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Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me for tips and talk day.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DME over on Instagram at gift biz unwrapped,
Speaker:before we get into the show today,
Speaker:I want to make sure that you know about the newest
Speaker:thing happening over here.
Speaker:It's called the gift biz bash a zoom party that turns
Speaker:into a podcast episode.
Speaker:Several weeks later,
Speaker:the party consists of a short training with Q and a
Speaker:from yours truly.
Speaker:And then an opportunity for you to give a shout out
Speaker:about your business.
Speaker:You can tell us about a promotion you currently have going
Speaker:on or share a collaboration that you're considering so that you
Speaker:can find a perfect partner for the event.
Speaker:A little bit of learning and visibility for your business.
Speaker:What could be better?
Speaker:There is a catch though spots are limited to keep the
Speaker:party to about 45 minutes or so.
Speaker:That means you should grab your spot right away.
Speaker:It's totally free to make sure you're included.
Speaker:Why not do that right now?
Speaker:Pause this episode,
Speaker:go to gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash bash to sign up and then come back
Speaker:and listen to the show.
Speaker:I'll see you at the bash craft shows can be the
Speaker:lifeblood of a handmade business.
Speaker:It's the easiest way to find an interact with people.
Speaker:Get feedback on your products and the most immediate way to
Speaker:bring in sales plus no shipping time and delivery costs.
Speaker:We're not going to talk about the basics of participating in
Speaker:a show today.
Speaker:Instead I'm addressing some higher level points about exhibiting it's this
Speaker:extra style and subtle adjustments that can have a huge impact
Speaker:on your results.
Speaker:Now, I can't take credit for these points.
Speaker:A couple of weeks ago,
Speaker:I attended a virtual presentation with Amy and-or of Andorra productions.
Speaker:She's been putting on events for 38 years or so multiple
Speaker:shows a year.
Speaker:And I think it's safe to say she's hosted over 400
Speaker:shows. So to say she's a pro is an understatement.
Speaker:Amy's focus is on upscale product makers and her shows are
Speaker:juried. Meaning you have to be accepted into this show.
Speaker:She invests a lot of time into ensuring that exhibitors display
Speaker:their products and present themselves professionally.
Speaker:Hence the presentation that I attended,
Speaker:if you go back to episode 287 of this podcast,
Speaker:you'll hear lots of display tips and other important points from
Speaker:Amy that you can apply to your own booth.
Speaker:And several other guests have been on the show too,
Speaker:who are also exhibitors at her shows like Kenny and Jennifer
Speaker:from kudu LA.
Speaker:That was episode number 2 29,
Speaker:Marlo Duran,
Speaker:which was episode 72 and most recently Yulia of Wolf leathers
Speaker:episode 3 34.
Speaker:If you're interested in learning more and possibly exhibiting at one
Speaker:of Amy's shows,
Speaker:you can find all that information over at the Amador productions
Speaker:website. Much of the information that Amy covered in her presentation
Speaker:was intended to educate potential participants on what's behind submitting for
Speaker:acceptance into a jury show.
Speaker:Then she advised already accepted exhibitors on best practices to prepare
Speaker:for the upcoming show season,
Speaker:which of course now is in full swing.
Speaker:There were several things that Amy brought up that I'd never
Speaker:heard before or never heard with the angle that Amy ads.
Speaker:That's what I want to share with you here.
Speaker:They apply to any type of in-person event.
Speaker:You do,
Speaker:whether it's a farmer's market or neighborhood sidewalk sale,
Speaker:all the way up to large craft shows and even juried
Speaker:fine art shows.
Speaker:Here are five tips that you can use to enhance your
Speaker:show experience that I bet are new to you too.
Speaker:First. When someone approaches your display,
Speaker:welcome them,
Speaker:say hi,
Speaker:or acknowledge their presence in some way,
Speaker:whatever's natural to you.
Speaker:It's surprising that I even have to say this,
Speaker:but too often,
Speaker:there's silence on behalf of the person working the booth.
Speaker:They're sitting in a chair on the phone or ignoring those
Speaker:who approach their table as if they were embarrassed or timid
Speaker:about what they're offering,
Speaker:not the best way to encourage someone to buy that's for
Speaker:sure. And I bet you're saying to yourself,
Speaker:Sue, this is not new advice,
Speaker:but hold on,
Speaker:Amy suggest you take it a step further after you say
Speaker:hi, make sure to tell them that you're the artist or
Speaker:maker of the products.
Speaker:It's not always obvious.
Speaker:Sometimes you have other people working in the booth with you.
Speaker:How's someone to know that you're the business owner and these
Speaker:are your creations.
Speaker:Tell them in a friendly way and watch how that can
Speaker:open up a dialogue.
Speaker:Of course,
Speaker:after that,
Speaker:and this is moving into tip number two,
Speaker:let them look around,
Speaker:but be in a position to answer any questions or continue
Speaker:the conversation.
Speaker:If someone is interested in talking,
Speaker:remember show attendees are there to browse and buy,
Speaker:but also for the experience and it's up to you to
Speaker:make it a good one for them.
Speaker:When they're spending time in your booth,
Speaker:tell stories about how you started the business or something specific
Speaker:about a certain product that they're looking at.
Speaker:Some of this may be off the cuff,
Speaker:but if you're not good at that,
Speaker:think ahead and have some stories,
Speaker:quote unquote,
Speaker:at the ready.
Speaker:So you're not fumbling around for something to say,
Speaker:if they are interested in talking and your silent,
Speaker:they're just going to leave.
Speaker:And yes,
Speaker:there is a fine balance between turning people off by being
Speaker:too chatty.
Speaker:But the other side is not having anything to say.
Speaker:So use your intuition here yet.
Speaker:Come prepared.
Speaker:Tip number three is the perfect response to something I know
Speaker:you struggle with regularly.
Speaker:When someone comments on how high your prices are,
Speaker:what do you do?
Speaker:We've talked about this recently in the breeze and there were
Speaker:great responses there.
Speaker:Here's what Amy suggests.
Speaker:I love it because it makes a strong statement while keeping
Speaker:the conversation friendly and maintaining the integrity of your brand.
Speaker:When someone says your prices are too high,
Speaker:you can say these pieces are all created with glass that
Speaker:I've blown and painted myself.
Speaker:Each piece is one of a kind and they aren't for
Speaker:everyone. Of course,
Speaker:you'd adjust this to your product,
Speaker:but your response consists of two parts.
Speaker:First, something specific that relates to the quality and making of
Speaker:your product.
Speaker:And second that it's not for everyone,
Speaker:which is another way of saying that those they are made
Speaker:for have no problems,
Speaker:seeing the value and paying the price.
Speaker:I love this Amy as spectacular response to something we struggle
Speaker:with regularly.
Speaker:Tip number four is for you.
Speaker:If you sell smaller products.
Speaker:So jewelry,
Speaker:candles, small accessories.
Speaker:And actually,
Speaker:as I think about it,
Speaker:I'm going to even suggest that it could be for pretty
Speaker:much everybody here,
Speaker:unless you're making super large products like garden statues or huge
Speaker:paintings or signs.
Speaker:So here's the tip as part of the backdrop of your
Speaker:display have one to three high quality single image,
Speaker:large photos of your products.
Speaker:So a big product image in the back and then the
Speaker:actual smaller products on display to purchase in the front.
Speaker:This is an attention grabber for sure.
Speaker:And also visually highlight the quality of your work that people
Speaker:can even see from afar.
Speaker:It will set you apart from other displays and position you
Speaker:as a true professional and the final tip.
Speaker:Oh, this is a good one.
Speaker:Never say thank you until after the sale is made,
Speaker:I'll let that settle in for a second.
Speaker:I didn't get it at first either.
Speaker:You see,
Speaker:when you say thank you,
Speaker:it closes the conversation.
Speaker:Someone compliments you on the quality of your knitting.
Speaker:And of course the natural response would be to say,
Speaker:thank you,
Speaker:right? But where do you go from there?
Speaker:Usually at this point,
Speaker:they turn and walk out of your booth.
Speaker:It's a polite way for them to say goodbye instead say
Speaker:something like,
Speaker:wow, I appreciate that.
Speaker:You recognize the quality of my shells.
Speaker:I just created this new stitch and I'm so happy.
Speaker:It's become such a popular item.
Speaker:See how the conversation can more easily continue from there.
Speaker:This is my favorite tip.
Speaker:So remember,
Speaker:thank you is reserved for after a purchase has been completed.
Speaker:Here's the summary of these five tips.
Speaker:Again, one point out that you're the maker to tell stories
Speaker:about your company and or specific pieces,
Speaker:three, your response to the comment about high prices.
Speaker:You'll say these are,
Speaker:and then you'll fill in the blank and they aren't for
Speaker:everyone for have blown up single product images on the back
Speaker:wall of your booth and five never say thank you until
Speaker:a sale has been completed.
Speaker:If you've been with me for any length of time,
Speaker:you know that I highly endorse in-person shows unless you have
Speaker:lifestyle or other limitations,
Speaker:they should play a significant role in your sales strategy.
Speaker:Particularly as a handmade product business,
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I'm a get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn go out and fulfill that dream
Speaker:of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.
