4 shows have been a total loss I have a good tent but have lost sides, displays and the worst my art.I have run out of ideas and patients. I just have never had a season like this between all the other ups and downs being hit with the weather problem well it's getting on my last nerve. Any thoughts out there I am at the end of my rope so I will try anything.Thanks Jan H In need of help
I agree with the advice but look it's coming from ... all veterans. I am still a newbie to shows compared to many people found here at AFI.
This past year I had one particular show that does a fall and spring show here in my home town. The last 2 consecutive shows here were rain outs. Not just a little drizzle. It was enough rain last fall to reduce the attendance to about 25% of what normally attends, at best. The show this past spring is the one where we lost our tent. We still have not replaced it and have put replacement on hold till the first of the year. We just feel that with things the way they are here financially that we don't need to be throwing $100's of dollars or almost a grand at a tent right now. Dh and I have just had a gut check that says wait.
Our economy in Louisiana has tanked big time. We are usually last in the country to tank when the economy gets bad. It has gotten bad down here. People are not turning lose of money. So even in good shows---sunny weather, good crowds--- it is hard to make it. We have decided to do one show this fall that is a 3 day show and it's indoors. No tent needed.
The other shows we done in the fall include a 2 day outdoor show but on Sunday we have done almost nothing. Others did the same. I could have left a chimp in charge and done as well. We are skipping the show where we lost our tent. With it being local I'll go as a shopper and evaluate it again after that. The one other show we are skipping is a one day outdoor. We had slow sales in the spring. We are expecting slow sales again. It is a good show but we barely showed a profit.
In the mean time I am trying to make connections to local people one on one to build a bigger customer base. I am also still working Etsy and plan to some work on my shops to enhance my customer experience there. I have had a lady from Texas contact, and also place an initial order, that could end up being lucrative, especially as I get referrals from her.
Anyway, I guess those of us in tough situations need to keep our chin up!
I decided I am only doing a few shows close to home this year and see if it helps. Doing a show is often a crap shoot anyway, and with the weather getting crazier each year it just doesn't make sense to me anymore to invest much money in them.
Your right Connie weather is the nature of the beast I guess what has hit me this year is so many shows in a row. I have all my other ducks in a row and between all the other issues that have been coming up with respect to shows if I stop doing them I would be fine but I love doing them so I will wait till the end of season and reevaluate . And Christina I wish we had indoor shows I think I do all of the ones for the area which is 4 there are others but there not worth the money and in fall and winter this area has nothing. Thanks for the advise .
Great answer, Connie...I would just add to look for some indoor shows as well. I know it's summer and most shows are out of doors but there might be a few that are indoors because of the heat or locale, why not start applying now to shows in the fall and winter months that are in convention centers, etc., maybe you could recoup some losses that way. In any event, hope things improve for you...
How discouraging, Jan. There is not a good answer and I don't want to be condescending, but we all know this is definitely one of the ugly parts of our business. My best advice is to cultivate other streams of income so you aren't entirely dependent on the shows for income. How is your website, do you have an email list, are you building a list of people who are interested in you and your work?
I think one of my most useful podcasts was the one I did about a year ago with artist Carroll Swayze, "Fewer Shows, More Money". Click here to listen. That is definitely a long time answer, but Carroll has been in the business a long time and has cultivated "multiple streams of income" to offset the high expenses and risks of depending entirely on outdoor shows.
Comments
I agree with the advice but look it's coming from ... all veterans. I am still a newbie to shows compared to many people found here at AFI.
This past year I had one particular show that does a fall and spring show here in my home town. The last 2 consecutive shows here were rain outs. Not just a little drizzle. It was enough rain last fall to reduce the attendance to about 25% of what normally attends, at best. The show this past spring is the one where we lost our tent. We still have not replaced it and have put replacement on hold till the first of the year. We just feel that with things the way they are here financially that we don't need to be throwing $100's of dollars or almost a grand at a tent right now. Dh and I have just had a gut check that says wait.
Our economy in Louisiana has tanked big time. We are usually last in the country to tank when the economy gets bad. It has gotten bad down here. People are not turning lose of money. So even in good shows---sunny weather, good crowds--- it is hard to make it. We have decided to do one show this fall that is a 3 day show and it's indoors. No tent needed.
The other shows we done in the fall include a 2 day outdoor show but on Sunday we have done almost nothing. Others did the same. I could have left a chimp in charge and done as well. We are skipping the show where we lost our tent. With it being local I'll go as a shopper and evaluate it again after that. The one other show we are skipping is a one day outdoor. We had slow sales in the spring. We are expecting slow sales again. It is a good show but we barely showed a profit.
In the mean time I am trying to make connections to local people one on one to build a bigger customer base. I am also still working Etsy and plan to some work on my shops to enhance my customer experience there. I have had a lady from Texas contact, and also place an initial order, that could end up being lucrative, especially as I get referrals from her.
Anyway, I guess those of us in tough situations need to keep our chin up!
Jan, what a bummer! I'm so sorry to hear about your weather issues. I'm wishing for blue skies for you. Not much help, but I'm behind you.
I decided I am only doing a few shows close to home this year and see if it helps. Doing a show is often a crap shoot anyway, and with the weather getting crazier each year it just doesn't make sense to me anymore to invest much money in them.
Great answer, Connie...I would just add to look for some indoor shows as well. I know it's summer and most shows are out of doors but there might be a few that are indoors because of the heat or locale, why not start applying now to shows in the fall and winter months that are in convention centers, etc., maybe you could recoup some losses that way. In any event, hope things improve for you...
How discouraging, Jan. There is not a good answer and I don't want to be condescending, but we all know this is definitely one of the ugly parts of our business. My best advice is to cultivate other streams of income so you aren't entirely dependent on the shows for income. How is your website, do you have an email list, are you building a list of people who are interested in you and your work?
I think one of my most useful podcasts was the one I did about a year ago with artist Carroll Swayze, "Fewer Shows, More Money". Click here to listen. That is definitely a long time answer, but Carroll has been in the business a long time and has cultivated "multiple streams of income" to offset the high expenses and risks of depending entirely on outdoor shows.