill, that's the way to do it. I haven't done any shows myself as I wouldn't want to sit around for hours on a stall, but you seem to have cracked it. Now get working on the next lot.

Malcolm

It wasn't too bad as the it was only open for 2 hours.

Phill

 

[linkshouse]

Congratulations. I bet you had a nice day of it to boot. Maybe the best thing to come out of it was the realisation that you can do more in the future. Longest journeys, small steps and all that. Enjoying this thread. Nice positive one. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. Yes it was nice event but to be fair we didn't see much as we were so busy :roll: .

I traveled up to Orkney once. Most 19 year old lads go to Magaluf, me and my mate Nick went to Orkney. Had a fantastic time and we were looked after very well by some wonderful people. Not sure they knew what to make of us but nevertheless they were lovely to a person with us as young lads at least. You'll not be getting much locally felled timber I'm guessing? Bit Windy for trees an' that. All the Best.
Regards
Chris

We're on Westray one of the smaller northern isles (600 inhabitants), we moved up here 13 years years ago and, like you, found everyone very friendly and welcoming.

We love it here, the only problem is the pace of life is so laid back that every time we do go down South we like it less and less. Everything/one is so busy and in such a hurry! I used to commuted up and down the M6 between Burton on Trent and Manchester on a daily basis. Whenever we're stuck in traffic down south I think back and think I must have been mad!

Sorry folks, little off topic ramble.

Phill

 

[linkshouse]

Hi Phill.
Well now that you have taken the first step it now starts to get easier.You at least went to the fair,I did'tor the second one I let Janette and my stepdaughter do them.I went to the third one and I now look forward to the next one.Keep ringing the changes and give them something different and ENJOY IT.

Peter.

Thank you Peter.

Well the next local fair is on December 5th but I don't think we'll have anything for it!

But, bolstered on by this success we decided that we might take the plunge and take a table at the county show next August. This is a big show in Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland so will be an all day job. I may need to go in the night before so it is a pretty big commitment, but if it works out as well as our tiny island fair did it could be very worthwhile.

Phill