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While we've talked about booth design, themes and merchandising there's a few other items that cannot go left unmentioned. What I am talking about is the use of good lighting, flooring and canopies. Bear with me if you feel you have this part down pat or this doesn't apply to you – I still might be able to surprise even the most veteran of art fair exhibitors with the following tips and ideas. Note: The photo provided is of my own display with my new Trimline canopy and flooring. I didn't use lighting as you can see, it was a sunny day.

In the past, I really didn't see a need for lighting or a canopy. When I first started out, I did indoor shows and didn't understand why a canopy or why shelling out more money for electricity to have a lamp or two, or why should I have something on the floor of my booth was necessary. It wasn't until I saw a few great booth displays that I had my ah-ha moment. What I saw was well lit booths drew more customers as light made objects pop. Good flooring helped your feet feel comfortable when standing all day long. Then when I decided venturing out and wanting to do outdoor events, a canopy was a must as it is a kind of insurance against the elements. So I was left a bunch of questions on which is best for me.

In my search I learned there are such things as bad canopies and lighting. It is still a learning process as even as recent as this past summer (July 2009) I had to get a new canopy. I must say if you are just starting out and have an idea of what you want your booth to look like, it is only at this point you should think about crossing this bridge or else you could find yourself waisting time and money.

Lighting

There are a couple of types and styles of lighting to consider such as wattage, where to place it, and what kind. When it comes to wattage, some shows limit the amount of wattage to prevent fires or short circuits. Most experts recommend using anywhere from 500-1,200 watts to illuminate a 10x10 booth and several smaller lights is better than one or two bigger ones. Placing the lights at a distance above the heads of your customers yet angled so they don't create shadows and light up your work is ideal. Track lighting works if you want light to shine down, from the top of your canopy as well as clamp on lights which can be found at hardware stores, office supply stores, IKEA, Wal-Mart, and Target as well as online display lighting companies such as www.brightmandesign.com . Do look into the differences of tungsten and halogen lights might have on your work as some lights work well for primitive style crafts while others are better for 2D artwork and jewelry.

Flooring

Good flooring will not only make you and your customers feet happy standing for long hours at a time, but also enhances your display too. Flooring can come in different styles like 8x10 carpeting, fake grass or bamboo mats, and anti-fatigue mats. Well, worth trying if you haven't already.

Canopies

Canopies have come a long way since the 1970's. Canopies now come in different prices yet in two standard styles: pop-up or dome. EZ-Up's and Caravan's are most common at shows. However, the ones that last the longest are the dome canopies such as the ones offered by Trimline. I own a Trimline and love it. For me, it is by far the best on the market as it is reliable and the design is very sturdy. Despite the expense, I can even set it up by myself. There are many art/craft message boards where people freely share their experiences about the canopies they have used – I highly recommend doing this to learn more about the different canopies in the marketplace. Lastly, when you have purchased your canopy take the time and set it up a couple of times before your next show. It can be very tricky or confusing to do at first, however you can't afford to waste it figuring out how to set one up when time is ticking during set-up time at a show. The next question will be all about how to attract people into your booth using the five senses.

While we have been on the topic of booth design, I feel the subject of effective merchandising needs to be addressed. Merchandising and booth display needs to go hand in hand.

Question 4 – What is merchandising and what are some effective merchandising techniques?

Merchandising is a common term used in the retail business. It is all about the way the merchandise is presented to maximize visibility and accessibility. Poor merchandising can wreck even the best booth displays. Some examples of poor merchandising includes piling items on top of another either in a bin or on a flat table, poor lighting, work displayed too high or low, too much visual noise, and dirty or unorganized displays. A customer, who has never seen your work before, will judge your work by the way it is displayed well before they even really look at your work. Take off the rose colored glasses and ask yourself what is going on in my booth when people enter it? If they are only staying in the booth for under thirty seconds, you may want to explore new ways of displaying your work differently.

For great merchandising to occur, there are two basic elements to follow: simplicity and organization/neatness. Look in print ads or even specialty gift shops and you'll see these elements. Simplicity is all about displaying one's work where the product is the only thing people see, nothing else. To achieve simplicity in a booth, some ideas include using clear acrylic risers, stacked crates, garment racks, good signage, and minimal use of furniture. If your booth requires the use of tables, raise them up to become counters. The use of clear acrylic risers, leg extenders, crates or table topper displays are very effective as well. Garment racks or waterfall grid wall displays provide a perfect way to show off knitted sweaters, scarves, even purses.

In most cases, you only have a 10x10 space – not much room for an elaborate display, so don't force it! Customers should feel as if they are in a boutique or gallery, not a flea market, when they approach your booth. Not only will a cluttered display limit the amount of customers in your booth at one time, but prevent them from wanting to touch items for fear of breakage too. You want people to touch your work. They will more likely buy it if they do. Items displayed well will encourage a touch response and, for a one-two punch, put your price labels on the bottom or back of your craft work. This will force customers to touch and notice the craftsmanship that goes into your work making for an easier way to sell your work, right?

Signage, such as simply made small signs - 3x5 index cards or smaller with short phrases, will romance a customer. Signs can include the story of the item such as materials used in making it (wood turners take note), name of the piece and price, testimonials, or reasons why people buy should buy a particular piece of art. For example, a note stating “our best seller” is very attractive to customer who cannot make up their mind.

The next question in the series will focus on lighting, flooring, and canopies – oh my. As we progress, through this series, we'll begin tackling questions focusing on product development – including pricing ones work, customer service techniques, marketing your work before, during and after art fairs, and so much more. Do you have additional questions regarding merchandising? Leave a comment or email me at mksholund@gmail.com and I will personally respond! - Michelle Sholund

The next question in this series expands on what was covered in Question 1&2. Now lets talk about booth theme and creating your look using display furniture.

Question 3. What is booth theme and where can “I” find the right display furniture to emulate my theme best suited for the medium I work in?

What is booth theme? The theme of a booth is the environment customers physically enter into to experience ones work allowing for an easy transition from work to booth display in order to create a positive and comfortable buying environment that features ones work, not over powers it. If you have more people saying “wow nice booth” over “what beautiful artwork you have” then may have fallen into this pitfall.

Some common themes are visible in everyday places where you shop or eat. Visit your favorite shops and restaurants and see what theme they are trying to represent. What makes Victoria's Secret feminine and classy? What eco-friendly themes are visible with salons and spas? What makes shabby chic styles what they are at home décor boutiques? Maybe you see a cozy cabin/nature retreat like Caribou Coffee? The idea is when a customer enters a booth it is almost like they are transported to a different place where their troubles are melted away and in the mind frame to shop. Really look at what you create and think about what it tells you – what theme direction are you going in? For instance, leather-work, like belts or purses, may best housed in an environment that is rich looking with nice neutral earth tones and using accessors such as horse or cow hide.

Like mediums will sell with like display furniture. Wood sells well when displayed on wooden tables or shelving. Photographs and other 2D work are great displaed using grid wall or on panels (such as that offered by ProPanels.com) with additional prints housed in a photo bin nearby. Museum type pieces, like sculptures, are ideal on pedestals. Fabric art should be hanging or draped (like silk scarves) rather than messy and displayed in a bin. Pottery is great relaxing on wooden shelving painted black or white or perched on pedestals depending on the type of pottery/ceramic pieces. Using the right display furniture will make you look very professional rather than as an amateur craft artist.

Where can one purchase these display fixtures? First, use the resources you have already – display furniture you own already for instance. There are some great finds at local auctions, businesses that are going out of business, yard sales, antique shops as well as through Craigslist.com . When you have exhausted these resources, it is time to look into websites that specialize in retail display fixtures. Many of these places have ads in art/craft publications or can be found through some simple web searches. A few that I have found, that may work for you, are www.woodlandmarketing.com and www.kddisplay.com for wooden displays, www.warnerusa.com and www.fetpak.com for jewelry displays, as well as www.kc-store-fixtures.com for everything else (including gridwall). These business are only the tip of the iceberg as to many others that specialize in all types of display fixtures.

Lastly, when looking at getting display furniture and accessories for your booth remember that this is easily transportable. Too many times I see exhibitors about to erect a house rather than a booth and carry more display stuff than art work to shows – is this really wise? If you are one person doing these shows, make sure the display is light and easy to set up as well as fit in your vehicle. Rule of thumb, you should be able to have your display up within 1 hour and the rest of the time devoted to merchandising. Next blog topic will cover merchandising tips.

Note: The photo is one I took of from Best Booth Display award winner Sugar Hill (out of VA) from the Summer Four Seasons Fine Art and Craft Market in 2008.

40 Questions Blog Series: Question 1&2 – Developing your Booth Display Style

To kick off the Blog Series called 40 Questions, the first several questions will cover the area of boothdesign. Booth design covers style, function, cover/protection, andso on. The following questions are all about finding your ownpersonal style which should flow into branding your art/craftbusiness. Do follow along, using a piece of paper or journal andwriting down the questions and answer them as honestly as you cantaking your time when answering them.

Question 1: Picture yourself with a limitless amount of funds to spend however you want.Using that money describe how your ideal booth would look like?Think about color, texture, fixtures, what you have seen atshows that stood out, whatever...

Question 2: Because we all budget our money, are there still ways you can make your dream booth become areality?

I first did this exercise when I worked for Starbucks. I was goingthrough a management program and in efforts to attract more peopleinto the store we were asked how would your ideal store look. Withworking with others in this exercise ideas ranged from having agarden like courtyard cafe seating, aesthetic aquariums, messageboards to promote a local dating service, live entertainment areas,and funky furniture. I still use this exercise and have applied itin designing my own booth display. My current booth design beganwhen I looked at my logo, a dew kissed green leaf with a light bluebackground – tranquil colors. The name of my craft business is Bythe Bay Botanicals and focuses around products that promotetranquility. Staying with this theme it was clear the design neededto be natural, showing off my craft, but still be true to theme. Ishopped for natural pine shelving displays and incorporated two tables, whichI already had. I bought white table coverings that went to theground and a short table covering of ocean blue as well as covered the pine shelves with patio furniture fabric that matched my theme colors. With the additionof some silk flowered vines and lighting I created a display thatmatched my products. This new display not only allowed customers to shop freely and allow more room display my craft, people remembered my business name better and could easily find me at shows at it stood out from the crowd - all that was accomplished through a little bit of change into my booth display.

As you look at your current display you may find you are happy withits design, but need to tweak it a little. Working with dimension, having your work visible at different eye levels can be a great solution. It is a great remedy if you find customersfeeling cramped in your booth. Shelving or stacked crates are just two ideas that can createdimension and doesn't have to be expensive. Think about color –customers are attracted to color and if every booth is acookie-cutter white booth with white table covering (one after another)you will loose to those that embrace color.You want to create an identity that is all your own. I have seensome great ideas where one used tulle in 1-2 colors wrapped about thepoles of their canopy or incorporated astro turf into their displayto sell garden art.

My final thoughts. In designing your booth, it is important to havea booth that regular customers will recognize, but at the same timecreates a buzz that your items are fresh and that you do offer newart/craft work at each show or it varies from season to season. Think back to past shows and booths you have seen. Are there booths that seems stale because it doesn't change.Don't you get the impression that they sell the same thing over andover, year after year because their booth display is the same year after year? Don't be the owner of the boring booth! The next question in this series divesinto developing a booth theme as well as how to find booth displayfurniture and what kind is ideal for each medium. Stay tuned...

Beautiful location with lots of "shoppers"...people in swimsuits with no wallets! Sales not nearly what I expected.

The judging was a disgrace! One woman judge who walked in looked at my name and left. I watched as she did the same for my neighbors. Those of us who have won some big prizes were astounded at her lack of interest and it was discussed at length with the show committee. They stated that many artists had come to them with the same comments. We came up with a suggestion.....having a group of about 6 local art teachers do the judging next year. This would bring added exposure to the arts in the schools program plus lots of local newspaper photos and coverage. The committee was thrilled with the suggestion and will use it next year, thank God!

The hospitality was so nice with beverages, lunch, and a sunday breakfast. The weather was fine until % PM on sunday and when it came time to load up the wind and rain were really coming down.....but thank God it waited till the show was over!

New
Blog Series: Forty Questions - Identifying problems and issues and
tips on solving them.

This is the first year that I'm aggressively applying to fine art shows - WOW are they expensive!!! I'd love your expert advice, oh sage festival pros.

I've been accepted to Amdur's Barrington (brand new), Lincolnshire, Arlington Hts, North Shore and The Glen shows. During the weekend of Barrington, I was also considering Prairie Arts in Schaumburg. Sounds like Cuneo is not a great bet.

I normally do Libertyville Days on Father's Day weekend - great little cheap summer festival with good attendance. I've heard good things about the Lakefront festival of arts at the Milwaukee Art Museum that weekend, but I can't find an application online yet.

Fountain Square Art Festival in Evanston is the same weekend as Amdur's Arlington Hts. Thoughts?

I have had good luck at the Adler art show in Libertyville, which is the same weekend as Amdur's Glenview show. I've also heard good things about Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival that same weekend.

Other confusing weekends - Labor Day... is Art Fair on the Square in Lake Forest worthwhile?

Anyone have comments on the Wilmette Arts Guild show on 9/11-12? It's very tempting to consider the smaller guild shows when faced with $400+ booth fees.

Thank you to anyone willing to take the time to help!!!

I'd love to hear about your favorite shows in this area.

Wendy

Not a bad weekend. Nice weather, good crowds and a buying energy that I havn't felt at a show in a while. Sales seemed all over the board, one neighbor did quite well, another o.k. and another was a goose egg; but I did notice quite a few bags being carried. I had only 2 sales, but they were good sales.

I was told that this was Shanna's first year organizing the event, and I feel bad that I can't remember our traffic control guru's name, they both seemed concerned in what they could do to help the whole process along. Both show operation and load-in/out seemed to go very smooth. One of the easier load-in/outs for me.

I will likely apply to do this show again next year.

Best of Show ($5,000): James Casey, Clermont

Judges 2-D Choice ($1,500): John Whipple, Winter Park

Judges 3-D Choice ($1,500): Rollin Karg, Kelchi, Kan.

Wendy Alderman Award ($250): Teresa Haun, Tahoe City, Calif.

Category winners, $750 each:

Painting: Polly Podolsky, Orlando

Watercolor: Scott Hartley, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Clay: Don McWhorter, Carrollton, Ga.

Mixed media: Lynn Whipple, Winter Park

Glass and metal: Scott Amrhein, Sherwood, Wis.

Jewelry: Kristin Holeman, Fort Lauderdale

Photography: Laurie Coppedge, Jacksonville

Sculpture: David Figueroa, Sanford

Fine craft: Carol Rollin, Ormond Beach

Award of Excellence ($500 each): Patricia Karnes, Winter Park; Jeffrey Eckert, Tampa; Unmarid Eitharong, Orlando; Dennis DeBon, St. Petersburg; John Kellum, Orlando; Ginny Ganong Nichols, Decatur, Ga.; Bruce Hollwerda, Hoover, Ala.; Edson Campos, Winter Park; Bill Turner, Newnan, Ga.; Charles Gatewood, Phenix City, Ala.; Fred Tate, Austin, Texas; and Michael Barnes, Big Rock, Ill.

Well, as some of you have guessed, I am new at this game. This is only my second year and have I learned alot and I DO have a lot to learn. I wanted to tell my story from this show.

Most of you know we did have snow in Florida for the first time in years and set up Fri the 8th was freezing cold. Came back early Saturday freezing, cloudy, little snow, few people. Most of the artists were bumming out. Some did NOT return the next day. Me, being new at this was not going to imagine not showing up on Sunday. I arrived Sunday morning, crisp cold and clear, even sunny. Unzipped my tent and got immediately covered with snow. The side walls, ceiling, my art, (lucky I work with clay), and tables were frosty and covered with ice/snow. I went to the other vendors to see if anyone else had snow in their tents, no just me. I discovered the culprit, a grate to the street which was inside my tent and must have sent up moist air in the night.

So, on a bright, cold, sunny day, I had light snowfall inside my tent all morning and then a little rain as the sun warmed it up. I was a living snowglobe.

Anyway, I did very well considering the weather and the precipitation in my tent.

FUN FUN

Roxie Spell

www.naturesclayart.com

first shot in the front inside the tent, second photo is the culprit