How NOT to sell your art!

My art show neighbor reminded me of several rules on selling art and basic manners- people should know this as common courtesy but I need to vent.

1. Don't smoke in your booth! Especially don't smoke front and center and expect people to come in.

2. It's best not to eat /drink, have food trash sitting around your booth. Everyone has to eat, but it's best done discreetly and chew with your mouth shut.

3. Quiet your bodily noises- I won't elaborate

4. Carnival barking and intimidating everyone walking past is annoying. Bullying people to buy, see, come in to look etc is not going to sell work. This is going to make them walk quickly past your booth AND PAST your neighbors' booths to escape around the bend to buy from someone else.

5. If you wouldn't say it in front of your grandmother than it shouldn't be said.

Thanks for letting me vent. I've never had anything but nice, helpful, courteous neighbors until now.

Replies

courtney gillen October 24, 2012 at 11:33am

This July at a very high end fine art show I had a neighbor doing some of these things. He was relatively new to art shows and sat across from his booth. As people walked by he would say things to try to get them into his booth and and say things like "thanks for looking" if they walked by without stopping. He did not sell anything and packed up with quite an attitude. I heard from another artist that he behaved the same way earlier in the year at another very good art show, and also sold nothing there. Yes that is NOT the way to sell work, I would never buy work from someone barking at me at an art show. I would want to get away as fast as possible, even if it meant skipping the artists around them to get away.
- Richard L. Sherer > courtney gillen October 24, 2012 at 11:54am
  
  Unfortunately a barker affects those artists in adjacent booths. I learned that it is best to report them early and firmly to management. I miss my dogs left at home. . I like to visit with other artist's dogs behind the booths as well as patrons dogs.
  - Elisabeth Maurland > Richard L. Sherer March 15, 2013 at 1:08am
    
    I enjoy art fair dogs too. But only if the dogs are OK with being there!
Mark Cortright October 23, 2012 at 2:56am

I shall add a few others I have seen in my 40 years doing shows

do not bring a sick chicken to your booth at show

Snakes same deal

also no political banners or buttons

Take a shower before show

do not smoke dope in booth or wear skimpy clothing

Keep your dog at home

do not watch spots while in booth wether on tv or I pad or radio

Try not to be an village idiot

Mark
Claudia & Sergio Olivos September 12, 2012 at 3:25pm

I hear you!

We recently were at an event next to a VERY loud vendor. She was Latino, so are we.... we could understand everything she was saying (in spanish)- cursing at her kids and husband, and when not doing that: she was barking into her cell.

*ugh*
Connie Mettler September 10, 2012 at 1:33pm

And congratulations to the show director for doing the right thing!
- Marcie Evans > Connie Mettler September 10, 2012 at 2:48pm
  
  Here here! Cheers to doing the right thing :-)
  - Hugo Cruz > Marcie Evans September 10, 2012 at 7:40pm
    
    Marcie, you did the right thing by going directly to the Director. Follow your sixth-sense, gut, intuition, whatever you want to call it ... Approaching some people, even in a cordial and rational manner, is pointless.
    
    Sorry you had such a poor experience.
    
    I've never had a problem as severe as this. But I must give high praise to two shows/organizations that come to mind: (1) Gainesville's Downtown Festival & Art Show -- They have always assigned a friendly sector coordinator who is responsible for X number of booths. They always give me a card which includes a PHONE # that i could call if there are any issues. An idea ALL shows should do; (2) http://affps.com/ organizes and runs some of the best shows I've been to. They also give out a PHONE # that one could call if there are any issues; And they are quick to respond.
  - Connie Mettler > Marcie Evans September 10, 2012 at 4:15pm
    
    Marcie, care to identify the show and the organizer so we can give them credit?
Debbie Sampson September 10, 2012 at 9:42am

When I hear my neighbors do this I say something to them right away. It ruins the 'karma' for everybody and when we are at the level of a fine-art show, you shouldn't be selling your work like a flea-market. How did these people get in anyway? What kind of work was it? Usually, its someone that is selling buy-sell and because of Zapp and all those other sites we have to submit to now, anyone can submit anything and say that is theirs and that is what they will be selling but when you see it 'live' and its not what it is....this is why we should go back to sending in photos or at least the promoters should try to visit the studio or even skype them. Just a thought. I've been doing shows now for over 30 years and have seen the changes. It was fun way back then,, now its tough. I can't do the street shows anymore due to the fact that I can't set-up and do the 2 day thing anymore due to medical issues and darn it...I'm just getting too old to due that by myself! But there are gallery's now and websites so it makes it easier for me plus indoor events.

Good luck out there and always speak your mind, nicely to your neighbor especially to newbies that don't know the ethics. It makes a better show and if we all do that, it will start to get more regulated. Perhaps if we band together, make some sort of association for artists we can start to perhaps try to lower the booth fees that are now getting ridicules. Just my thoughts. Yours?

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