Call for Artists, Making Money at Juried Art Fairs, Craft Shows and Festivals
Where do you sit at a show?
I am trying to work on the design of my booth and was wondering where most of you choose to sit during a show and is there any benefit over one spot to another? I see some people who sit out front in a directors chair and some who choose to sit inside their booth behind a table or display of some sort...I suppose it depends somewhat on what you are selling...I sell mainly 2D art and some jewelry...Do any of you veterans have any thoughts on this subject?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by mark Grosser on -
do not sit
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Morowitz on -
When using my tent I sit in the back in the corner on one side. Sometimes I site on the side of the table in the front corner and my tables are in a u shape. When someone comes in my booth I get up and talk to them. I do stand some part of the day fixing things and making jewelry as well.
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Permalink Reply by judy hoch on -
If you want to sell, NEVER sit. It is too aggressive to get up when someone is in your booth. Stand. If you must sit, have someone else in your booth standing. 16 years of experience speaking.
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Permalink Reply by Lindsay Pless on
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As someone else said, some of us cannot stand all day and if you're in a 10x10 booth, standing sometimes gets in the way of customers looking at your artwork and most customers do not want anyone 'hovering' over them.
What works for some doesn't always work for others.
I often sit due to several health problems and have never had any problem with sales if it's a good show :-)
judy said:If you want to sell, NEVER sit. It is too aggressive to get up when someone is in your booth. Stand. If you must sit, have someone else in your booth standing. 16 years of experience speaking.
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Permalink Reply by judy hoch on
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Art on the Lawn said:For some of us, standing for two or three days is physically out of the question. Edema in my feet and ankles and severe arthritis make it next to impossible for me to be on my feet for more than a few hours at a time without sitting down. Generally, I sit down when no one is in the booth, but when someone approaches or enters the booth, I stand and greet them and remain standing for as long as they remain or there are guests in the booth. What I have learned from the shows that I direct is that those people who sit in their booths and do not get up to interact with guests typically have fewer sales. Not getting up can send a message to the guest that you really don't care if he or she buys anything or not. I don't know about you, but when I do a show, I'm not there for the atmosphere, I'm there to sell art!
Interestingly, those patrons who have gotten to know me will approach my booth, tell me not to get up, and get busy looking and asking questions. I get up anyway, but I appreciate their kindness.
Barbara
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Permalink Reply by judy hoch on
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Well, I'm 69 and have the normal assortment of age related problems. Standing isn't easy for the first few hours, but since i figure I'm paying something in excess of $10/hour to be in the show, I'm not willing to throw money away. I'm in better shape for having learned how to stand and move while upright. I dust, arrange, price, sort, polish cases, clean off lint, check display from outside the booth and repeat. i can look busy enough that i seem to be approachable but not guarding the work. i have great sales. to each his own.
I do have all my work in cases on top of propanel display stands that are 40 inches tall.
judy said:Art on the Lawn said:For some of us, standing for two or three days is physically out of the question. Edema in my feet and ankles and severe arthritis make it next to impossible for me to be on my feet for more than a few hours at a time without sitting down. Generally, I sit down when no one is in the booth, but when someone approaches or enters the booth, I stand and greet them and remain standing for as long as they remain or there are guests in the booth. What I have learned from the shows that I direct is that those people who sit in their booths and do not get up to interact with guests typically have fewer sales. Not getting up can send a message to the guest that you really don't care if he or she buys anything or not. I don't know about you, but when I do a show, I'm not there for the atmosphere, I'm there to sell art!
Interestingly, those patrons who have gotten to know me will approach my booth, tell me not to get up, and get busy looking and asking questions. I get up anyway, but I appreciate their kindness.
Barbara
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Permalink Reply by Andrea Derujinsky on -
get a tall chair, from ikea, it folds, and sitting in a tall chair puts u at eye level with the standing customer, then when u do stand up they hardly notice, it's a smooth transtion. i have found,when u stand from a low chair, the customer runs for the hills in fear u will sell them something.
judy said:Art on the Lawn said:For some of us, standing for two or three days is physically out of the question. Edema in my feet and ankles and severe arthritis make it next to impossible for me to be on my feet for more than a few hours at a time without sitting down. Generally, I sit down when no one is in the booth, but when someone approaches or enters the booth, I stand and greet them and remain standing for as long as they remain or there are guests in the booth. What I have learned from the shows that I direct is that those people who sit in their booths and do not get up to interact with guests typically have fewer sales. Not getting up can send a message to the guest that you really don't care if he or she buys anything or not. I don't know about you, but when I do a show, I'm not there for the atmosphere, I'm there to sell art!
Interestingly, those patrons who have gotten to know me will approach my booth, tell me not to get up, and get busy looking and asking questions. I get up anyway, but I appreciate their kindness.
Barbara
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Permalink Reply by Linnea Lahlum on -
There are other tall chairs too. I have an aluminum one I love. It's light to carry but very stable. Sometimes I'm short on space behind the booth and it can be folded up and put aside in seconds. It has legs that go straight up and down, not in a scissor arrangement. The latter I find too tippy or wiggly for me.
Leo Charette said:I have to agree with Andrea... the tall chair makes a big difference. Mine is a Hollywood chair and I bought the little arm desk as an accessory. I'm am able to do the transaction right from the chair and I'm at eye level with the customer. The Hollywood chair might be a bit pricey for many but it is built to last and oh so comfortable. I have the Elm version. It is excellent! No regrets.
BTW, you'll save a few dollars if you go through these folks and you get free shipping.
http://tinyurl.com/6f6hvr
This is the same chair as sold on the Totallybamboo.com
http://tinyurl.com/6x95c6
Cheers,
LC
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Permalink Reply by Chris Hoyt on -
Some of us can indeed stand at shows and others cannot. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis and cannot stand at all. So she sits and demonstrates the product. I have a tall director's chair in my booth but rarely use it except for those slow times. But I indeed stand as much as possible. I'm able to do it because I've been standing at shows for over 30 years. I don't know how to do a show without standing!
Before I got into this business, I worked in factories. I saw people standing in one spot all day for five days a week, every week. Lathe operators cannot sit down. Either can assembly people making automobiles. So how do they do it? How do they stay on their feet for 40+ hours a week?
SHOES!!
They wear shoes made for standing, not walking. Work shoes. Cushioned shoes that enable you to stand at shows for all three days. These shoes are styled today so nobody can tell they're work shoes. I was a robotics programmer in a steel fabrication company before I walked away, and I had to go into the shop on numerous occasions. And I had to wear work shoes in the shop. But they looked just like dress shoes. Nobody can tell. So I wear work shoes at the shows too. They look just like the sneakers everybody else is wearing and hurting their feet. Skechers makes an excellent work (standing) shoe! I need a new pair as my old shoes are over 5 years old now, so I definitely got my money's worth.
But I'm getting older. Sometimes my knees do hurt. Sometimes I must sit down for a while too. Especially when the show runs from 10 am to 8 pm. But I always try to do that when the traffic is slow.
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I also have a Hollywood Director's Chair from Jerry's Art-o-Rama...........love it and often just lean on the seat.
I agree.........good shoes are very important!!
Chris Hoyt said:Some of us can indeed stand at shows and others cannot. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis and cannot stand at all. So she sits and demonstrates the product. I have a tall director's chair in my booth but rarely use it except for those slow times. But I indeed stand as much as possible. I'm able to do it because I've been standing at shows for over 30 years. I don't know how to do a show without standing!
Before I got into this business, I worked in factories. I saw people standing in one spot all day for five days a week, every week. Lathe operators cannot sit down. Either can assembly people making automobiles. So how do they do it? How do they stay on their feet for 40+ hours a week?
SHOES!!
They wear shoes made for standing, not walking. Work shoes. Cushioned shoes that enable you to stand at shows for all three days. These shoes are styled today so nobody can tell they're work shoes. I was a robotics programmer in a steel fabrication company before I walked away, and I had to go into the shop on numerous occasions. And I had to wear work shoes in the shop. But they looked just like dress shoes. Nobody can tell. So I wear work shoes at the shows too. They look just like the sneakers everybody else is wearing and hurting their feet. Skechers makes an excellent work (standing) shoe! I need a new pair as my old shoes are over 5 years old now, so I definitely got my money's worth.
But I'm getting older. Sometimes my knees do hurt. Sometimes I must sit down for a while too. Especially when the show runs from 10 am to 8 pm. But I always try to do that when the traffic is slow.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Pugh on -
I too am struggling with this. I have had several suggestions, but haven't worked it out either. I agree, one shouldn't sit continually at a show, but some have such long hours, there has to be a break in continuous standing. I have a bad back, so standing or being on my feet all day isn't an option. And sitting isn't the only thing to consider, it is having your supplies in a handy place and an adequate work space, without taking away the theme of your work.
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Permalink Reply by Charlotte Burnett on
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I am next to a booth at one of the regular shows where the artists sits out in front of her booth --literally in the middle of the traffic. People have to walk around her. They stop to visit with her. She appears to have a lot of fun. But I have no idea how much she actually sells. I see other artists who sit in back of their booths, out of sight. They look like they don't WANT to sell anything. You have to search for them to talk with them. I have had a lot of sales training in my past life. I am very much aware that you have to be accessible to your potential customers -- to answer questions, to engage them in conversation, to tell stories about your work, whatever your medium. I am aware that many artists hate the sales part of shows. But, you have to sell or you are just collecting your own stuff. If you can't sell, find someone else to sell for you. I choose to stand/sit inside my booth so I can greet my customers, engage them, and SELL to them. I have a director's chair so that when I am sitting, I am still at eye level with anyone who comes into my booth. I also have tried to set up my booth so that it is my own little "store" -- which it is.
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