Page 1 of 7 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 69

Thread: County Fair Booths

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Norman, Ok
    Posts
    3,251

    Default County Fair Booths

    Greeting Router Heads


    I was intrigued by the post Brad W. made about his experience with selling routed signs at his fair booth. He didn't have much success and I could tell he was disappointed. I'd probably throw in the towel. However I'm convinced this topic deserves some investigation.

    First off let me say there are lots of Farmers Market and county fairs which are well attended. People are now looking to buy fresh food and custom products. And they have CASH.

    To get folks to stop and look at the product there should be plenty of examples. I've briefly touched on that topic at http://www.signtalkforum.com/phpBB3/....php?f=56&t=54 and wanted to investigate more on the idea of temporary Booth Design. It should have a creative header. Perhaps using light weigh materials like Gator Foam and coating it out with a hard shell. I like having prices posted too. Everyone wants to know “How Much” and there should be order forms also.

    Does anyone else have experience with this market? It seems like a natural way for a newbee to get started. I'd love to get into this business. I'd shrink my operation to the garage and make little custom signs. There'd be plenty of time to catch a nap or two during the day.

    Joe Crumley
    www.normansignco.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Eastern Delaware
    Posts
    315

    Default

    Joe
    I agree with your concept, but I think it must be highly regionalized. We were recently traveling in Seattle Washington and visited Pikes Marketplace. I felt like I was back in college, 1968-74, it was a giant crafts scene with people buying pottery, leatherwork, wood carvings, etc.
    Now that we are back in Atlanta Ga I don't think the local market would support 5 percent of those sales. However if the products were oriented towards SEC football, hunting and fishing motifs, and other local interests they might stand a chance.
    Another issue is the micro economic issues of the local area where the fair is. A vacation destination area has a lot higher percentage of people with an extra $25 or 50 in their wallet than a fair in a city like Atlanta with a high unemployment rate. I think those issues must be considered as they can be the difference between a profit and a frustrating loss.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Norman, Ok
    Posts
    3,251

    Default

    Bob,

    Glad to hear you have a nice vacation. You know, the term Vacation isn't good. The route word is Vacate. I like the english tern, "They've gone on a Holiday".

    You're absolutely right about economic zones. This country is huge and there are zones where you have to be careful. The better side is the major part of the US has lots of un-taped markets. If it's soccer, football or any kind of athletic events there may custom markets there. How abotu "Custom Man Cave" signs with athletic logo's or something like that.

    We've all enjoyed the V Carved signs by Eric Erickson. It seems as though that kind of sign might sell well in you're area. But the point is, most people on this forum don't put their best foot forward. If you want to make this a business it will require showing the work. Customers will not come looking. I'd rather put a hook in the water than sit at home. Your bate is the answer. I like following the leaders. Those are the fellows who are cleaning up and doing well. One of these guys is Joe C. on the Letterheads Forum. He has a nice little, tare down, booth and lots of good sample to choose from. Two days a week at the local fair and he's done for the week.

    Some of our good router buddies need a good swift kick in the kaboose.

    Joe Crumley
    www.normansignco.com
    Last edited by joe; 06-18-2011 at 09:23 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    627

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by joe View Post
    Bob,


    Some of our good router buddies need a good swift kick in the kaboose.

    Joe Crumley
    www.normansignco.com
    I'm one of those guys, Joe! I keep thinking of ideas to keep myself afloat, only to succumb to that "It'll never work" devil inside my head.

    I have said before that the sports market is a huge one and good "Man Cave" stuff will always sell. The problem is licensing. People want their team's logo on the design and that's a no-no without a proper license from said team, which can be difficult to obtain from the college ranks and extremely expensive from the pro ranks. You just about have to be a millionaire to obtain an NFL marketing license.

    I may have a way around this problem, at least for college SEC teams, by using the license of someone I'm already doing subcontract work for to sell my own designs and products.

    Naw,...it'll never work.
    Official Cartoonist for the Atlanta Falcons

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_tucker52/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    7,832

    Default

    The point i think you are missing about these craft fairs and markets are that if you are going to sell something there it is going to be what we call an "impulse item". Very seldom would people take a card and follow up to come and have something made up. You have to make the sale and deliver the product right then.

    So it would have to be priced accordingly and they need to be able to walk away with it. What i would so is have a small Buddy set up in a trailer and have several blanks with some designs or edges already made up so that you make the sale, take their money, drop their address into your design template and cut it while they are looking around at other stuff. Then is 15-20 minutes they come back and its done.

    I saw a neat youtube video a few years ago about a guy who had a trailer set up and made small signs like that by hand in 5 minutes and him making the sign was part of his "act" and he entertained while doing it. It was a fun video to watch, i have since lost his link.

    The point is you could set up a laptop or small video to show a sign being made which would create some interest.

    thats how i would do it...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Delray Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,708

    Default

    I agree with Jack. Years ago I saw a guy doing it with a router pantograph. He had a route of flea markets, etc. Made his living with it.

    You could do this with a table top or the desktop too.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    New Auburn, WI
    Posts
    332

    Default

    Joe,

    It's funny that you bring up this topic now.

    I've just signed up to do my first craft show on July 2nd & 3rd in Chetek, Wisconsin. They have a large community festival over the 3 day weekend and I'm told it draws quite a crowd. I've never even been to a craft show before now. My sister goes to craft shows regularly and will usually bring $200-$300 in cash and intends on spending every penny.

    As somebody else stated earlier, she also says I'll need to make some generic signs that folks can buy on the spot. Even though my real intention is to promote my "Custom Carved Signs", I'll take her advice and make a pile of inexpensive generic signs.

    "welcome" "welcome to our cabin" "gone fishin' " gone fishin'... be back for huntin' " "wipe yer paws" "liquor in the front... poker in the rear" (well maybe not that one) anyways... you get the idea.

    I've already got my 10'x10' easy-up canopy, 6' folding table with a nice cover, and I've figured out how I'm going to display my signs. I'm going to hang lattice from the canopy frame and will hang the signs on the lattice.

    As long as you're interested, I'll do a series of posts of everything I'm doing to get ready for the craft show. I'll also follow up with how the show goes and what sells and what doesn't, and what I did right and what I'd do different for the next one.
    Eric Erickson
    Shopbot BT48 Buddy

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Amber, NY
    Posts
    556

    Default

    What really works well is reinforced lattice corner pieces that the canopy legs set inside of. It also helps the canopy last a loooooooooot longer. Been there, done that.

    Regards
    Randy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    New Auburn, WI
    Posts
    332

    Default

    Randy,

    Can you explain what a reinforced lattice corner is?

    And, how would you put the canopy legs in lattice?

    Thanks
    Eric Erickson
    Shopbot BT48 Buddy

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Amber, NY
    Posts
    556

    Default

    I'll draw something up quick give me a few minuets.

Similar Threads

  1. EPS Foam Signs for Clevaland County
    By joe in forum Sign Making
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 07-13-2016, 11:46 PM
  2. The County that our new shop is in
    By genek in forum ShopBotter Message Board
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-16-2016, 09:20 AM
  3. Makers fair
    By David White in forum ShopBotter Message Board
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-24-2013, 05:13 PM
  4. Life isn't fair...
    By harryball in forum ShopBotter Message Board
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 09-15-2013, 02:17 PM
  5. Shop Visits in Orange County, CA
    By rcnewcomb in forum ShopBotter Message Board
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 04-01-2009, 09:12 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •