However, the mosquitoes were very hungry and viscious in their attempt at trying to get food from me. I noticed a lot of people wearing those electronic insect repellants, and they were the only ones without mosquitoes swarming around their heads.
As you know by now, I did a 2 day craft show on Saturday and Sunday of this weekend (from 10-5 both days). I was inside the main building, but the many out buildings were full of vendors as well.
The first day was a vendor's nightmare!! Few customers, few sales, and situated beside a chocolate vendor! As I mentioned the mosquitoes were also a "buzzing" around so if you looked around most people were doing the "mosquito swat" (except for the ones with the electronic repellants). Time seemed to drag on and I became more and more fatigued. I came home and just collapsed!
The second day I had a different strategy. Usually the second day of a craft show the sales are worse than the first day. Nothing could be worse than that first day! So I stamped a lot of imges and brought markers with me and sat and coloured. I was all prepared for little shopping activity.
But to my surprise people started flocking to my booth and I didn't get too much colouring done. I got a visit from one of the other vendors who asked me "Are you the paper lady?" She wanted to order some SU cardstock, so I brought her a catalogue and an order form and explained how to fill it out. At the end of the day I picked up the completed form and her payment and I now have a new customer. "And I'm so glad that you're local" was her response when I thanked her for the order.
Two other people asked for my business cards because they were looking to order SU supplies. I had met both of them before in local craft stores (both of which are closed now). They had remembered my first name, but not my last and were very happy to "run into me". Another lady came up to me and asked if I knew anyone in Peterborough who taught card making classes. She used to take classes in the stores that are now closed. When I answered that I taught classes, and when she saw my name, she stated in a very surprised voice tone that my name had been referred to her by someone she knew. Unfortunately my classes are winding down for the summer, and my craft shows are winding up.
As I mentioned, sales were really good the second day and more than made up for day1. What sold? Lots of cards, magnetic book marks, decorated note pads, wine tags, post it not holders, owl book marks, journals (one lady comes every year to the Buckhorn show just to buy a journal from me). But what was more important was the contacts that I made.
I tried a new set up this year, which worked, and it didn't work. Instead of having 2 card racks on the table, I had a tall floor rack. That was okay for the show, but when it was time to go home, I had to empty all the cards out and put them in a box, and then the rack wouldn't fit back in the car. I must have repacked the car 4 times to get everything back in. Next time the 2 table racks come back with me and the floor standing rack stays home.
2 comments:
Your booth looks fabulous Maria.
Happy Victoria Day!
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