Here's a little update on how the craft fair idea has panned out. Been to 6 since posting this. I've had ample and varied inventory each time as well as visible
sign advertising what I'm selling. I got frustrated with people walking past the booth only giving it a 3 second glance. I tried cutting down by half the
signs I had displayed so people weren't overwhelmed with too much visual display. Kind of on the order of the concept of negative space with lots of air around each
sign on display. It worked. First thing I learned was my pricing was way above what craft fair attendees are expecting. I disappointed a number of people who badly wanted a particular
sign but wouldn't pay the price. Interestingly, I am easily selling the same
signs on Etsy for full asking price and getting custom requests.
The first few fairs we were at after New Years I discounted my inventory as being "last years stuff" and discovered I could basically sell out everything if the prices didn't exceed $25.00. This is sparking a new layout idea for everything from now on. I'm going to have to fall back on fast and loose show card experience and paint on wood blanks from hobby stores rather than cutting my own. It's all good though, I'm still getting to be a busy signpainter again and how many people can say that anymore? I'll still entertain myself with enough custom Amanda's SALOON
signs to satisfy the occasional "price is no object" customer who happens along.
Lastly, the first thing you experience in outdoor craft fairs in Texas is the fact that everybody fights the wind blowing over their popup canopies. Two fairs back we packed up early after a huge gust uprooted ours along with everyone elses and blew mine into my truck. The legs got horribly bent to the point they wouldn't telescope back down. I stuffed it all into the bed of truck and took it home. I cut the top canopy expandable structure off and threw the rest away. I was determined to build a wind proof booth. I designed a structure made of wood 2x2's, based on my work experience once of building trade show exhibit booths for a big display company. All three walls hinge in the middle and fold over on themselves to a size perfectly fitting in my truck bed. Once on site I unload them onto a custom piano moving cart I modified and wheel them to my location. Setup is less than 15 minutes and I only require the help of one person to get the covered canopy in place. First outing with it we held completely firm in the wind. At the next show I am building a small portable easel to attach to one of my sidewalls to once again experience what all signpainters dealt with when lettering on location. That being the inevitable spectators. I think it will reinforce to passers by that my wares are indeed totally hand lettered as opposed to all the cricut stencil stuff always at these events. I can't wait for the first person to ask the familiar old "are you doing that freehand?". My usual reply was "no, I'm charging for it".
