The season of craft fairs, art shows, and outdoor festivals is right around the corner. I already have several shows booked, ones I'm very excited about and others that lead to some anxiety. Whatever the case I'm signed up, accepted (though waiting to hear from a couple yet) and trying to hunker down and get myself ready for a crazy-busy summer! My thoughts today are on the preparation that goes into an art festival.
Having attended many shows as a patron I often didn't put any thought into what must have occurred before that big day or weekend. I'd stroll through the throngs of people stopping at booths that caught my eye, enjoying the atmosphere and all teh handmade goodies. Sometimes it would be the vibrant colors against the backdrop of the white canopy taht would catch my eye, or the unique wares that hypnotically drew me in to fondle and caress their texture. Sometimes it was simply the display, the way the artist or crafter strategically placed their product in a way that was often as interesting as the art itself. I seldom thought of the work or creativity that went into that set-up. Trust me though...I get it now!
As I am only a couple weeks away from my first big show of the season I am once again stressing about my display. I stress about having enough space on a 6' table. I worry about lighting and concern myself with whether or not my layout looks like an appealing store window display or a cluttered and chaotic garage sale. I want my lay out to represent what I create just as much as the jewelry I am there to sell. So I admit that I probably put too much thought into all this booth creation business, but there it is. With that said and after much research, this is some of what I've learned.
Looks matter! I was not unique in my subconsciously being drawn to certain booths at craft fairs while I simply walked by others, not really giving them a second glance. A booth display does not only need to be creative, but it also should be neat, clean, attractive and organized. Storage containers and boxes used to carry everything to these shows need to be tucked away sight unseen. Art and craft shows can sometimes be sensory overload, so when you slip inside a booth the chaos needs not follow you there. It's important to get the looker...to be a stopper!
Props. Props are a great tool to make your booth stand out. Utilizing props to create a theme that revolve around your craft is essential. You want to create an atmosphere that grabs the shopper's interest and keeps it. I found that multi-levels within my display really creates an interesting look, keeping in mind that eye level pieces are what customers see first. However too many props, or props that over shadow the product you are selling easily become confusing and will quickly send your potential buyer back into the crowds without spending a dime.
It's important that once your booth is set up to take a step back and observe it from your customer's point of view. Is it appealing and clear as to what you sell? What will they see as the focus, what can't they see? Take pictures also, it really does give you a different perspective. I have pictures of my display at every show I've been at. I originally had black jewelry busts and displays, after the first show I looked at the pictures I took and was shocked. I couldn't see any of the jewelry displayed! Why? Because most of what I created was made with antiqued brass. The dark chains simply got lost on those black displays. I now have a soft cream color set-up that really makes my jewelry 'pop'. Talk about learning the hard way!
Boothmanship. Craft fairs and art festivals are a perfect vehicle for the public to connect with the artist. People love these events, they enjoy the idea of buying unique handmade local art with a little personal touch of the story that goes with the piece. This requires you to remain interactive and keep a smile on your face while standing for long hours. It's not as easy as it seems. Knowing how to be an engaging and personable salesperson without being pushy is not for everyone. But YOU are your display AND your art.
Of course there are many other aspects to a booth display like signage and marketing materials, the amount of product in your display, lighting, product touchability, etc. But despite all the research I've done, my best tools have come from experience and learning from my mistakes. I still have lots more to learn, but that's OK because I have a lot more shows to do!
To prove I still have things to learn, below is a shot of my last display. Changes still coming though!
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And here are a few new pieces I have recently finished
