Blog

Does anyone do trunk shows?   If not I urge you to try one... or do a studio show that could be set up much the same way.

I just had my annual 2 day trunk show in my local town (population of the town and outlying district 800), hosted by a lovely lady who has the local giftware store.  Nice atmosphere - bright and welcoming.   Situated perfectly smack in the centre of the shopping street.   This was my 6th year and my 3rd venue.   As a rule it's always done well, but I think this was the best year.

I was given a space to set up as you enter the store with a shop window for the 2 days as well.   The cost to the store for hosting was nil as she was doing it to also bring people in to her store.  

We did a joint advertisement with the owner in the local paper ($50 each), sent out invitations to anyone in the local district that had bought from me in the last couple of years ($36 postage and $10 for the invites) and then did a flyer into locals letterboxes ($76) a few days before. 

It was set up as the first day 2-7pm as a 'client preview'.   We provided a few bottles of champagne and some sparkling water, cheese and crackers (cost about $60).  We tried to make it an "event".   And they sure turned out for it and were in the buying mood!  

The 2nd day was open for everyone 10am-5pm although lots of clients who couldn't come the first day came on the 2nd day. 

I was unsure how I'd go given the ongoing bad-news economy, however we have just had 130mm of rain in the last week and when you're selling to women who are on the land, rain always boosts expectations.  (Although there was so much rain some clients couldn't come as their creeks were up blocking the roads!). 

I'm pleased to say though I was busy for the whole 2 days - I DID take the camera but I was so busy I never managed to actually get it out of my bag and take a photo...sorry!

I started setting up around 10.30am the first day and had enquiries before I even had my tables put up!  It continued to about 6pm.  I thought that  was probably it and the second day would be quiet -  but people were waiting for me at 10am and the last left at 6pm.

The store owner was thrilled with her sales and the number of people through as well.

I had 34 sales comprising 65 items and have three orders yet to be made and costed.   Pieces sold ranged in price from $25 to $350.   The vast majority were previous customers so I'd already converted them to buyers in prior years so it wasn't hard to sell to them.   They were buying both gifts and something for themselves.  

I must add that I don't overwhelm the locals - this is my one show of the year.  I also have two displays in town (one gallery and one store) and people know where to find me the rest of the year if they want something.

Given Nel's recent thread about the spiralling costs of doing shows - I think a trunk/studio show is a good alternative and if you had a wide client base in different areas, you could travel around doing these types of events on a regular basis.

As most of you know, I'm in Australia.  And that the art fair/show scene is rather different here - there are very few art shows in my area as most artists sell their work through galleries, shops or exhibitions.   Shows (art & craft style) that restrict to handmade are not around me either.   Consequently I have to find other venues to sell my work at and this past weekend attended:

* a preschool "shopping night" fundraiser

* an open garden weekend on a rural property 20km out of a town.

Firstly, the preschool fundraiser.   I'm all for supporting local groups and having been a past board member of our local preschool thought I'd help by going along with my jewellery to this one.   It was more like a 'table' show - in a large hall with poor lighting and tables crammed together and went for 3 hours.  Wine and cheese was available to purchase.  55 people/businesses took a 'table' about half of which ws handmade.   They had pre-sold 200 tickets and sold more on the night.   The hall was poorly situated in town but at least parking was available.

Of the handmade contingent there were two artists - one doing framed work and one doing cards and the rest of 'handmade' fell into the crafts category (children's wear, children's accessories, toys, fabric bags amongst the decent items - candles, decorated small glass items and decorated stubby holders (for keeping a beer can cold, in case you don't have them) etc., amonst the lower end. )  There were 3 others there with jewellery but mine was higher end than the others.   The poor lighting actually helped me - I was the only one to request power, so had been put adjacent to a power switch to which I connected my lights and bingo - it was like moths to a flame!  

Attendees had to pay to get in - there was live entertainment as well (although I'm very glad I wasn't up that end as there were so many people milling around no one 'shopping' could get into their stalls!)

The cost of a table was low . It was about 150km away and I didn't stay the night, so the only other cost was fuel.  I sold about 25x table fee and had lots of enquiries for custom work.

The second event was an 'open garden'.  If you don't have those over there either, these are when keen gardeners open their garden to the public to come and view.   Overseen by the Open Garden Scheme Australia, there is only local publicity and gate takings (around $6pp) are donated to a charity of choice who also runs the gate and usually the food availablity too.   I knew the owner and she asked me to come along.  Only one other person was there selling and that was a garden stall with plants and garden accessories.  

Cost was a donation to the charity (I gave $100) and I gave a gift to the garden owner as a thank you.  It was about 50min drive from home.  I knew about 10% of the people that came past since it was close to local for me.

Traffic varied from a trickle to I don't know as I was too busy to see!   I took around 20x booth fee.   In fact, the second day felt like "the good old days" when people used to buy without thinking about the price too much!  The garden stall also did well.

Unfortunately, events like this are only once a year for me, but they are definitely worthwhile.  

Perhaps you don't have many shows where you live either.   Or perhaps shows aren't giving you the returns you need.   If so, where do you go with your work that aren't the usual sort of  "art fairs" or similar ?