I can't believe that it is May already.
We are getting ready for another fun show on May 21st and 22nd. It's shaping up to be a another great show! The vendor spaces are almost full and we have a fun group of vendors.
Thank you everyone that participated in and attended the February show, several vendors said they had their best sales ever! We are constantly striving to improve the shows so if you have any ideas please let one of us know.
A quick note here that the July show will be on July 30th and 31st.
Whatever happened to the Maypole Dances?
I can remember Mayday parties and the Maypole when I was
in grade school but they seem to have dwindled away.
It symbolizes the Joyous return of Spring and the bountiful
flowers and green growth of summer.
Below is the schedule for the
2016 shows
Feb 6th & 7th
May 21st & 22nd
July 30th and 31st
Oct 8th & 9th
November 19th & 20th
Magic of Santa Craft Faire Dec 3rd & 4th
I'm sorry if any of the dates conflict with other shows,
I do my best to work around them
I'm also constrained by available dates at the Events Center
|
10 Mistakes to Avoid At a Craft or Antique Fair
There are a lot of mistakes a seller can make at a craft or antiques show. Thanks to a few great articles that I found online, I've gathered a list of what can be considered the top ten no-no's.
Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, make sure you avoid these mistakes.
1. You're unprepared...and it shows
You get to the show, but you've forgotten part of your display, bags for people to carry their goods out, selling slips, or enough products to restock when things get low. The very first mistake you can make is coming unprepared. Make a list of everything you'll need at the show and check them off one-by-one as you put them into your car. Forgetting a piece of your booth or not having enough products to restock as the day goes on are mistakes that you can easily prevent.
Make sure you're completely prepared before you arrive to the show because patrons will notice if you're not.
2. You're unfriendly
It can be nerve-racking to put all your products up for everyone to judge. You may not
feel comfortable as a salesperson, but you're going to come off as unfriendly if you don't try to talk to people. Plus, you won't build any customer relationships. A good practice is to say hi to everyone that walks into your booth. Make eye contact with them. If you see someone browsing for a bit, try striking up a conversation. Sitting in the back of your booth saying nothing, or talking to the friend you have helping you out, will only hurt you.
Create a welcoming space in your booth. After all, you catch more bees with honey.
3. There's nothing about the booth that stands out
This mistake is one of the harder ones to rectify. A good piece of advice to follow is to think of your booth as a product itself. The booth should represent your brand, so get creative in expressing that! Use bright colors or a creative way to display your products. If there's nothing of interest right out front, people will be less likely to stop by.
4. Too little or too many products
If you have too many products out and they're not in any organized fashion, your booth is going to appear cluttered and overwhelming. If you have too few, people won't be inclined to come in because they'll have quickly browsed everything when they walked by. The key is balance. You want to offer enough products that they can't all be seen right as you glance in, but not so many that it becomes overwhelming. This means filling the table, but in a way that encourages people to browse. Another good tip is top keep your displays dynamic, you don't want your products just sitting flat on the table.
Remember, you want to treat your booth as a product.
5. You don't have business cards
This is crucial. You should have
business cards readily available to hand out. They're a great marketing tool. Hand them out to people you've had conversations with, give them to everyone who purchases something, and have them lying around for people to grab. Even if they didn't find what they were looking for in your booth, they may think of a friend who would love your products and pick up a card.
6. Prices are nowhere to be seen
This is by far one of the BIGGEST mistakes you can make.
If an item isn't priced, many people will assume that it's super expensive. Other people will be too shy to ask what the price is. Don't miss a sale opportunity just because you've forgotten to price products.
Make sure everything is clearly priced!
7. Your information is outdated
There is nothing worse than getting a business card or flyer and the information is incorrect or missing. Make sure everything on your business card and marketing materials are up to date. If you place a Facebook ad showing a product make sure you have it at the show.
8. You don't have any change
If you're only accepting cash and you don't have enough change, then you can kiss that sale goodbye. Make sure you have enough change before you start the show, and take inventory of it halfway through in case you need to run to an ATM or shop to grab some more.
9. There's no variety in your pricing
Not everyone can afford to drop 70 dollars, so by having a variety of products at different prices you give everyone a chance to walk away with something they'll like. Plus, it means more business for you. People are more likely to spend 15 dollars at a few booths on a couple of items, then dropping 60 on just one, so make sure you can offer both options.
10. You don't offer sale items or freebies
People always want a bargain. They love being able to tell all their friends, family, and coworkers about the deals they got. This can be tricky because you don't want to end up losing money. Having at least a few items on sale will encourage those bargain hunters to buy. Plus, you could offer special deals. For example, if the customer spends $100 then they get a free item like a one-of-a-kind ornament. It might encourage people who are close to hitting that mark to purchase a few smaller items just to get that free item.
from: http://www.creativeincomeblog.com/mistakes-avoid-craft-fair/
Bonus
11: A Draw
Have something really interesting (or weird, or big, or unique, or freaky) to draw people in. A sculpture? A fountain? If you sell stuffed animals, how about a GIANT stuffed animal that other smaller ones will sit on? People will see it from far and want to know about it. They may ask questions about it, giving you a chance to get to know people. It doesn't have to be for sale, it can be your booth's mascot. Use something unique as part of your display to catch people's eyes as they walk by. They'll glance at it, giving you a chance to make eye contact.
12: Not Enough
Now some would disagree with me on this one, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I can see every single item in your booth just by casually walking by I will do just that. Walk by and not enter. If you only have 10-20 items for sale I'll feel weird going into your booth. I much prefer a booth that makes me walk in to take it all in. A booth that has hidden little items waiting for me to discover them is much more fun. Take advantage of space and fill it up in an organized way. Use Risers and Displays to make an interesting booth.
13: No Sign
No sign means no name recognition. A huge opportunity for "branding" is lost here. You NEED a sign at a serious show. You even NEED a sign at your very first show. It doesn't have to be professional, but if you sell at a show it means you are crafty. Make one! Either a small printed one or make one out of felt or fabric. This really will help people take you seriously and helps with name recognition.
Shoppers Advice:
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE BARGAINING POWER OF A POLITE SHOPPER!
Lots of shop owners would rather give you a deal than have you leave their store empty handed, but they're extra likely to work with you on prices if you're a courteous shopper.
|
|
Places to Stay:
A few people have asked if there are places to stay close to the Events Center. The Events Center has RV spaces available (see the bottom of the show application page) and there are several motels close by and the casinos are close too. Kayak.com lists some close by ones. Pick the Livestock events Center for the location. You can narrow the search in the left column.
A friend of mine stays at the SandsRegency Hotel Casino when he visits. They usually have some good deals going. I did a quick check and found their deals page:
Once he visited the first time they keep sending him free nights coupons.
Motel 6 is about a block away:
Days Inn is just a little further:
Americas Best Travel Inn is right at the freeway exit too:
There is a 24 hour Denny's restaurant very close. (walking dist. from motels, right at the freeway exit)
|
|
|
Let's make this a fun forum to keep interest and excitement up for the shows!
Sincerely,
Dan and Paula Clements
Tanners Marketplace
P.O. Box 618, Fernley NV 89408
775-741-9524
|
|
|
|
Let your Friends Know
Forward this Newsletter to your friends to let them know about the show.
Suggest they sign up for their own newsletter by joining our Mailing List.
|
|
The list will only be used for Tanners emails and not sold etc. |
|
2016 Show Schedule
At the Livestock Events Center
Tanners Marketplace :
February 6th and 7th
May 21st and 22nd
November 19th and 20th
Magic Of Santa:
December 3rd and 4th
|
Please Visit the Somewhere In Time antique mall at 1313 S. Virginia St.
(Paula and Dan are there on Mondays)
|
|
Weekly Auctions
Auctions by Sammy B
|
 |
|
A Fun Antiques and Clothing Store
|
|
|
https://www.facebook.com/vsamreno
|
|
Uptown Treasures
Red Hat and Vintage Clothing and Accessories,
Antiques and Art
|
|
Joke of the Day
High flying:
A blonde is on board a small two seater plane when suddenly the pilot dies. Not knowing how to fly a plane she grabs the radio.
"Mayday, mayday! My pilot just died!"
Ground control receive her call for help and answers back:
"Don't worry, madam. I'll talk you down, just do as I say. First I need you to give me your height and position"
"I'm 5"2' and sitting in the front"
I lost my job. Well, I didn't lose it, I know where it is. But when I go there some other guy is doing it.
History Lesson:
Teacher: " George Washington not only chopped down his father's Cherry tree, but he also admitted doing it."
"Now" added the teacher, "do you know why his father didn't punish him?"
One Student: "Because George still had the axe in his hand."
City Scouts:
Some boy scouts from the city were on a camping trip.
The mosquitoes were so fierce that the boys had to hide under their blankets to avoid being bitten.
Then one of them saw some lightning bugs and said to his friend, "We might as well give up. They're coming after us with flashlights".
Old Doctor Carver:
Old Dr. Carver still made house calls.
One Afternoon, he was called to the Tuttle House.
Mrs. Tuttle was in terrible pain.
The doctor came out of the bedroom a minute after he'd gone in and asked Mr. Tuttle, "Do you have a hammer"?
A puzzled Mr. Tuttle went to the garage and returned with a hammer.
The doctor thanked him and went back into the bedroom.
A moment later, he came out and asked, "Do you have a chisel"?
Mr. Tuttle complied with the request.
In the next ten minutes, Dr. Carver asked for and received a pair of pliers, a screwdriver and a hacksaw.
The last request got to Mr. Tuttle.
He asked, "What are you doing to my wife"?
"Not a thing," replied old doc Carver. "I can't get my instrument bag open."
Breaking In:
A man went to the police station wishing to speak with the burglar who had broken into his house the night before.
"You'll get your chance in court," said the desk sergeant.
"No, no,no!" said the man. "I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife. I`ve been trying to do that for years!"
Hard Of Hearing:
An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years.
He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."
The gentleman replied, " Oh, I havn't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"
Blonde Car Trouble:
Suzie meets up with Sandi as she's picking up her car from the mechanic.
Suzie asks, "Everything ok with your car now?"
"Yes, thank goodness" Sandi replies.
"Weren't you worried the mechanic might try to rip you off?"
"Yeah I was, but he didn't. I was SO relieved when he told me all I needed was blinker fluid."
Fish Heads:
A customer at Abe's Gourmet Grocery marveled at the proprietor's quick wit and intelligence.
"Tell me, Abe, what makes you so smart?"
"I wouldn't share my secret with just anyone," Abe replies, lowering his voice so the other shoppers won't hear, "But since you're a good and faithful customer, I'll let you in on it. Fish heads. You eat enough of them, you'll be positively brilliant."
"You sell them here?" the customer asks.
"Only $4 apiece," says Abe.
The customer buys three. A week later, he's back in the store complaining that the fish heads were disgusting and he isn't any smarter.
"You didn't eat enough, " says Abe.
The customer goes home with 20 more fish heads. Two weeks later, he's back and this time he's really angry.
"Hey, Abe," he says, "You're selling me fish heads for $4 apiece when I just found out I can buy the whole fish for $2. ...You're ripping me off!"
"You see?" says Abe. "You're smarter already."
Speeding:
A police officer in a small town stopped a motorist who was speeding down Main Street.
"But officer." the man began, "I can explain,".
"Just be quiet," snapped the officer. "I'm going to let you cool your heels in jail until the chief gets back..."
"But officer, I just wanted to say...."
"And I said to keep quiet! You're going to jail!"
A few hours later the officer looked in on his prisoner and said, "Lucky for you that the chief is at his daughter's wedding. He'll be in a good mood
when he gets back."
"Don't count on it," answered the fellow in the cell. "I'm the groom."
|
|
|
