It has been some time!
I've been busy with work, shows and life in general but have often thought about what my next blog post should be about. This year was the first year that I dove deep into the Arts & Crafts world in Toronto and the GTA and learned many things that I thought would be useful to share with anyone interested in being involved in these types of shows. So far, I have done four shows and none were overly successful for many reasons and I have about four more in the upcoming weeks and months and hope to fill some more vendor spots for shows in the winter time. Here is what I have learned thus far:
Ask A Lot of Questions
Whenever I have applied to be a vendor at a show, it's usually been through ads on Kijiji or Craigslist and some were referred to me. When I applied, I was so excited about the chance to participate and was also quite green in the field and really didn't ask any/the right questions. It is so important to know many things about the show before going in (and paying hefty table/booth rental fees) to see if it would be worth it for you and the items that you sell. I've heard that juried shows are good as they are extremely selective. Some questions that would be good practice to ask are:
- Is this the first show at this venue/in this area?
- Is this the first show that you have organized?
- In past, how much foot traffic was there at this show?
- What kind of advertising will be done to promote the show?
- Will there be other vendors there that are selling the same/similar products to mine?
- Is there an admission fee for attendees?
These are a few examples of questions that will give you an idea as to whether this type of show is for you. Another thing that I learned is that higher booth/table costs does not necessarily mean a more successful show. In fact, the less I paid for a table the better the show was!
Get to Know the Other Vendors
I have learned so much from other vendors that I have met through these shows. Many were so experienced and attended shows as vendors on pretty much a full time basis. Heed their sage advice, they really know their stuff. Another thing that is good practice is to message/email the vendors at shows you would like to apply to be a vendor at prior to applying to the show. Ask them if they have done the show before, or worked with that event organizer/planner and if they have any feedback. One thing I would be wary of is a show where every vendor is new and has not done the show in the past or if none of the vendors have worked with the organizer/planner before. This may mean that the organizer is new and may not be experienced or it could mean that they have done shows in the past that were unsuccessful and prior vendors are not willing to work with them again. Any vendor that I have met has been gracious, helpful and overall really nice. They understand what it takes to prepare for a show, go in with high hopes and have high expectations met or be dissapointed, so no one is really out to screw you over and there really feels like there is a great sense of community with vendors. You are all there for the same reason.
Join Vendor Social Media Pages/Communities
I have joined some vendor community pages on Facebook and they have been a really fantastic resource. An open forum to ask questions, get advice and read feedback on shows from vendors has proven to be a really useful tool in weeding out shows/organizers that have had a negative review. I have had a really positive experience with it and as I mentioned earlier, the vendor community is very supportive and I sense that everyone really wishes their fellow vendor success in their endeavours. Something to look out for however, is that many organizers/planners of shows are also members of those pages. If you post a question, check to see whether the person answering that question is coming from a vendor or a planner/organizer. Although both perspectives are good ro hear from, sometimes you want to get feedback from another vendor who wants the same end result from a show, to sell their products and make good connections. The planner has already made their money from you prior to the show commencing, so their objective may not be the right one for you when asking certain questions on the open forum. It is also good to give your feedback on positive/negative experiences so that other vendors can be aware of a great opportunity or know what to stay away from.
Help to Promote the Show You Will Be At
Post the shows on your social media, email your contacts and tell people. Maybe even have a 'show sale' to bring more of your contacts out. Don't just advertise that you will be there, promote your fellow vendors as well and mention them. If someone doesn't want to shop for your items, they may be interested in other vendors and drawing in a crowd is always good.
Don't Go For Broke
When I first started applying to shows, I was willing and ready to pay whatever just to participate. This has cost me since I wasn't asking the right questions when I applied and the shows were not successful for me and my items. Do your research before you send any money to any organizer/planner, see if it's the right fit for you, ask other vendors that are participating lots of questions and ensure that you are not getting ripped off. That unfortunately does happen, it's a sad reality for vendors and has happened to me. Do research on the organizer/planner. Do they have a website or social media page? Are there pictures of their past events on their website/social media? Do they have any testimonials? Etc.
Don't Take It Personally
These shows can be hit or miss. Don't take it personally if you don't do well, it happens. It doesn't mean that your items suck, it just means this wasn't the right show for you. Although the shows I did were not a huge success, the best part about them was networking and meeting different vendors. This year was trial and error for me and I think I am still trying to find the niche market for my items. Keep trying and keep your head up, better days are ahead.
I hope some of this was useful and I will update you all when I learn new things and experience more with the upcoming shows I have.
Happy summer everyone and thanks for reading!
-Netti, The Vintage Teacup Lady