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I'm Early with this topic but advice is always great.
so usually i just do a table at our community craft fair in early November pretty much ever year that i knew about it that is. but this year the scheduling won't work for me. i was wondering how many of you gals try to sell your items from home to friends and acquaintances.... were you fairly successful? what seemed to work best for you? i know you won't have the same traffic as a actual fair or the same effect cause most of my friends already know i stamp and create but i figured even a few peoples might be better then nothing this coming year. but i figured maybe would be nice doing it in the home at my own time schedule since i won't be able to do the community one... play a little x-mas music, have coffee/tea, and a few goodies and see what stirs.. I'm thinking the traffic i'll have is maybe 20-30 peoples visit sporadically through out the day. What do you all think should i test it? nothing ventured is nothing gained.. but i must say i'd be a little disappointed if it didn't really catch cause it is my hard work and home that i'm really putting on to show.
Do you have any friends that do direct sales such as Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Scentsy etc? If so, you may want to consider doing a small gift boutique in your home.. This way, you may attract more of your own friends that will want to see what the others have to offer. Then, you will have the traffic that the others will bring in with their own customer base. It goes over quite well here in Utah. Good Luck
I've been thinking of holding an craft sale in my home. Like you I'm wondering how it would go. I guess the thing is to get the word out to your friends and have them tell their friends. And take it from there.
You may not sell that much at your first party, but your friends will get to see your work and will think of you when they need invitations or gift sets in the future. Look at it this way, you'll have a nice little party with your friends, and you won't have to pay a table fee or deal with all those rude people. I think it's a win-win! I would include lots of little teacher gifts for the holidays.
I had pretty good success at my holiday boutique I had. I used my living room as the showroom.
I had three tables and my piano to display things on.
I sold jewelry I made as well as paper-crafts (sold more jewelry)
I had hot tea and cocoa available for sipping while shopping and a couple of little sweet treats.
One thing I needed more of was lighting.
I'm already in the process of making stuff for this year's holiday boutique so it can be even bigger and better.
Anyhow I made a little over $200 in sales and next to nothing in overhead.
They key is to make up nice flyers and give/mail them to EVERYONE you know and ask them to please let a friend know about it.
I chose to send out all of my flyers because I didn't want it to appear that I was begging for purchasing mercies ;)
I sent out 50 flyers and 10 people came to the event.
My biggest tip is to have A LOT of different purchasing options. If I had more than the 100 or so items I had I would have made more money.
__________________ Shellie G
Aspire to be a better person than you were yesterday
Okay....here's what a group of ladies does in Jacksonville, FL.
One lady puts ALL her furniture, like sofas, chairs, coffee tables, etc into storage. She leaves the beds, and BIG FLAT surfaced stuff in her home. (No lazyboys, or home gym stuff...think OPEN SPACE here.) And, her family, ALL 4 of them, stay at a HOTEL during this WEEK LONG EVENT.
In her home, they then set up tables. All sorts of tables in a very organized display.
10 different crafters/artists participate. (Oh, and this is INVITATION for the crafters/artists ONLY. You have to be ASKED to sell your stuff there!) The ENTIRE house is then set up to sell the craft items. On the enclosed porch they have sun catchers, glass work, and "outside stuff" for the garden, or garden related crafts, like wooden plaques about gardening, etc.
In the living room, with a surf board, (the son surfs), there is an entire Fun in the Sun set up featuring painted umbrellas, Painted and stitched t-shirts, painted buckets, etc. Then, in the den there are "distressed items" like old wood carvings, walking sticks, "country" stuff, quilts, etc. Up in the kitchen there are pot holders, container sets, spoon holders, pottery, etc. Then in one bedroom there is CHRISTMAS STUFF/angels. In another bedroom there is CUTESY winter stuff like snowmen and Santas. Then, in the office, there are handcrafted cards, paintings, etc.
Each item is tagged with the seller's name and price. When the customers check out, (and they use REAL cash registers!), the items are credited to each seller. (Consignment type of transaction.)
The family charges the 10 artists/crafters $1700 a EACH for the week. And believe me, they ADVERTISE this event in a REGULAR ad in the local papers, radio shows, etc. (Remember, that family has to STAY in a HOTEL for a week, and pay for that storage unit!) Oh, and the family takes up "2" artist/crafter spots so it's really 12 artists/crafters items for sale. THAT HOUSE IS PACKED with both shoppers and items to purchase! And, they have items that they replenish the ENTIRE week. Oh, and the various sellers' items are all mixed together by CATAGORY! That way buyers with different tastes can see what is available. (Think cute angel beside regal angel.)
This has been going on for about 15 years now. You may want to try it in your town.
Oh, and parking is a PAIN!!! Most people WALK about 5 blocks just to get there!
markies mom that sounds like fun to go to but i know i wouldn't be able to do that... nor do i know that many different crafters in my area to put on a show like that. i've met a few ladies in my community fair but nothing like what you described.
markies mom that sounds like fun to go to but i know i wouldn't be able to do that... nor do i know that many different crafters in my area to put on a show like that. i've met a few ladies in my community fair but nothing like what you described.
I don't think the woman who started this "knew" anyone! She went to craft fairs and handed out flyers to the CRAFTERS for spots...
you said there is a fee for the week long thing and great advertising but still it would probably just be easier to rent a hall or building for the time being. but i see where you are going with that... it is a neat idea.. 4laura i do sell items like cards/paper crafts through out the year at my local s.s. but found sale traffic better at the fairs. but they only hold the fairs here 1 a year
I'm Early with this topic but advice is always great.
