This may really be the most simplistic business and marketing tool that has ever been conceived. The smile. I just spent 3 pleasant days at a festival in Columbia, Maryland. My sales were enough to cover my expenses so nothing exciting so why do I say 'pleasant days'? Well....they were because I smiled most of the time I was there. Yes there were the ying-yangs asking me where I found my canes, etc, etc, etc but I smiled (ok laughed) at them and answered their sometimes silly questions. I smile because it makes me feel good and even look better (which is a feat in itself) to potential buyers. I know this is true because I like to stroll around and see other artists work and the ones that actually smiled at me (maybe a buyer) were much more attractive. Since they were making eye contact and smiling at me I immediately felt welcome to enter their area and view their items. The smile was present at only 8 of the 60 booths at the show. Yes, yes, I know they probably smiled when they sold something but that is the Point. You wil sell nothing if you scare the people away with a hang dog frown on your face. It is a basic truth that people wil respond to a smile and walk away from a frown.
Other than low sales (welcome to the real world economy) this was a great show,,Great bands non-stop for the entire show; nightly entertainment, kids on stilts (cute as buttons), professional street entertainers, and on and on. I concentrated on these things and my wife of 40+ years and I smiled and when I did people came to me. They didn't all buy but they walked in the door per-se.
Smiling not only attracts people (don't over do it or they might think you finally cracked) it makes you feel good, lowers blood pressure, decreases anxiety attacks (brought on by stupid questions), increases your oxygen intake, relaxes your face muscles, and helps you to enjoy what is at hand and stop worrying about the things you can't control. Its GOOD BUSINESS to. So SMILE at that next show and feel better.
Comments
I agree! Your booth should be a happy space - it will draw people in :)
Great posts ! I have always smiled at the patrons whether they come in to my booth or not. I have found that you never know who you are talking to. I have met some fantastically interesting people just by saying hello with that smile on my face.
I highly recommend it !
This should all be required reading every morning of a show. Its so easy to fall back into showing how you really feel some days. Smiling and also adding a compliment can do wonders.
Love this, and agree. Smiling is like a magnet.
I totally agree. I've been doing shows for many years (am happily semi-retired now and although I work in the studio daily and make sales through galleries as well, I only do a few high quality non-canopy venues now) and it's always surprised me how many of those 'hang-dog' faces you do see - I wish I could hold a mirror up and show them the impression they're creating. These are usually the same people griping about nobody coming into their booth (hello!). The attitude that this demeanor creates (and is oh so easy to read at a glance) is really no different than what is sometime seen on the faces of people working for wages who hate their jobs and can't wait for the clock to speed up to quitting time. Come on, people! This is YOUR business. No one held a gun to your head and forced you to make your living doing art shows. You own your business, and only you can create the kind of work environment that feels good to you and welcomes the buying public. Even on the worst day, we have great jobs ~ we aren't threatened by being fired by the boss if we screw up - there's no one looking over our shoulder micro-managing; when others have lost their jobs through downsizing in a bad economy, we still have our jobs and the ability to pull out some kind of a living with our own resources and ideas; we can chat with our neighbors - we have a community; and we can see new places and write it off on our taxes; and the best thing of all - we make our living as artists...something so many others envy.
Something We learned a long time ago. First impressions are lasting. The smile is something that should be there all the time. Do yourself a favor if you can get away from your booth for a short time. Or go to an art show that you are not participating in. Carry a bag with your own art work in it, so that you look like a shopper and go looking around. You will find artists sitting in their booths reading or playing games, never once do they even look up at you. You will see them in various stages of dress. So if you address everyone that comes by your booth with a smile, and hello, you will be seen a friendly and inviting. Also your attire makes a difference. Dress like the professional you are! No shirts with names on them, like sports shirts with your favorite team etc. The person you are talking to might be a fan of the rival team and want nothing to do with you. So always dress comfy but professional. Yes, then change for tear down etc. We have done this and have seen a difference in the people in our booth.
This makes a lot of sense to me, and I will remember it.
I find that I can pull people in when I smiled, made eye contact, and nodded my head at them. Makes them do a double take on the booth. Most of the time they were just walking by with no intention of coming in my booth but some end up coming in and buying after I acknowledge them as a valuable human being. I never realized how much I smile until the artist across from me mentioned it one time when we were all having a bad show. She thought I was having a much better show than I was.