Building Relationships

How is an arts/crafts show like dating?

A bad show is like a bad date – people look, talk, touch and then leave.

A good show is the same as a good dating experience – relationships get built, trust develops, laughter ensues.

Silly analogy, perhaps, but the biggest key for successful arts and crafts shows is the relationship between vendor/artist and customer.

My products need a little explanation. My quilts, pillow covers, totes and gift bags require some talking, some descriptions of the process used to create them, some demonstration of their multiple uses.

I was surprised at my last show to hear another vendor tell me I was at a disadvantage because I spend too much time “selling” my products. She, on the other hand, was happy her pottery didn’t need explaining so she could just sit back and relax. I prefer to think I have the advantage with a lot of talk and demonstration and opportunity to engage the customer. Isn’t “selling” why we’re at shows?

How many times do you see or read about vendors who ignore their customers until the point where money may change hands, who sit in the back of their booths reading, eating or talking on the phone, who send out such a bad vibe that customers walk out? They’re usually the ones to complain that a show was bad.

A show last year put my booth across from a guy who made beautiful mirrors that should have gotten a lot of attention. His artistry, the product’s quality and his pricing were all attractive. But he sat in the back with his i-pod on, rarely greeting potential customers, smiling or making eye contact. At the show’s end, he declared it terrible and vowed never to return. I, on the other hand, had my best show of the season. I went home with a sore throat from all the talking, but also with a lot of money.

I saw that artist at another show later in the summer, again ignoring customers and again complaining about how his bad sales had been, for that show and the entire summer.

I certainly don’t want to become Billy Mays nor do I want arts shows to be carnival-like with vendors barking their sales pitches, but I enjoy the personal interaction in showing off my products, helping someone find the perfect gift or accessory for their home and developing relationships that usually lead to additional sales in the future.