County Fair Booths

[CNYDWW]

Basically just a triangular 1x2 frame covered on all sides with lattice. The back side that would be pointed in doesn't go all the way up so you can get to the legs on the canopy. Stretch out the canopy then set it on top of four of the corner pieces and lash the legs of the canopy to each. Then just hang signs etc on the corner posts for weight. Keeps the wind from tossing the canopy all over the place.

[kartracer63]

Nice idea Randy. Thanks for the drawings and explanation.

[CNYDWW]

Not a problem, glad to help.

Regards
Randy

[zeykr]

Take a lot of small, easy to carry items under $25. Generic signs sell well, but don't make them the same style and quality of materials as your custom signs or it will cheapen the custom ones you really want to sell. Or price them the same as your custom signs if they are made the same.

You'll always get some people expecting you to make them on site so they can pick up at end of the day. Hand them your brochure and tell them the design process and that you'll ship finished sign to them. Take a deposit to cover your design time, as a fair percentage won't follow through and you can end up doing design work for free.

Craft fairs vary a lot. A well organized one with visitors ready to buy and you can bring in thousands a day. A poorly organized and attended one and you can sit miserably in the sun or cold and not cover your gas. That said, they can often be good and inexpensive advertising even if sales are not too good at show.

Farmers markets and county fairs are different animals from craft fairs.
County fair can be decent advertising, but sales at the fair usually not great. Farmers Markets they are usually there to buy vegetables with WIC or Food Stamps, they may buy some cheap wood products but not usually looking to pay quality prices for quality goods. I'm sure mileage varies depending on the area and size of the market.

Reading over this I may sound a little down on fairs and I don't mean too. There are several in the area I wouldn't dare miss and some I've been to I'll probably not attend again. It takes a while to learn what sells (watch the people at the fairs and try different things and have a variety) and which events are worthwhile.

I'll usually try any fair once, depends on how it goes whether I'll do it again next year.

[steve_g]

My two cents…

In my limited “Arts and Crafts” show experience it would seem that I’m really selling myself rather than my goods. You have to be a “people” person… an extrovert if you will…an unnatural act for me. Lots of examples ranging in price from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars are necessary to show your full range of ability. Typically more sales are generated after the show than at it for me.

Steve

[dvmike]

My father in-law and I are partners in a weekend flea market hardware store near the Cherokee reservation in western NC.
We sell hickory replacement handles , latches, caribeaners, bird houses , antique farm tools, Case, Buck, and other knives.(about 1000 pocket and hunting knife inventory) etc, etc .
The store is inside and allows us to leave everything set up in diosplays etc just like an ordinary harware store. In fact I just drove 2 hours home just a few minutes ago.
About a year ago I put cards and brochures on the counter, and we immediately started selling banners , coroplast , and poly metal type signs by order. I recently made a sign with the name of the sign shop out of Duna and hung it, and we are starting to get interest from locals as well as the summer time Floridians who invade to Carolina mountains.
One lady from Florida owns 4 HRBlock franchises , and we are discussing making her signs and shipping them . Then she will have them installed.
I am in process of making 6-7 signs of different caliber to creat a full spectrum display, from a hand routed plank ,to full on V-Carve , Gold leaf, and 3D.
I'll let everyone know how it works out !

[myxpykalix]

I agree/disagree with Ken Z. You don't want to make signs that are as good as your main line of signs because people won't want to pay for the bigger/better signs
I don't think you will get many customers who will want to buy and have shipped but he may be right. Some craft fairs are **** some are great.

And if you are going to do this you absolutely MUST be a salesman as such and be able to make people want to buy your product. If you sit there and act like a "cashier" you might as well not bother.

Not saying you have to ride a unicycle and juggle 5 signs at a time but you do have to interact and be a salesman.

I make a bunch of stuff for one of my daughters and she goes and sits at the fairs and sells. If you don't feel comfortable as a salesman find someone and make a deal and let them sell for a percentage.

[tuck]

I'm of the belief that pre-making generic products like what Eric is talking about would be the way to go vs. hauling a Buddy Bot all over tar-nation, setting up, hoping everything works right with the Bot, that you remembered to bring everything (where is my 3/16" upspiral? Oh, NOOO!) and that there is a good enough turn-out and demand for custom, personalized products. My inclination would be to leave the Bot in the shop and bring pre-made products that a lot of folks are gonna like. I wouldn't have a choice anyway, as I don't have a Buddy but a PR96. I imagine even hauling a Buddy around could be a real chore and you'd have to have some help and they would need to be compensated.

[joe]

Good on you Randy. Your free standing displays show crativity. I've seen something like these used by Joe C. He quickly set them up for the displays. Looks good. Joe also has a pop us canopy cover to shade his booth. People gather inside to see his examples, fill out the order forms and look over this portfolio.

I'm proud of our Eric. His signs say "Buy ME". I hope he keep us informed about the July sales. I like his brochure idea's also.

If you find it necessary to hock your signs, you'd better find something else to do. There are some fellows who rout while you wait. No CNC on the market can keep up with them. It's a Flap Jack mentality and they will clean your CNC clock. You can't set type, generate a toolpath, or route as fast a these boys. But I think some CNC people want to compete. I got to laugh! These fellow are experts and fun to talk to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN_7pTTZ5N8&feature=related


Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com

[bleeth]

He is fast Joe but he can't v-carve!
The other day the UPS guy was delivering a package and I happened to be cutting some Corian out so I waved him to come back for me to sign as I didn't want to take my eyes off the machine. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the router doing it's thing.
Remember your reaction when you saw your first CNC cutting?
Seeing a sign being cut, or at least lettered is a huge attention grabber and could be the best sales tool there is.
I don't know that actually committing to purchasing a Desktop or finding an older Tabletop would yield a very fast return on investment for someone who wanted to hit the craft circuit with the other expenses (travel, booth space rental, etc) but I do think that having customers see it happen in front of them will drive traffic to the booth.

Bob: If you actually wanted to have a go at it maybe Atlanta isn't the right spot but Myrtle Beach could be and so could Highlands! Just a couple hours away.