How much do you sell at craft shows?

[Craftedinthewoods]

Can you share the (approx.) number of candles you've sold at a show? (especially a holiday show)

I have a huge month of craft shows. 1 in particular is a monster show - the biggest I've done - it is a 2 day show and I'm unsure of how much to bring and have ready.

I took my biggest summer / fall show to date and multiplied that by 4 to make an estimate of how many candles (and supplies) to have on hand. Do you think that is enough? I'm not sure since people will be buying for gifts this time, not just for themselves.

[I love candles]

It is hard to give a specific number - I have sold hundreds at small shows and next to nothing at the huge shows. It just depends on what people want on a given day. You could look at the total you have sold over the total number of hours you have been at shows and try to take the average as a starting place for planning. HTH!

[hollycandle]

I don't care how many candles I sell at shows...I care about how many names and addresses I get so I can market to them throughout the year.

There's more money in the back end than in a single sale.

Any sales I make are just icing on the cake!!!

That's just me though:)

Edited November 10, 2009 by Vicky_CO
link removed

[bugtussle]

I don't care how many candles I sell at shows...I care about how many names and addresses I get so I can market to them throughout the year.

There's more money in the back end than in a single sale.

Any sales I make are just icing on the cake!!!

That's just me though:)

What??? Bug

Edited November 10, 2009 by Vicky_CO
link removed

[barncat]

I'm not sure candle wise, but I go by dollars. I need to make at least $1000 a day or its not worth it for me. My average sale is usually around $20. Each show varies, some shows i dont sell any jars so I dont take them, but I have a show in December where I will take 2 main products. My snowman and my upscale line of jars cause they always sell there, but cant sell the upscale at other shows...go figure.

[hollycandle]

What??? Bug

I like to acquire as many names and addresses with emails and important dates in peoples lives as I can during craft shows.

I then have my own list of people who are interested in candles.

Then I can send promotions to them. I like to create a relationship with customers so that they aren't tempted to purchase from another vendor.

I send out b-day cards with a coupon. I send out happy anniversary cards with coupons. etc...etc...

Having a list of buyers that you can market to over and over again is a business. Having a one time sale is not!

Just my thoughts.

[SliverOfWax]

I like to acquire as many names and addresses with emails and important dates in peoples lives as I can during craft shows.

I then have my own list of people who are interested in candles.

Then I can send promotions to them. I like to create a relationship with customers so that they aren't tempted to purchase from another vendor.

I send out b-day cards with a coupon. I send out happy anniversary cards with coupons. etc...etc...

Having a list of buyers that you can market to over and over again is a business. Having a one time sale is not!

Just my thoughts.

If they don't buy from you at a craft show, what makes you think they're going to buy from you on their birthday?

I'm having a hard time determining what it is you do sell.

As to the OP's question, it's impossible, totally impossible to determine how many candles you might sell. A lot of subsequent success comes from doing the same circuit each year. People become used to seeing you there.

[hollycandle]

I should have said it differently...

I don't care about the sales...I care about getting peoples names who are interested in candles.

There are all sorts of reasons that people don't purchase something the first time they see it.

But if I can market to people and say

"hey remember me...you stopped by my booth at _____craft fair the other day, we're having a sale on_____ for the next 7 days. Here are the details."

You can potentially gain a customer for life rather than a single sale at the fair.

[SliverOfWax]

"hey remember me...you stopped by my booth at _____craft fair the other day, we're having a sale on_____ for the next 7 days. Here are the details."

You can potentially gain a customer for life rather than a single sale at the fair.

I accomplish that by selling to them in the first place. I don't bombard people with sales pitches.

But that's just me.

[hollycandle]

I don't bombard them with meaningless sales pitches.

Most of the time they are excited about getting a promotion.

the marketing changes when they purchase something. I then personalize the promotions.

Something like...

"I know how much you like burning Cinnamon Bun in your home...well for the next seven days you can buy one get one half off"

What's the harm in marketing to people who you know like to burn candles.

Not every person who stops by your booth will purchase.

Do you think that it's possible that a certain percentage of people who stop by and don't purchase at the fair could potentially make a purchase in the future?

They sometimes do.

[joanncat18]

I don't bombard them with meaningless sales pitches.

Most of the time they are excited about getting a promotion.

the marketing changes when they purchase something. I then personalize the promotions.

Something like...

"I know how much you like burning Cinnamon Bun in your home...well for the next seven days you can buy one get one half off"

What's the harm in marketing to people who you know like to burn candles.

Not every person who stops by your booth will purchase.

Do you think that it's possible that a certain percentage of people who stop by and don't purchase at the fair could potentially make a purchase in the future?

They sometimes do.

Totally understandable...this works in lots of businesses...

When I sold real estate this applied too. We didn't care about selling the houses that we had open houses for, but we did want to use it to find other potential customers. Lots of people go to open houses just for fun and aren't even in the market, BUT if you get their contact info and send them promotions throughout the year, then when they are in the market they might call you. Selling the house that you have open would just be a bonus.

[hollycandle]

Totally understandable...this works in lots of businesses...

When I sold real estate this applied too. We didn't care about selling the houses that we had open houses for, but we did want to use it to find other potential customers. Lots of people go to open houses just for fun and aren't even in the market, BUT if you get their contact info and send them promotions throughout the year, then when they are in the market they might call you. Selling the house that you have open would just be a bonus.

It's a proven business strategy.

[barncat]

i think this topic is going off track..but honestly...if my product cant sell itself and I have to do sales pitches. I would close my business! Either you want it or you don't, I'm not going to try to convince my customers to only buy something when I have a sale. Theat deveops a sale mentality for your customers and that is not a good business practice.

[Vicky_CO]

i think this topic is going off track..but honestly...if my product cant sell itself and I have to do sales pitches. I would close my business! Either you want it or you don't, I'm not going to try to convince my customers to only buy something when I have a sale. Theat deveops a sale mentality for your customers and that is not a good business practice.

Oh I agree it really does. If I am offer a sale it is for those that are already buying from me and I want to reduce some inventory. A sale is nice every now and then but if they expect it every week they get use to it and only buy whats on sale.

[SherriLynn]

I take to shows, whatever we have made..... sales are always unpredictable,, however, over the past 11 years we've weeded out the good from the bad of shows, and only vend at shows we can make at least $1500 a day.

Edited November 10, 2009 by SherriLynn

[soylights]

We have learned that people don't like to spend more than 5 or 10 bucks on candles so we only take tarts and candles ranging from 1-15 dollars and we make up small gift baskets and really play up our display with vibrant colors.

We sell a TON of tarts and tart warmers. I do sell some candles, but like I said people just don't wanna pay any more than 10 bucks if that for a candle. We sell plug in burners from levine gifts and punched tin from Colonial Tin...those are BIG sellers. People will pay up to 25.00 for those. We have found that for these bigger sales, its important to accept Credit Cards. It's scary accepting checks.

We sell our tarts for 1 buck each or 6 for 5.00. So we pretty much sell 5 dollar items throughout the day and a TON of warmers. If we make 500.00 bucks we are pretty happy.

[adillenal]

My personal opinion and from experience is that they either buy from you at a show or don't and they do not buy from your website or whatever you have available later. Shows are a lot of impluse sales anyway. A lot of people just want a card and that is fine but I do not see sales from them. Why do I think they are going to order soap (sorry I don't sell candles) and pay shipping later when they could buy it on the spot?

As far as inventory - I carry way too much but I am always prepared. You just never know which show will wipe you out of inventory. Or which ones you will have to pack most of it back up and haul it home. You can't sell it if you don't have it with you.

[somethingtoshopabout]

This year due to a lot of things - my mother passed away 6 months ago, I closed my store, I'm selling my home, buying a home in a new city that has an art district that offers many perks to crafts people willing to relocate so I will be opening a new store there... and that is just the beginning! lol - I will only be doing a handful of very small local shows.

I have found it really depends on the show. Of the 2 public shows I have done I have had sucess on different levels. One was an out door show in a very small town that ended up getting rained out after only 2 hours and I made a whopping $80.00 BUT I also got a call from a potential wholesale customer as a result of that show.

Next was a little bit larger show a few towns over still a very small town I did about 350 for 1 day and got a few orders a week later. As a result of this show I was also asked to participate in 2 invitation only shows next fall and was asked to do a larger Christmas show with the fee waived this year.

Next was more like a private show not really a party. One of my dearest friends live in an apartment complex that is meant for mostly ederly and phisically disabled persons. Twice a year (upon request) I do a small set up in their conference room. I make any where from 200 to 500 in the 2 years I have been doing this but I get quite a few orders after the fact. I did this Last weekend and walked away with about 250 but in the last week I have gotten another 250 in orders as a result of that and orders are still coming in so... it depends.

I have no expectaions when I go into shows, big or small. I feel this way, This is how I choose to spend my time and I should do it because I enjoy it and the money is just a perk.

[evesorto]

Just curious, to the two responders who said that they only do shows that average $1000 or $1500 for the day, what type of table fee are you spending for that type of venue.

I ask, because I've been hesitant to pay big money for tables/shows. So basically, I am trying to spend $60 and under for my shows (and hope for 10-15x table return).

Thanks in advance for the info.

Eve

[Dustpuuppy]

Eve;

No easy answer, there. You just have to make the leap, sometimes, til you find the right venue for your products.

Sometimes you can pay $5 for a booth at a roadside flea market in East WherethehellamI and sell everything including the tablecloth.

Sometimes you hit a major craft show and don't make your gas money back.

It's pretty much hit and miss, when you first start.

Do as many shows as you can afford to. Keep a journal so you can go back and see EXACTLY how you did at each show. Sometimes you go to a show and just like it there for whatever reason, but you don't sell very much. Sometimes you go to a show that you didn't like but you sell a lot. Your memory can play tricks on you. The journal will tell you the truth.

Next year hit the ones you did well at. Write off the ones you didn't. Do as many new ones as you can. Try to visit as many as you can, as a 'civilian', just to see what's going on. Make notes. The ones that look promising, you can try to set up at next year.

After 3 or 4 years you pretty well know which shows to hit and which ones to avoid like the plague.

And it's not always bad to do a show that you like but don't do well at. It's not a sound biz strategy but business ain't everything. If you've gotten into ANY kind of crafting, just to make money, you've already screwed yourself, anyway.:rolleyes2