air freshener blanks and large festival

[chiptooth]

Okay.. I've already posted in the fragrance section because I've gotten myself into a tizzy deciding which fragrances to offer, now I'm tizzying over which shapes and how many. I am getting ready for a large (usually 50-60thousand people over 3 days) arts/crafts/food festival over the 4th of July weekend. I am planning on offering a "make it yourself" air freshener as part of my booth. I am offering the cardboard shapes, glitter glue, fabric paint, and markers and probably 10 different fragrances for patrons to decorate and then I'd paint the fragrance on. I think I have my shapes narrowed down but I don't have the slightest bit of an idea of how many I should order. I will be in the main part of the park instead of the children's section since I will also be offering my hurricane candles, tealights, votives, aroma ornaments, hot pads, and sachets. I am thinking at least 100/ day but my husband keeps arguing saying he doubts I sell 100 over the 3 days. UGH!!! what to do what to do. Ideas anybody?

[LynnS]

I would go with the flower, the angel(not white but maybe light yellow). White will discolor with some scents. The boot, car, star. Get a few of each. I have most of the shapes.I havent made any lately but going to for my festivals.They were not the best sellers in my area. I thought $2.00 was reasonable. Package, freshener, scent, label but it was candles people wanted. Going to try again this year. Kinda slacked off a few festivals and had so many left over I am thinking about re-scenting(same scent) and packaging those.

For the flower a floral scent or fresh scent.For the boot some man's fragrance. All others just what you want to choose.I love black raspberry vanilla.That would be one of my choices. Maybe a Vanilla(French Vanilla). My friend absolutely loves Heaven.She gets her freshener and tarts with that scent all the time. Lasts 3 months. Some fruit scents.Watermelon, cherry and peach scents. Since summer go with the spring/summer scents.

I see where you are going to decorate.I am not sure I would do that .Leave them natural and just scent them.Just my opinion. Not sure about glitter and trying to paint a fragrance on the freshener after that. To me a big mess. Fresheners must have some drying time. When I double scent mine it takes them forever to dry and sometimes they are still wet when I package. I just think doing that you will end of with a BIG mess.

LynnS

[chiptooth]

I already have my fragrances picked out. I guess I wasn't clear in my posting. I am letting patrons decorate the blanks themselves and then I will paint the fragrance on (so I don't have any waste or spills). I am using raffia as the hanging cord (have a bunch left from my daughter's cousin IT costume a couple of years ago. I am not packaging and labeling in polypropelene bags unless the person is making the freshener as a gift or don't plan on hanging it right away.I am providing cheapo dollar store baggies for others to put their freshener in and let them know not to keep it in the bag too long for loss of fragrance. In the kids section of the festival there is already spin art, aqua art, sand art, and candlemaking (with the granulated wax). The craft director is really excited for me to be offering something different for the kids to do and since I will be in the main festival, maybe some of the parents as well. I am getting myself into a tizzy trying to decide how many to have available for each day. The director of the head start who offers free crafts for kids usually sees 100 kids a day, but that booth is only open from 1-7 whereas my booth will be open 11-9 for 3 days. I am thinking I should have at least 100 available for each day, but don't know if I'm going to be too many or maybe not near enough. It's not like I can run out and get more blanks if I run out. I guess I am trying to get opionions on how well these sold for others. I made fresheners for my kids elementary cross-country track team and ironed their pictures on them and most of them hung them in their lockers. The kids absolutely loved them and the parents wanted them for themselves.

[LynnS]

Have more than just you at the booth because how can you sell all the other products you have. You might be to busy to put FO on the fresheners and watch teh customers do their thing of decorating. Just my opinion.When get busy sometimes I have 5 customers at once.It comes in spirts and you need to be at both places.To me that would be hard.

Working at the table and then having customers interested in your candles,aroma ornaments, sachets, tealight and votives is enough to keep you busy. Trust me have someone else do the selling and you man the table for fresheners. You say you have no idea how busy you will be so be prepared and have plenty of help.Oh and 3 days is going to be a bear when it comes to fatigue.

Just don't let your booth be so busy people will pass it by. Literally that can happen and then you will find you will be only selling air fresheners and nothing else. if you are to busy working on air fresheners and not paying attention to your other products people will not buy.

Glitter in a car can be messy. Some adults will also be wanting to make some.I just have mine already scented,packed and labeled and sell that way.

Hope someone else can help you too.

LynnS

[chiptooth]

Thanks Lyn for the advice. I consider myself a seasoned crafter. I've been doing craft shows for about 25 years. I know all about having enough help. I have my helpers all trained and lined up because the catch in this whole thing is along with having my own booth I have to put in a little bit of time at the booth my kids school runs and also the football booster booth. I am not going to provide glitter for the fresheners but glitter glue pens this way the glitter won't be falling off so much. The whole purpose of the do it yourself is to give the people something new to do themselves instead of the things I have mentioned that have been at this festival since it started 28 years ago. My ultimate goal is to attract people to thewhole make it yourself concept. We are remodeling our new house and I have intentions of opening my shop in my basement. I want to offer craft classes for kids and I've had adults inquire about things such as crochet, sewing, etc. I am hoping the do it yourself air fresheners will be a "spring board" advertisement sort of to get people interested in my upcoming shop and to see how much of a market I will sort of have for the craft classes. We are not close to a Joann fabrics or a michaels that offers classes. I have already had a lot of inquiries as to when I am opening. If my current residence wasn't so small I'd already be doing it. I am also starting to do "soap" parties where a group can make their own glycerin soaps. We did this for my daughter's birthday with a group of 8 girls and it went over quite well. The boys wanted to know why they couldn't join in. Again..thanks for the responses. I think I have it under control all except for guesstimating how many blanks I should have. I have picked 12 shapes from oak court that I am ordering. I will order more of the t-shirt shape and oval as these are the ones I use mostly for putting photos on.

[chiptooth]

I forgot to add that I've done this festival in the past, probably 10 years ago but with my glycerin soaps and glove dolls. It went really well considering we had horrible heat and humidity all 3 days and the paramedics were taking people out left and right due to exhaustion. Mostly everyone was coming to buy food and leaving, but we still did well. The craft director is very excited about there being something different this year. They are placing my booth so I have room behind to put the "work" table. I will be sure to post and let everyone know how it went and hope I remember to take pictures.

[NattyCat]

Seriously, you shouldn't even be fretting over this. Air freshener blanks are dirt cheap, small, don't take up any space and you could fit hundreds in a very small box. Take WAY too many with you and then that's your problem solved - you'll always have enough. Take 400/600/800 - it's not like they're going to take up the whole of your car/truck - you can fit that many in the glove compartment.

There really isn't a big deal to be made about this, I just think you're in a tizzy over doing the show and have fixated on this too much. Just chill and enjoy the show.

[mindy5140]

First off take a deep breath and breath out slowly. Like NattyCat said if you take to many so what you have some on hand to sell later or even next year for that. Rather to be to prepared then not prepared at all. (I hope that made sense, lol)

I wish you good luck and lots of $$$.

Mindy

[LynnS]

I was giving my thoughts/opinion thinking this show was new and even some selling was kinda new to you. You are more experienced than most of us and well known. You have experience in so many other things that are crafty (and more work) which should make the air fresheners a breeze. With being known for your talents I would take all you can like Natty Cat said, Bunches. I was thinking like 200 since everyone knows you and your craft knowledge. Should be a sell out.

Please do post. We all want to know. Every area is different. I have been making candles just over 4 years and really not that well known just doing shows.I have the regular people and a few new ones every year but they come from many different directions not always within my area. To get better known where I live I need to start up a store front. In fact just saw the building I want to do that. Quaint and darling. Will be looking through the place and then find out where I can get it. They are built and delivered. It is the cutest place I have seen and just the design I was wanting.

When I do shows I do them alone like many others. Husband works alot and only comes after work. Friends are not happy because they have told me this is what they want to do and seem to be put back a little. If I make a sale for $40 they act like I am filthy rich and get bent out of shape.They have no idea that it cost to make that product.It takes time etc. So if you have help for FREE or you are financially able to hire help that is good. Most of us in the craft scene cannot do that. Not in the cards for me and I guess I assumed you were dealing with this alone. I have a few times had people walk off just because I was with another customer.That is why I was thinking better have help or just have the fresheners ready to sell.

Hope you make money and sell out.I am going to try again with them. They are simple, cute and reasonable but where I live they are not sellers. Surprised me??? I guess people can buy them for a buck at the local car washes.I know my granddaughter said they got one from Yan... and it lasted a week. My fresheners last 3 months.

LynnS

[chiptooth]

Thanks again Lyn...you'll get there. My problem is that I have too many interests. I have several projects going at once because I get bored. I am not one to sit still, even when I'm watching television. Have to be crocheting or something. When I started the craft shows it was with all floral stuff. My aunt taught me some floral design. She used to run the gift shop in the basement of the dept. of the treasury. That kind of stuff got to be a pain taking to craft shows...the displays etc. Then I got into just doing it for weddings and got sort of fed up with the brides getting very nit picky..like one boquet looked like the flowers were in a different position..etc. I've looked into a store to rent in our downtown area, but too expensive. Once I get into our new house, there are no zoning laws as long as my shop doesn't cause a traffic or parking problem with the neighbors. Won't be a problem..there are acres in between and one of them is my sister! Anyway, once you get going you will get a following and repeat customers. I have many people hounding me about getting into my place. We are in desperate need of a "craft" type supply and learning place in our area. I just hope I can get it going before someone else takes my idea. Hang in there. I'm sure we'll all want to see your store front when you get it.

[LynnS]

Thank You Chiptooth. I do have a couple of customers on-line that do order quite often. They keep me busy through the year. Then craft season starts up in May. I do a couple spring ones. If there is nothing like the things you do then you will succeed. I have 6 candlemakers within about 5-10 miles and 3 of them have shops. So I will be taking on a challenge. At shows I am asked by customers if there is somewhere they can buy my candles. I have a website but really most of the time this area wants shops or at least a shop to buy them.

Years ago I tried the wreath thing and a couple other crafts but really Christmas items can last people forever. They have what they want stored away. When I got into candles a lady next to me at a show had the most gorgeous wreaths. Had only 2 customers. I didn't want to detour her because it was a small show but those things are not sellers in this area. Wood crafts etc are.I am getting into that this year with shelves etc.Paint and decorate but I will buy the shelves made because husband works to much to make them.I do want a few benches and he can do those. Variety is the key. Get thing that draw attention.Everybody loves candles and tarts but get different things and they stop also.

I haven't looked into the zoning thing but we have about 3 houses within a mile from me that have some type of business at their home.One is Avon, one is a boarding kennel, one is glass/window shop and also gun shop. I can't see me being turned down. My husband is retirement age and I am just behind him so this will be a big challenge. Started late for getting a business going.

Let us know after the 4th of July. I get amazed at what some people can sell in areas and what others can't. Just the area you live in. You mentioned 50-60,000 people.I do a show with over 150,000 in attendance.It is in my county but there are 35 of us candlemakers. I do get I like your candles and they are the best smelling but not always a sale. One lady said I have been to all the candle booths and yours are the best. Still not the sales a huge amount of sales I would expect.I am where some say they don't always go.I see them at others shows and they ask where were you at that other fest.

LynnS