Doing Smaller Shows

[#1]

I just completed the 2nd show of this season (my 3rd show ever), and finally made more than my table fee! Woo Hoo!

Couple of things I wanted to share.

First, I have learned SO much just by going through the process a few times. I've figured out better ways of displaying, packing, and time management.

I've read and read. But there's nothing like personal experience to lock things in.

2nd - I've been doing small shows. These are such a good place to get a craft show education. Such nice, friendly people. I'd rather do my learning at a small scale than have an epic fail at a large show.

3rd - A lady who said she did very well told me she sold a lot because "She told her story". She made her jewelry to keep busy during medical treatment.

What do you think? I could say "I've picked sewing back up after retiring".

[TigersandDragons]

Being able to sell and relate to customers better isn't always a "have it or you don't", it is something that you can develop and improve over time. When I started my business I had already worked for years at a gift shop. Employees were trained to be "helpful" but not pushy, as most jewellery was under glass and had to be pulled out for customers to see.

When I was set up at my first ever event, 7 days outdoors downtown, sharing with friends...my partner would stop by almost every day. He would stand there with an angry/bored expression on his face, and my friends would joke that he was scaring away customers. He was not a people person, and for the next few years he would help with me with set up and tear down, but only work in the booth with me during the biggest and busiest shows, if I could not get another helper.

Over time he got better at talking to customers, he heard the little phases I had, explaining my jewellery, and he would repeat these. Sometimes I would direct him, "Did you tell them about".....(I would say quietly), and then he would tell the customer about that very thing.

I would have to remind him to "smile", which is hard when you're tired or feeling lousy. He'll never be a "smiley" person, but he tries hard to be pleasant and in a good mood.

Later he began working in the studio too, making jewellery and being involved in the process gave him more to talk about. Sometimes older women customers tell me "How lucky I am", to have such a wonderful, helpful salesperson.

My "patter" has changed over time, sometimes I think before a show about what I say to customers, and how it could be improved. When people made requests - "I wish you had this in blue"....I had a hard time getting them to follow through with placing a custom order, they would just wander away. Now I say, "I would be happy to make that for you, and can have it made by......" and if they seem interested I ask very directly "Would you like to place a custom order?" They then have to reply yes or no, instead of being unsure and just wandering away (which is what used to happen).

[CoquetteBath]

Tiger, while I do think anyone can make an improvement, I still believe that either one has the gift of gab or they do not.

You can always tell when it isn't someone's base nature. Yes, they can get far better, but it is never as comfortable for them, and it shows...

JMO, of course.

[TigersandDragons]

You can't turn an introvert into an extrovert, and of course some people are more natural talkers, and natural salespeople.

But I believe it is not helpful to say "either someone has the gift of gab or they don't"...as if we are born with a secret ability that others will miss out on, that they will just have to accept/believe that they won't be good at connecting with customers.

If you want to, and you're willing to put some thought and effort into it (practice makes perfect):
-You CAN become more comfortable talking to strangers
-You CAN think about what to say, and practice.
- You CAN have some kind of reminder to "smile" in your booth.

Your state of mind is part of it - in most cases I notice that I do better when I am in a good mood, not too stressed or harried. I don't have to be focused on "selling", but at least be focused on talking and connecting.

Fear is another part of selling, fear of what others will think, fear of failure (and rejection). I am currently reading a book "The Art of the Sale", which is not a how-to, but does have some interesting points to mull over. It is mentioned in the book that the most successful salespeople are those who don't give up, the more times you are willing to put yourself out there, despite rejection, the better the long term results will be.

Talent (the gift of gab) , isn't everything. Develop your skills, tape yourself, think about what you say.

[Former_Member]

To piggyback on what Tiger was saying about the book: "It is mentioned in the book that the most successful salespeople are those who don't give up".

I'd like to offer one of my favorite quotes of all time. I've been frustrated many, many times (thousands) over the years in my sales profession. When I get frustrated, I always refer to this quote:

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent". –Calvin Coolidge

This is why Chinese Water Torture is so effective. It's not that the drops of water hurt, it's that they're so damned persistent! It's more emotional torture rather than physical torture.

[CoquetteBath]

but I do believe that we all have innate talents.

I can't run fast. I can't sing. I can't do math crazy wild.

but I can talk. I can communicate. I can persuade. I CAN SELL.

that's my super hero talent, if it were.

so while I can learn to run faster. To sing (maybe LOL) a bit better. To understand math, by doing it over and over again...

if you have a skill, if you are born with an innate talent, you don't have to work as hard (or at all, it just comes to me naturally). So that's why I say you either have the gift of gab (or the talent for impromptu communication) or you do not.

it doesn't mean you can't. It just means you'll probably never be as good at it, or as comfortable at it, or as able as someone who does. But of course you can always get better tomorrow than today with hard work and determination.

[Mulchandmore]

In my younger days I was very quiet, speech class scared me terribly, but I have overcome that with age! I think talking about what you know (your craft) becomes comfortable and leads to finding things that others are comfortable talking about, just to make them comfortable and break the ice!
And I also, as a shopper, don't like the loud hard sell that some people do, but will also walk by those with their nose in a book!

[ImLaughingMyGlassOff]

Mike, I think you can replace 'salesperson' in that sentence with any career or hobby or goal. The ones who don't give up get it eventually.

[Former_Member]

There was an article in Etsy Success not too terribly long ago which suggested boiling down your story to two short sentences to have a little something you can easily bring up if needed without overwhelming people. I loved that idea :)

[Former_Member]

Chris, one of the techniques that I like to use to greet shoppers is what's called an "ice breaker" in sales. It's just a simple little statement or comment, usually funny, that gets a reaction. The ice breaker serves 2 main purposes.

First, it shows the shopper that you acknowledge their presence. Ever been in a store and employees walk right by you, never acknowledging that you're there? You're looking for something, could probably use some help, and those that can help walk right on by until you flag one of them down. The ice breaker lets the shopper know that you've acknowledge their presence and are there if they need you.

Second, the ice breaker helps you determine the mindset of the shopper. Are they friendly, in a talkative mood, will they be receptive to your assistance, that type of thing. It's basically saying "hi" but in a little different way. Or, do they wish to be left alone to browse. It's important to discover this so that you don't inadvertently overwhelm people.

Here's the ice breaker that I use. Since we sell handcrafted soap & skin care products, I noticed that at ever craft fair, people will come up, grab a bar of soap, and shove it up to their nose to take a whiff. Most people aren't subtle, they're not gently sniffing like people would sniff a glass of wine. They're shoving that bar right up against their noses and inhaling. It's pretty comical, especially when you see every person doing the same thing. It happens with everyone that comes to our table, at every show, every time.

So, I say to people coming up to our soap table "free nose cleanings today!", because I know they're gonna shove that bar up to their nose to take a whiff. I say it in a joking, light hearted manner and I typically get 2 main reactions. Some people will crack a slight smile, not look at me but they'll keep looking at our soaps. That tells me they're not talkers, don't want to be bothered, so I leave them be to browse. But they know I'm there if they need assistance.

The other group will typically laugh, most will make a return comment or start talking. These are the people that have just given me their OK to engage them in conversation. I jokingly explain the "free nose cleanings" comment and that typically gets more laughs. We start talking about this and that, I ask them what their favorite scents are, then I show them the soaps that match their preferences. After that, I mention that we also have matching body butters & sugar scrubs and that we have free samples for them to try.

Take a look at your products and try to come up with your own ice breaker that's related to your products or craft. That gives you a reason to engage the shoppers in a non-threatening, non-sales way.