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Get More Out of Your Wholesale Craft Show Experience

How? Embrace the following 10 tips for success at your next shows—and we promise you'll see immediate results. Don't delay; success starts here!

1. Display All Prices and Sales Terms Clearly — Buyers at a wholesale show don't have the time to search your booth for prices. Make it easy for your buyers to know what to expect when buying from you—label your prices clearly! A common misconception is that not displaying your prices encourages buyers to speak to you, however; most buyers will simply continue walking if they don't see your price points right away. Always display your prices clearly!
   
2. Spruce Up Your Display — Create an engaging booth that will attract buyers' attention. Use color to pull all of the visual components (your work, your signage, your flooring) of your booth together. Your booth is not a work of art—what you are selling in your booth is-so choose color(s) that look great and reinforce your brand, but do not overpower.
3. Light It Up — Buyers want to get to know your products before buying them. Good lighting is lighting that is almost unnoticed and illuminates your work beautifully. Your lighting should strike a perfect balance—not too bright and not too dim.
4. Listen to Your Buyers — Listen to what buyers are telling you. Try to find a way to match your products to their needs.
5. Stand Up and Close Sales — Standing up and making eye contact will put visitors to your booth at ease, making a sale easier to close. Hiding behind your display or sitting down can intimidate a buyer or make them uncomfortable. Be your greatest asset and embody elements of superb salesmanship. When it comes to sales, remember your ABCs: Always Be Closing!
6. Look Busy — Motion attracts attention. Dust off your booth or make minor adjustments to your display. Buyers will be interested in your products when they see you showing an interest in your display.
7. Believe in Your Work — Your enthusiasm for your work will help buyers visualize how they will sell it to their customers.   Enthusiasm is contagious and buyers will leave feeling good about your products, whether they make a purchase or not.
8. Promote Your Work Before the Show — Prior to the show send
   e-mail and postcard reminders to your buyers with your booth number on them. Offer an incentive: market a special discount to anyone who brings the e-mail or postcard to your booth, or a raffle for one of your pieces for everyone who drops off a business card. Marketing your show presence to your established and prospect buyers is essential—and will result in higher sales!
9. Ask about Promotional Opportunities — Ask the show promoter if you can participate in any promotional opportunities. Many shows offer co-operative mailing programs and special advertising opportunities in the show's buyers guide. Get your name and your work in front thousands of buyers before they even set foot on the show floor.
10. Follow up on Leads — Collect information from everyone who enters your booth. Even if a buyer doesn't make a purchase at the show, follow up with them after the show. Cultivation is an essential sales tool—always follow up and put effort towards converting interest in your work to a sale.

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES:

Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month!
October is National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM), a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America. Coordinated by Americans for the Arts, National Arts and Humanities Month is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. From arts center open houses to mayoral proclamations to banners and newspaper articles, communities across the United States can participate and help their citizens pay attention to the cultural gems surrounding them. Visit the NAHM website for tips and ideas on how to celebrate the arts and humanities in your community. For more information about National Arts and Humanities Month, e-mail nahm@artsusa.org.

Bring the Arts Business Institute to Your Town!
Are your local arts organizations or schools interested in co-sponsoring a local Arts Business Institute workshop? The National Endowment for the Arts and several other generous sponsors have provided matching funds for the expansion of the 2007 Arts Business Institute (ABI) workshop calendar. Scholarships are available. The deadline for Summer/Fall 2007 event proposals is November 15, 2006. For more information contact Kelly Francisco at info@ArtsBusinessInstitute.org.

Considering Wholesale? Become a Visiting Artist!
Are you considering wholesale for your business? Visit the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft as a Visiting Artist. The Visiting Artist Program provides artists the opportunity to explore the wholesale marketplace before joining it as a wholesale exhibitor. With educational seminars designed specifically for artists, guided marketplace tours, and the opportunity to ask questions and network with Buyers Market staff, seasoned exhibitors and other Visiting Artists, the Visiting Artist Program provides the information artists need to take their business to the next level. Register today for the upcoming Visiting Artist Program, February 16-19, 2007, at the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft, and walk away energized and ready to absorb a new outlook for your business! For more information, e-mail info@rosengrp.com with subject line: Visiting Artist.

PUBLIC RELATIONS LEAD:

If you are interested in pursuing this lead, please e-mail danielw@rosengrp.com with "PR Opportunity" in the subject line.

PRODUCTS : Hair Accessories—Freelancer (US)
Hair accessories: This freelance writer is in need to write about four to six different hair accessories, such as barrettes, decorative bobby pins, scrunchies, clip-on flowers, hair bands, etc. I need to list specific products and brand information. This is for a national magazine for pregnant women.
Deadline: October 16, 2006

Responses will be collated by The Rosen Group and forwarded to the journalist(s) for consideration. To be considered all responses must include: artist name; company name; contact phone number; e-mail address; web site (where available); the title of the work or product line; and a brief description. Space is limited and responses are forwarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY:

Don’t miss your chance to advertise in the Winter 2007 issue of NICHE magazine- a special issue celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Buyers Market of American Craft. NICHE magazine is the only magazine published exclusively for craft art galleries, main street stores and small retail businesses, specifically to connect them to the finest wholesale crafts, handmade gifts and decorative art objects made in artist studios throughout the United States and Canada. Deadline to reserve space in the NICHE 's Winter 2007 issue is November 10, 2006. For more information about advertising, contact NICHE's advertising department.  

Quote of the Month:

The future depends on what we do in the present.
- Mahatma Gandhi