First Big Show - all boro!

[e. mort]

I just completed my first two day show where everything on the table was boro. All the vendors I talked with complained that they did poorly, and the traffic today was really light. I just finished totaling up the proceeds and it looks like I did about 6.5 times the booth cost in sales. Since it is a local show, I am content with the results. However, what do you consider to be a good boro show? I have heard that 10 times booth is what you should consider as the minimum for a good show. I did pay an additional 25% for a corner booth, but I am not sure if that paid off or not. Here is a picture of the booth on the second day after a lot of stuff has sold off. (My daugher is counting change for a customer.)

[suzanne]

congratulations! Can't help you on the money-thing though. I just had my first show ( five day show) and I made 2 times the booth money.... not enough. People just kept complaining how expensive we were compared to the chinese bead-sellers next to us.... sigh

Ah well I just hope we raised some awareness and hope people will learn one day

[Mr. Smiley]

I'd say you did pretty good for a local show. I hear folks complain all the time about those. Cheap booth fees and they still don't cover it. It's great that your family helped out! Nice display man... keep raising the boro awareness!

[ShepherdCreations]

Congratulations!!! Yaaay!! It's always nice to see family involvement too. Keep up the great work!

[Cosmo]

Any time I can do a show and break even I consider it a good show...

[mteeters]

My family and I have done 3 shows. Each time we hardly made any profit. When you consider that on your first shows, you have to get all your presentation furniture together, along with anything you need for your booth. Our first show was in Stepenville, the booth cost $75 dollars. We made about 250.00. This was four sales. Our second show was in Granbury. We were at a Christian bike rally. We felt a little out of place, as most people sold leather or bike parts. The cost was about $325. We made close to $900. That was a three day show till 10:00 PM for two of the nights, and open by 9:00 AM. Gruelling! Our most recent show was in Granbury again and the cost and profit were about the same. This time we were at an Art and Craft fair. And when I say profit, I mean that before any of the expenses have been taken out. The last show was only two days and close in the evening at 6:00 PM.

I know you are from Austin, so I hope this helps you. Most of our customers have no idea what Boro is. Many people don't know what the pendants are. We had better luck displaying the pendants on a ribbon or necklace on a necklace display board.

I have to say we are kinda down about the shows. By the time we eat everyone's food and I have my Kettle Corn, figure in the gas, it's hard to say we are making any money! The kids seem to enjoy it and some people are really taken in by the beauty of the pieces, but don't know when we will do this again. It's hard to find out about the shows and some have deadlines 6 months in advance. Like the Main Street Art Festival which we were turned down for. Not only do you have to produce fine art these days, but be an amature photographer or pay someone to do your photos for you.

Sorry to be so long, but this is a real issue for people like us who want to feed the addiction!

[Cosmo]

Eric,

I don't know if you did this or not, but we found at our last show it really helped...

At the last show we did, we took just about all pendants. We offered a "add a cord for $5" deal. We got a few rolls of synthetic leather and other cords from Fire Mountain/Rio Grande, and got some base metal clasps and cord ends. We sized the cords to the customers' necks and clasped them right there. I'd say about 80% of the sales we did were people wanting a cord as well. One woman bought 8 pendants and cords and was going to give them as Christmas presents. A lot of people commented that it was nice to be able to buy it and not have to do anything else to it to be able to wear it/give it as a gift.

[mteeters]

Here's two more cents worth! We gave a cord away with every pendant! At every show there were lots of jewelry booths! Everyone and their dog makes jewelry, or has some kind of jewelry that they are reselling. Also, the jewelry catagory is huge for juried shows. Try to get in the glass catagory, not the jewelry catagory.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by mteeters

Here's two more cents worth! We gave a cord away with every pendant! At every show there were lots of jewelry booths! Everyone and their dog makes jewelry, or has some kind of jewelry that they are reselling. Also, the jewelry catagory is huge for juried shows. Try to get in the glass catagory, not the jewelry catagory.

We thought about that, but selling $8-10 pendants and giving away cords would make us go broke...

[e. mort]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

The show fee was expensive at $400 for a corner booth, so I ended up with a little over $2600. I was glad that I was set up for credit cards since that accounted for almost $1700 of the total.

Hi Chad! I include a magentic choker cable with each of the pendants, but not everyone likes those so I think I will look into getting some cord and crimps like you mentioned. I did sell one pendat on a sterling silver chain which I had just bought from a friend of mine who was few booths over, but after that I just went ahead and told the customers who liked the chain where she was.

I was VERY pleased that I sold 6 of the marbles that I have posted recently.

I also got a lot of postive feedback from the large picture of me working on the torch. (same one a my icon) I let people know that I created each piece and pointed to the photo and said "In this picture I am creating a marble." One lady didn't see the photo and said "Oh, he doesn't make this stuff he just buys it from overseas." I corrected her, pointed to the photo, and told her she was welcome to come to one of our local glass meetings and watch me in action. (I was very polite and nice about it.) She looked embarassed, and ended up buying a small pendant for her teenage daughter. Her daughter returned the next day with a friend and bought two more!

I do need to work some more on my display, but I will do that as the finances allows...

Eric

[Cosmo]

I'd say that's a pretty good show. The most we've ever made at a show is about $800, and that is at a two day show...

My work just doesn't sell well, which is why I'm not making much these days. Just concentrating on selling rods and tubes and torches and things like that...

[Janice]

Congrats Eric! Sounds like you did well sales-wise! I particularly like the display cases that are at an angle so that people don't have to have their faces directly over top of them to see your work. Love the photo, too, and obviously it "worked" for you.

May I make a professional suggestion (after looking at your particular photo of your booth in situ)? If you do a corner booth like that one again, for traffic flow and efficient use of space (people won't tend to get bunched up, and other people won't avoid the corner due to a crowd in the corner), if you're able, consider putting your tables at an angle, rather than perpendicular to the wall.

J.

[e. mort]

Thanks Chad!

I also noticed that items $30 and under sold the best and made up more than 75% of my sales. The remaining 25% was Marbles and large pendants.

I recently read an article that said that every year the Christmas season is getting squeezed closer and closer to December 25th, and that eventually the week prior to Christmas may make up 95-96% of yearly holiday sales. Has anybody else noticed this trend?

Eric

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by Janice

Congrats Eric! Sounds like you did well sales-wise! I particularly like the display cases that are at an angle so that people don't have to have their faces directly over top of them to see your work. Love the photo, too, and obviously it "worked" for you.

May I make a professional suggestion (after looking at your particular photo of your booth in situ)? If you do a corner booth like that one again, for traffic flow and efficient use of space (people won't tend to get bunched up, and other people won't avoid the corner due to a crowd in the corner), if you're able, consider putting your tables at an angle, rather than perpendicular to the wall.

J.

Thanks for the idea on the table angle. The crowd flow wan't a problem at this show, but at one I will be doing next year, it will be! I also plan to use the wall space behind the tables to hang up a few large pics/posters of my work.

Eric

[Ro]

interesting info from all thanks and congrats!
ro

[angie4680]

Hi Eric- Congratulations! One thing that my family does, is sells the pendants for $20, then the magnetic chain or the velvet chain for $10 (which are both about 1-2 dollars). You still make a decent amount of money, and it makes the glass seem cheaper and a lot of people have ss chains they like at home. It evens out pretty well for us. I was wondering, what did you sell the most of, the hearts, or the implosions? What colors were the most popular? Nice job!
Angie

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by angie4680

Hi Eric- Congratulations! One thing that my family does, is sells the pendants for $20, then the magnetic chain or the velvet chain for $10 (which are both about 1-2 dollars). You still make a decent amount of money, and it makes the glass seem cheaper and a lot of people have ss chains they like at home. It evens out pretty well for us. I was wondering, what did you sell the most of, the hearts, or the implosions? What colors were the most popular? Nice job!
Angie

I'd be interested in hearing that too. I make hearts myself, and I think they look pretty darn good. Everyone picks them up and oohs and ahhs over them, and says how much they like them, but I have yet to sell a single one. Frit implosions or frit pinwheels I sell all day long...

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by angie4680

Hi Eric- Congratulations! One thing that my family does, is sells the pendants for $20, then the magnetic chain or the velvet chain for $10 (which are both about 1-2 dollars). You still make a decent amount of money, and it makes the glass seem cheaper and a lot of people have ss chains they like at home. It evens out pretty well for us. I was wondering, what did you sell the most of, the hearts, or the implosions? What colors were the most popular? Nice job!
Angie

I haven't inventoried yet, so I don't really know what I sold the most of. I did notice that there wasn't anye specific color that sold better than any other. But that more of the subdued fall colors (browns, dark greens, ochres) sold better than I thought they would. The hearts were popular, but I sold a lot of round implosions as well. However, I was surprised that I only sold 3 of the "LOVE" implosion pendants. The Marbles that I sold were all very different from each other so definitely no pattern there.

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by Eplanet

Hey Eric,

Congrats on the successful show. Can you tell me a bit about your tent - where did you get it (its not the usual 10x10 popup you see around), and the lighting you have? Is that a lighting strip with the bullet halogens?

Cathy

The show is a "Trimline", and you can buy them online from www.flourish.com. It is really well made with heavy marine vinyl and a steel frame, but it is not lightweight and takes about 30 minutes to assemble.

The lighting you seee in the picture was ordered from http://www.schachtlighting.com and is powered by a deep cycle marine battery. (The show has n electricity) Steve Schacht is the one you want to talk to about your lighting needs. I also purchased another plug in style lighting set for when a show provides electricity, and it really makes my work look great. Both sets of lights use lighting strips and individual halogen heads. However, I use lower watt bulbs with the battery powered set up so my power last longer. If I do enough shows to warrant getting another battery, then I will run five 50watt halogen bulbs in that strip as well. Let Steve know that I recommended you if you contact him. He really does give great service! (I don't get anything for my recommendation.)

[e. mort]

Actually, I just remembered that there was one color that I sold out of very quick - anything with NS bubble gum pink and some gold fuming sold out in the first day. I actually got an order for some more pieces in that color. Now, I need to check and see if I have any more rods left in that color.

[nitefire]

Hi Eric
May i ask were you get the magnetic choker cables. I am looking for single strand type cable. And i want to buy one of your boro hearts, when will there be some on ebay? Or can i just buy direct from you? I am looking for something in the blue purple range. I have decided that i am going to buy myself a heart pendant for Christmas.
Thanks
Elaine

[mteeters]

Eric, I hope I wasn't too negative about the shows we have done. We actually had lots of fun each time. We just can't depend on making a fortune! We also sold bubble gum with gold fume. We only had one or two, but they got the most attention! You didn't mention what show it was you did. Was it in Austin?

Cosmo, I have a hard time believing your stuff doesn't sell well! And you are so cheap!

[sandree]

Hi Elaine,

I sell sterling silver friction clasp cable chokers on my website as well as knotted chinese necklaces you can put a pendant on and other findings that work with lampwork beads and pendants....

Sandy

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by nitefire

Hi Eric
May i ask were you get the magnetic choker cables. I am looking for single strand type cable. And i want to buy one of your boro hearts, when will there be some on ebay? Or can i just buy direct from you? I am looking for something in the blue purple range. I have decided that i am going to buy myself a heart pendant for Christmas.
Thanks
Elaine

I bought them from "Rings and Things." I am not selling on eBay right now because it irritates one of the galleries that I am in. I will pm you instead.

Eric

[gennym]

I think you did great Eric! We have been doing large 2 and 3 day fine arts and crafts shows selling our beads made into jewelry and our best has been a little under $2,000. We sell lots of earrings and a few bracelets/necklaces. We've got the Trimline canopy too and can't recommend it enough. We just did our first large indoor show and used the Trlmline frame with polyester curtains they have for sale now at Pier One with a kind of beading to it in several colors.

Congratulations on your show!

[hotflashwanda]

Eric, congratulations on your great sales! The amount you sold is very good, for these economic times and considering the plethora of jewelry vendors in art and craft fairs. Now you know why all those other vendors were bemoaning their poor sales traffic--everyone spending money was obviously in your booth!
Anita
www.fireflybeads.com

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by Eplanet

Thanks for the info Eric - I did a show with no electricity once and the lack of lighting really made the glass displays look lifeless. I never thought of a marine battery, so I'm off to do more research on costs. I was thinking along the lines of a Honda Generator at one point but then the costs get $$$$

Cheers,
Cathy

I thought about getting the smallest honda generator ($800), but most of the shows that I contacted don't allow them because of the smell and noise.

[Cosmo]

Get a 12V car battery and a power inverter. You can run lights, fans, etc. whatever off of them. After the show, use a regular car battery charger to recharge the battery.

[firefreak]

Eric, How many CCA is the battery? How long did it power the lights ?
We do a couple of indoor shows with poor lighting. Sometimes we don't get the booths along the wall where power is available. Glass sells best with good lighting. Your setup could be used anywhere.

As far as sales go, You did good! I expect to make 5 to 10 times the booth fee at shows. It seems to be tied to attendance. We gross 60 cents to a dollar per attendee. We have done over 30 shows so far,and this formula seems to hold up. We have done a few turd show along the way, where we did not get the 5-10 times the fee. but the 60 cent to 1 dollar formula held up. We don't book a show now that attendance wont give me the 5-10 times the show fee. We need at least 5 times the fee to make the clear profit that makes it all worthwhile.
We offer around 50 items at shows. (3 of us at the torch DW, DS and myself) Most of sales (80%) are $20 and under. It seems most people wont spend more than that on glass. Everyone love to touch and look at the higher priced pieces, but few buy. It is nice when someone has the understanding of how much time and skill it takes to make the better pieces. But for now I am happy selling a pile of smaller stuff. We always sell a few of the nice pieces, but we would be in deep if thats all we took.
We have been at this for 3 years now, and $2900 is my personal best(show did $6200 from 7000 attendance). So from my point of view you did good!!

[e. mort]

Originally Posted by firefreak

Eric, How many CCA is the battery? How long did it power the lights ?
We do a couple of indoor shows with poor lighting. Sometimes we don't get the booths along the wall where power is available. Glass sells best with good lighting. Your setup could be used anywhere.

As far as sales go, You did good! I expect to make 5 to 10 times the booth fee at shows. It seems to be tied to attendance. We gross 60 cents to a dollar per attendee. We have done over 30 shows so far,and this formula seems to hold up. We have done a few turd show along the way, where we did not get the 5-10 times the fee. but the 60 cent to 1 dollar formula held up. We don't book a show now that attendance wont give me the 5-10 times the show fee. We need at least 5 times the fee to make the clear profit that makes it all worthwhile.
We offer around 50 items at shows. (3 of us at the torch DW, DS and myself) Most of sales (80%) are $20 and under. It seems most people wont spend more than that on glass. Everyone love to touch and look at the higher priced pieces, but few buy. It is nice when someone has the understanding of how much time and skill it takes to make the better pieces. But for now I am happy selling a pile of smaller stuff. We always sell a few of the nice pieces, but we would be in deep if thats all we took.
We have been at this for 3 years now, and $2900 is my personal best(show did $6200 from 7000 attendance). So from my point of view you did good!!

It is a 100 amp battery, and running 100 watts (20watts per head) of 12volt bulb lighting it lasted me the full 10 hours of the show without showing any signs of dimming. The second day, I would run it only when it was overcast, when the booth started to get a crowd, and of course when the sum was going down. I also swapped the bulbs on 2 of the heads that evening so I was running 160 watts of halogen spots total.

I thought about getting more than one car battery and running off an inverter, but that means I would have needed two to three batteris plus extra chargers and the inverter. The whole setup for lights, bulbs, battery, and charger was around $425. But then the marine battery alone was $170 + tax. I will warn anyone who decides to get one that marine batteries are a lot heavier than car batteries! I needs to get me one of those nice cart/dolly combinations.