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What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
QUESTIONS TO ASK THE PROMOTER BEFORE DECIDING TO DO A SHOW
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The crafts industry is not without its problems, but bad shows can be avoided if you do your homework and ask the right questions. |
When there are literally thousands of art and craft shows, fairs and festivals from which to choose, how can you pick the shows best for you? "You have to do your homework," says Bill Ronay, publisher of the annual show listings, "The Ronay Guides," who hosts seminars on the business of arts and crafts. "I find the biggest failure of craftspeople is lack of knowledge about the event in which they're going to participate. It's not enough to know where a show is; you also need to know the foundation for the economy in that area. Is it based on mining, manufacturing or technology? A military base? Mostly blue collar or white collar workers? What's the premise of the show? If it's a festival, is the craft show the main focus, or has it just been thrown in as an added attraction?"
Doug Hawkins, publisher of Show West, a monthly magazine that lists about a thousand shows in the Southwest, cites an example that demonstrates the importance of doing initial research. Every year there is an ostrich festival in Chandler, Ariz., that attracts upwards of 200,000 people. A juried crafts show is the "added attraction." On the same day, about 20 miles away, is the annual Scottsdale Arts and Crafts Festival, one of the best art shows in the Southwest. "Every year," says Hawkins, "sellers at the art festival do well because people go there to buy art; and every year, exhibitors at the ostrich festival do poorly because people go there to see the ostrich races. Yet, every year, a whole new bunch of exhibitors enter this show."
Why do craftspeople go to a show with a bad track record? "I think they're just naive," says Hawkins. "They don't ask the right questions."
WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?Do you have a business question or problem you would like to see discussed in this column? Visit Barbara Brabec's Web site at www.crafter.com/brabec, e-mail: homebizwriter@webtv.net or send information about your business to:
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Finding shows
Most artisans find shows by subscribing to one or more show periodicals (see "Selected Show Guides"). Ronay suggests obtaining an application packet or prospectus for every event in which you have even a remote interest. This will provide a broad perspective on shows in general and tell you what promoters expect. "Work up a master list of questions you should always get the answers to before doing a show. Look for rules and regulations that are common, and if you don't find answers to all your questions, contact the show promoter for details," he advises.
Often, the best show information comes from networking with other sellers at a show. Recently, when polymer clay artist Jacqueline Janes was stuck in a bad show, she talked to several other exhibitors, asking where else they were selling, what shows they liked best, and so on. "I've found most craftspeople will share this kind of information," she says, "but I usually network first with people who aren't working in my [medium]. Anytime several people say the same thing about the same show, I figure that event has good potential for me. In fact, I recently entered a show based on what 15 other sellers had told me about it."
Janes cautions, however, that a show that has been successful for a friend will not necessarily be successful for you. "You must still pay attention to matching your product to the marketplace, and look for shows that attract the kind of buyers you need," she says.
SELECTED SHOW GUIDES |
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Arts & Crafts Show Business Box 26624 Jacksonville, FL 32226 (904) 757-3913 Web site: www.jacksonville.net/~artcraft Monthly listing of shows in FL, GA, NC and SC. Choices for Craftsmen & Artists Craftmaster News The Crafts Fair Guide The Ronay Guides SAC Newsmonthly Show West Sunshine Artist The Crafts Report |
Show promoters
"Make every attempt to avoid falling prey to other people's greed," he emphasizes. "Be suspicious of any show promoter who comes on strong because s/he may simply be trying to fill up a show at the last minute due to cancellations."
According to Amy Detwiler, editor of Sunshine Artist magazine, there are about 200 professional show promoters in the country and, clearly, many of them are doing their job right. However, she cautions craftspeople to be on their toes. "It's always a red flag if a promoter approaches you at a show," she says, "because professional promoters don't tend to approach craftspeople; craftspeople seek them out because they've heard good things about their shows."
A jewelry maker tells about a show promoter who took one of her cards at a high-end show, then later contacted her saying she was "automatically juried into his show." He told her and several other artisans he'd found the same way that his show would be "a handcrafted show," but it turned out to be a show with about 50 food booths, many commercial vendors and nothing but country crafts. "Ninety percent of us barely made our booth space," she says. "There were customers, but the promoters had marketed the show to a very low-end crowd."
"Never let your 'desperation instinct' take over when trying to decide whether or not to do a show," says Ronay, who recalls a couple of disastrous shows he did on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk ("people don't carry much money in their bikinis," he says) and a horse racing festival ("we ended up in the parking lot a half mile from the track").
These sellers might have avoided these particular shows if they had asked the following questions:
If the event is a large festival, Ronay suggests that you also ask if the event sponsors are members of an events networking group such as the International Festivals & Events Association, or a state group akin to his state's Fairs & Festivals Council of the Georgia Hospitality & Travel Association. "Shows work like any other business," he says. "They have publicity connections and sponsors, and they are always looking for new ways to bring visitors to the events."
The crafts show industry is not without its problems, but bad shows can be avoided if you do your homework and ask the right questions. "There are too many good shows out there to put up with second best," says Ronay. "Pick and choose from the best, stick by your values, and work for what you want to achieve."
Barbara Brabec is the author of several small-business books, including "Creative Cash," "Handmade for Profit" and "The Crafts Business Answer Book."
SEPTEMBER 1999:
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