I am not sure this topic is appropriate for this forum. If not, one of the mods can delete it.
I am thinking of having an open house to sell off some of my work. I am thinking of setting it for the first Saturday in December for a couple of reasons ...
1) Don't have to compete with Black Friday/Saturday
2) The house will be decorated for Christmas by then.
I thought I'd set up my tables, complete with table covers, and all the stuff I use on my tables for craft shows. I would have all my stuff displayed and ready for purchase, which is my preference .... or I could take orders.
I thought I would have discounts for mutiple purchases that are cash and carry ...
1) 2 sets of coasters for either $40 or $45 (normally would be $48). Can't decide on the amount.
2) 2 plaques for $18 or 3 for $25 (normally sell for $10/each)
Orders placed that day would have to be paid in advance and would receive no discount.
What do y'all think? Have you ever done an open house? I plan on advertising it through friends and family and on my facebook page. I would like to hear your thoughts. TIA
Replies
Cynthia, I just came across this link in our archives that may be helpful to you with some solid tips for putting this together: http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/now-heres-a-great-idea
Connie, I just tried the link and it seems to be broken. Or maybe I am after being up for 16 hours, driving 1.5 hours twice (round trip) and working a craft show from 9 AM-5PM? LOL
I just tested the link, Cynthia, and it worked again for me. Get some sleep and try again in the morning.
We just finished the first weekend of our two weekend Fall Open House and Studio Sale. It is one of the most successful things we do, and this is the sixth year we have done it. We started out with handmade signs made from recycled political yard signs we picked up on the morning after the election. That event was successful enough that we bought 20 professionally printed signs for the next fall and have reused them ever since. For the first 3-4 years, we raffled off a nice piece and used the tickets to build our mailing list. We now have a 650 name mailing list, send out a full color 6 x 9 postcard invitation with a "Collector's Club" discount. Our patrons look forward to it, and we make $3-4 thousand and get to sleep in our own beds each night.
Thanks for those additional ideas. Smart marketing. Those yard signs really work.
We used ours mostly to sell overstock at rock bottom prices. But one year we took over an empty storefront in our little downtown and I put together a boutique event for about five days and got work from some friends, then took a small commission. Again, a lot of work, but we all made some "extra" money.
I've done this and this is a good time of the year to do it, Cynthia. After all, the house is decorated (probably clean too) and people are shopping. It is way more work than setting up at an art fair though. You've got to fix the venue (your home), provide refreshments, move all the furniture, do the marketing. But it can be fun to host your potential clients in your home. I've even taken out an ad in the paper. We live on the main street in our town and I made a big sign for the front yard "open house." Of course some people came looking to just see the house because they thought it was for sale.
Another idea that I tried is I asked the local theatre (the only cultural arts group in our town) if they would put the info in their mailings and in return we would give them a per cent of the sales. It brought some people to the event that wouldn't have come otherwise. Do it!
Connie, thanks for your encouragement. I am having to reconsider my date. Our employees at our retail store (different from my craft business) chose to have the company Christmas party on Dec. 6, my target date for my open house. They really enjoyed having it at our home last year so we are doing that again. It will be a catered meal so I do not have to cook at all. The housekeeper will be there on Friday as usual. I just do not want to be too worn out from the open house, nor stressed over having two important events on the same day.
I am thinking of moving it to Saturday, November 15. This Saturday is already open for me, works around Black Friday but I won't be decorated by then.
Am I having undue concern about having it on the Saturday after Black Friday? How do you think potential shoppers would turn out for soemthing like this?
It all depends on your promotion, Cynthia. Why not? There are people who will be finished by Black Friday. Me, I'm usually finished by Dec. 31, so I'm not your target audience. Any weekend before the middle of December, although once you get into December people have social commitments it seems.
Start promoting it asap, as in "Save the Date" on your FB page and wherever else you think it might find your customers. Is there a community calendar in your newspaper? an arts section?
Might as well give it a try. People have garage sales and yard sales every weekend. In some places you need to pay a fee and have a permit to have a yard/garage sale...just make sure to check how it applies in your area...either way it will be lower overhead than having to pay a application fee and booth fee.
Well, this is going to be more upsccale than either a yard sale or garage sale. No flea market stuff. Only my product and maybe one friend who does handcrafted cards and similar items. It will be inside out of the weather in case it's not good. By invitation only sort of thing.
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