Doing Two Shows at the Same Time

[BohemianHollow]

I have this opportunity to do two different shows on the same weekend in August. Both are two day shows and both are really good. One show requires that the artist be there personally, but the other doesn't. So, I've been thinking of hiring someone to do one show while I'm at the other. Obviously it would be family or a close friend hehe! But I'm not sure how it would work out...

So I was wondering if anyone else has done this before? Or heard of someone else who has?
How has it worked out for you; Was it good or a total disaster?
Worth all the extra effort or not?
How much did you pay them?

And because I'm curious: Would you ever consider doing two shows at once, if you haven't before? How would you work that out?

[ImLaughingMyGlassOff]

The first weekend in December each year I do a traditional show. That same weekend I have my things at two other shows, both fundraisers that keep a portion of sales for the organization. In each case I drop off my things early in the week and pick up my left overs and a check after the weekend is over. I know many people balk at any sort of commission charged by the organization, but in both cases these are causes I want to support. I am always stressed about leaving the right stuff at each show, but I think I struck a good balance last year.

My fear at doing two big shows on the same weekend would be volume. Do I have enough to fill two booths? and how much will I have left on Monday?

[wavejewelry]

I can't make enough inventory to sell at two shows at the same time but I do know artisans who do. Mostly these are couples who work together making their inventory and then will occasionally do separate shows. Seems like too much work for me.

[TigersandDragons]

Yes I have several times over the years, though usually it was 1 large show (multi day), and one small show (single day). Sometimes my partner did the other show, mostly this was back in the day when he wasn't part of the business and not very good at selling or talking to people. Much improved now.

Other times I paid someone - a friend or acquaintance, though they never had to do set up or tear down, my partner or I always did that, or they would work the multi-day show (where everything was already set up), while I went to the one day. So it was never physically demanding for them. If it was a long day, we would arrange someone to come by just to give them at least a 15 minute break.

What did I pay? - minimum wage and sometimes a small jewellery gift of their choice (value $20-$30). I told them what I wanted to pay them, and asked if it was okay. Never had anyone say no to the rate, or want to discuss more, though I would of been open to a bit of discussion.

If it's worth it does depend:
a) on the shows - expected sales volumes, versus booth costs and salary costs.
b) amount of work required to split the stock, get the displays ready, make sure you have 2 of everything to run the booth (meaning your show kit)
c) how good the helper is at selling your goods, and how much training they need. Re: setting up display, or just being able to knowledgeable about your work and your process.

a) Was it worth it? In my case, the one day show was usually a bust, and not worth all the stress and effort of splitting the stock. Sometimes these were "new" shows, and sometimes these were decent shows that had a bad year. There was one town festival that had different vending opportunities - street vending with mix of vendors (crafts, commercial, charity), and indoor vending across town where you had to be approved to fit the theme, but the fee was cheap, $40. The first year it was well worth doing both, but the next two years the indoor booth sales were not worth all the time and effort of preparing two displays plus the cost of a helper.
However this summer 2 multi-day shows are overlapping, and we've booked them both and have to find a helper for each one, since each show is too busy for one person to handle all day.

b) Do you have enough stock? Do you have two displays? two showkits?
Who is going to be doing the setting up and tearing down at the show the helper is doing? Can they easily do it themselves? Do they have their own vehicle that it big enough for it all?

c) Helpers really vary in their skill level and how comfortable they are talking to people. I'm not a hard seller but I do greet people and I have "patter" where I talk about processes or designs, etc. So no one sells my goods better than me, though my partner has really improved over the years.
If your product totally sells itself (such as food), then it's easier to find someone to man your booth. But if more interaction and finesse is required, then it's important to find someone who has sales experience or who really knows your products.

There's a big difference between say leaving your booth to take a break while someone else runs it, and having someone else run it the entire event. I've had people with some sales or waitressing experience, people with little sales experience but who were sharp and learned fast, people who were shy, and 1 person who was practically useless work for me . Family helped too in the early days, my sister who was pretty good, my mother who is not good, and a cousin that was shy but okay to work along side with, but I wouldn't let her run my booth for more than an hour.

If you decide to do it my tip would be to plan early. Make a list. Start gathering goods for your second show kit. If you can, have the helper come work along side you at a different show at least for a few hours so that you can train them, and get them familiar with everything.

Having enough stock overall was never a problem for me, I usually display too much anyways. But the work of picking through and pre-pinning two displays has always been a hassle I don't enjoy. I'm always trying to "balance" as I pick and choose through stock, worried that I'll run low on one design at one show, while at the other show the pieces will just be sitting there.

[bowlswithholes]

I have done this many times. My husband also works with me, so that makes it some what easier. Still, it is a lot of extra work. You have to divide up the stock between you,and try to make your best guess which one is going to be the busiest, and what product you will likely need. You also need two display set ups and two vehicles to transport it all.
Sometimes it has worked very well, and we are glad we did it, other times it just has been way more work than we want to do.

[JustMeToo]

I only do one show at a time, but once, I was at a show, and had a friend run it one evening, so I could go to see Elton John (well, come on, I wasn't going to miss Elton John)!!
It was very kind of her to do it for me, but her sales were about 30% of what I would have sold. Of course, I am familiar with my own products, and the patter that goes with them, and how to close the sale.
The Elton John show was worth it though :)

I wouldn't do two shows at a time because of that - I can sell much more on my own, and I also don't have two of everything, like booth, credit card capabilities, etc.
Anyway, I'm too old to want to work that hard anymore!
I do have a friend who has her husband do one, while she's at the other. She's never very impressed with his sales, lol.

[BohemianHollow]

Tigers, you are awesome! Thank you so much for all the insights and info. You brought up things I didn't even think of, which is exactly the kind of things I was wanting to know. I especially liked the questions you posed for me to ask myself before going through with the two shows. Which I'm going to answer here just for kicks and giggles haha!

Do you have enough stock? - Yes. Or at least I will once the time arrives. It's only a matter of making some extra things, which I have plenty of time to do.
Do you have two displays? - In fact, I do. Two complete displays. I like always having backups to nearly everything hehe!
Two showkits? - Not yet, but I have all the materials to make a second, besides another square chip reader.
Who is going to be doing the setting up and tearing down at the show the helper is doing? - I'll be setting up at the "helper" show - which allows setup the day before - and my mom - who is a fantastic organizer - will be tearing down.
Can they easily do it themselves? - Yes, yes she can.
Do they have their own vehicle that is big enough for it all? - Yup, she has a suburban just like me. :P

You brought up a very good point about how competent a helper is, or isn't. Even though I trust my mom and she's helped me out lots of times, she's still not me. She wont know my methods or what materials I use exactly. That and she'd only be able to do one of the days and I'll have to find someone else to do the other, who might be even worse.

That's my biggest concern, how well anyone other than me can actually be able to sell my stuff. And if that would be at all worth it in the end...
If only I could clone myself for the day! :P

[BohemianHollow]

Suzy, that just sounds awesome to me! Two different shows where all you do is drop off and automatically have someone else making the sales for you. I would definitely try that myself if there was any shows like that around here. Too bad they don't offer anything like that at these particular shows I'm thinking of.

[BohemianHollow]

Julie - That's what I thought too, was that most people who do this have a spouse that can instantly help out. Unfortunately I'm lacking in that department. No spouse, no automatic helper haha!

And yeah, I'm concerned about the work involved too. Whether it'd be worth it. But still, I'm so curious. And you never know how something would work out until you try it, right? At least that's how I roll haha!

[BohemianHollow]

Carol - Haha so true, you can't miss Elton John!

Yeah, that's my concern as well. I fully expect that whoever is at the other show won't be able to do as well as me. Just depends on how bad it really is I guess. Which is a total unknown unless I actually bite the bullet and just do it.

[TigersandDragons]

It's great that most of your ducks area already in a row Stefan.

If the shows are in August, start looking for someone now for the second day. My double show is in August and I've already started asking people, unfortunately I don't have a large pool to choose from.

If you get some training in, the person comes with you to another show, if they are a good learner, quick study, they could pick up a lot that would make them better at selling.
Try looking for a friendly outgoing person (big plus if they have retail experience). My preference is for people who are smart and pay attention to detail, even if they are less outgoing. That's because selling in my booth is more "picky" work, there's a lot to know, and watching people to prevent shoplifting is a part of the job. Jewellery can be pocketed or palmed so quickly.

The "useless" person I had, could not even watch people, all she wanted to do was play with her phone. She was shy which I was warned about ahead of time. But I was in a pinch at a very busy show, and thought at least she could do the minimum of watching people while I did the selling. So I ended up paying her for 6 hours of "chair sitting" in the middle of the booth.

[BohemianHollow]

So I officially decided to go for it! Sent in the application for the second show today. :D

I found two people to work the other show for me. One a good friend who's been with me many times to shows and is good with people. And the other is my mom, who also has been to my shows with me and knows how to sell well. Neither will be "chair sitters", that's for sure!

I'm feeling excited and a little scared. It's weird to think of having my things at a show while I'm not there! But I trust my workers. If nothing else they'll at least be able to make back the booth fee. The one they're going to be at is only $100 for the weekend. :)

[ArtistTooStudio]

Yes, I have. There were two small shows. My daughter was at one location and I was at the other. We were in our small town. I just divided my products between us. I could not do it now because I do not have enough art.