As Florida residents my wife and I do shows here from Oct to May with the exception of the One of A Kind in Chicago. The fall season is always a mixed bag. This year Jan shows were up for us over the previous 2 years, this trend continued into Feb. We had our best Mt Dora ever followed by a good show in Estero. Then it seemed the bottom kind of dropped out here. We had a series of poor shows in Sarasota, Venice, Bonita Springs and Naples. Hopefully upcoming events in Delray Beach, Melbourne and Lakeland are much better. Otherwise we are really looking forward to heading north in June for some summer shows. Best of luck to all of us out there trying to get by in a tough time.
I handed out about 200 cards at the March Bonita Springs show. I've made two sales since the show, but one was to a couple who bought one piece from me in my booth and called me later to order two more.
I always tell people, yes, I have a website, but it's a better deal to buy from me at the shows, because the prints you buy on the website aren't matted (which is true). Doesn't seem to make much difference, most of the time.
I understand that folks who encounter you at the beginning of a show may want to browse..that was the case in Bonita, as i was just inside the entrance. At the very least I write my booth # on the back of the cards I hand out. Seems to help with be-backs a little.
I do have a website, but in answer to "do you have a card" I say, "No, I only sell at shows and art galleries". They'll either decide to get more serious at a show or walk away (which they would have done, anyway). In all the years I gave out cards I never got one sale out of it!
"Have you got a card?" my favorite exit line. "Do you have a website?" is a close second. We do not sell off our website at present as the work is ever changing etc, but I am thinking of putting some items up with higher prices than at the shows, then using that as a sales incentive to buy at the show and save cost and shipping as well.
Comments
I handed out about 200 cards at the March Bonita Springs show. I've made two sales since the show, but one was to a couple who bought one piece from me in my booth and called me later to order two more.
I always tell people, yes, I have a website, but it's a better deal to buy from me at the shows, because the prints you buy on the website aren't matted (which is true). Doesn't seem to make much difference, most of the time.
I understand that folks who encounter you at the beginning of a show may want to browse..that was the case in Bonita, as i was just inside the entrance. At the very least I write my booth # on the back of the cards I hand out. Seems to help with be-backs a little.
I do have a website, but in answer to "do you have a card" I say, "No, I only sell at shows and art galleries". They'll either decide to get more serious at a show or walk away (which they would have done, anyway). In all the years I gave out cards I never got one sale out of it!