Someone recently mentioned that they painted their shelves and panels a different color. This reminded me of something I've wanted to mention for a while. Pay attention to the color of your display and background. It can make a big difference in your sales. I use door panels in my booth as a background and wooden shelving. For many years, I used gallery gray. I did OK with that but I wondered if I could increase my sales by changing the color. I consulted with an interior designer who had me using shades of copper, rust, etc. My sales went down when I used these colors. I tried many different shades with the same results. I thought it was the economy and not my background color, until, on the suggestion of an artist friend, I changed to a shade of green or more specifically green with a touch of blue. Actually, I bought the color at Lowes from their mistake pile. The price was $5. The color was almost teal. My sales doubled immediately. When that ran out, I opted for a green with less blue and my sales increased even more.
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We started using a pipe and drape system after one particular show, so we don't have walls that needed painting ... Background ... Before one particular show a few years ago, there was customer standing in our neighbor's booth. She picked up one of his "widgets" and asked ME, while I was standing in my booth, "Is this a ___?" I said, 'Ma'm, you'll have to ask the man who is selling it. I have no idea." We also had people in our booth standing in front one of our tables (we were inside our boundary) reach over and pick up stuff off HIS table. NO MORE! That was so infuriating! Never again.
We immediately decided to do pipe and drape. So we do not have "walls" to paint. What we went with is a honey colored drape and black table covers that go to the ground. Those have worked so far. But how am I to know if another color would work better? People have told us it gives our booth an upscale look, kind of like a boutique, which is what I wanted.
We are going a little more rustic, casual now though. So since I cannot afford to just do away with all the drapes and table covers I am going to add other elements to bring out the rustic feel. We have some metal shelving (2 each of 2 different designs) that has a distressed look. We are working on a check out stand that will definitely be rustic in feel. We are doing some lighting around the perimeter of the booth to add a lighter, brighter affect.
What else would you suggest to add the rustic style without breaking the bank?
Rustic is fairly inexpensive. Different fabrics such as muslin, canvas, burlap, wooden crates, wood in general. I personally like rustic industrial, but that isn't the same thing.
It's different for everyone. I don't even remotely think that I could make a suggestion as to what to use as background, etc. It doesn't matter whether it's wood panels, drapes, pro panels, table covers, or, pedestals. The reason for a background, to me, is to block out all distractions, so that the customer/viewer only sees my work. Then, it's a matter of what color enhances the work for optimum sales. For me it was trial and error. As far as investing money into your booth, it only takes one successful show to pay for that upgrade.
One way to gage a successful booth change is to watch peoples reaction. If they are responding better to the work, you've done the right thing.
As alluded to above the main reason we went with the pipe and drape was to eliminate distractions, even from our well-intentioned neighbors. ;)
We have had positive feedback about our booth. This past spring a lady came in and was so thrilled with the way it looked, as she put it, "organized". She said that she looks for order and that many of the booths were too ... I think she said busy/cluttered looking. Never had someone been so specific before! LOL It made my heart sing to have that reaction. She spent plenty of time in our booth too.
We are trying to keep costs down where we can. We want to use reclaimed wood for our check out stand. Dh will pull wood planks from our fence because we want weathered look. (He will replace the fence with new fencing.)
Wow. That's amazing, Barry. I wonder if this translates to all types of art/craft we are selling or just to your particular art?
I am a believer in that, too, although I strive to keep my booth as light as possible in color because I want the customers to see my work as clearly as possible. We don't put walls up in my booth for that very reason, the more natural lighting the better.
Back in the late 80's I painted my booth mauve- and Barry is right on that- I had a real hit for awhile!
I'm adding a new glaze color in this year, and so I couldn't put off changing the paint color any longer.