This past month, I did something I haven’t done in over six years – I exhibited in two retail shows. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do retail shows and quite a few other artists and makers commented that they were surprised to see me there.
I like to joke that I do a handful of retail shows every few years to remind myself why I don’t do retail shows. But the truth this time is that I went to a few shows because my work has changed a lot since my last round of retail shows (hello, color!) and I wanted to get it out into the world and get some direct customer feedback.
I’ll be honest, the shows weren’t quite the money makers I was hoping they’d be (more on that in a minute) but getting back out there after such a long time gave me some invaluable lessons, and I thought I’d share a few of them with you.
#1. Remerchandise often.
Whenever I do a show, I like to go in with a plan for how I’m going to set up and where I’m going to put product. But I always like to leave room for flexibility until I get into a space. I’ll often spend some time walking the area around my booth during set-up, trying to anticipate the traffic flow so I can set up my tables and display to attract maximum attention.
But this process shouldn’t stop once the show starts. I spent time during both shows rearranging merchandise and swapping product around. Not only does this give you something to do when you’re bored that’s way better for selling than staring at your phone, but it also gives new opportunities for work to catch someone’s eye.
You don’t have to move product around every five minutes, but if things aren’t working, or something isn’t getting the attention you think it should be getting, move it around the booth!
#2. You can’t sell someone when it’s not their style.
This one is key because I’ve had a lot of artists and makers blaming themselves and their lack of sales skills for poor shows recently. And I’ll be honest, brushing up on your in-person sales skills is really important if you’re doing shows, whether that’s retail, wholesale, or both. (If you’re not sure how to do that, I’ve got a training inside Artists & Profit Makers!)
But it’s also important to remember that even the best salesperson in the world can’t sell someone on something if it’s not their style. I can showcase the interchangeability of my colorful Modular necklaces all day long, but if someone only wears little chains and pendants, it won’t make a difference. I can hand you a pair of hoops and show you how light they are, but if you never wear big earrings, it won’t make a difference.
And this is true across any product category. If your work is whimsical but someone likes things that are more modern, or vice versa, no amount of salesmanship or telling your story will change that.
I’m not telling you this to absolve you of learning to sell, because you should. But what I am saying is that when you’re choosing shows, aesthetics and audience matter. When you’re applying for shows, look at the past artists and makers who have exhibited. Does your aesthetic line up with theirs? What about the overall vibe of the show? You can even think about the aesthetics of the region the show is in or whether it attracts an urban, suburban, or rural audience.
But even when you do your research, sometimes you miss the mark. This can feel especially frustrating if a show is busy or other artists and makers around you are selling a lot. But it’s important to remember that not everyone is your customer, and no amount of selling will change that. Instead, you can cross that show off your list and look for ones that are a better fit in the future.
#3. Not every season is your season.
Just like there are certain regions or aesthetics that fit your work better than others, there are likely certain times of year that your work might sell better. And for me, it turns out that December is one of those times when my work just doesn’t sell well.
While it’s easy to believe that December should be great for everyone, the reality is that people don’t often buy my jewelry as gifts. (Unless someone has specifically asked for it.) And most people don’t feel comfortable spending a lot on themselves so close to the holidays.
By contrast, a friend who makes candles sells like gangbusters in December (hello, great gifts!) but struggles at shows in the summer (because no one wants to think about candles when they’re hot and sweaty). And I spoke to a fine artist at one of the shows who said she sold a lot of framed art at the spring show but was mainly selling her embroidery kits (a great gift idea!) at the December show.
One of my firm beliefs is that you should pay attention to the times in your business when it’s easier to make money and lean into those, instead of trying to push so hard when things are naturally slow, and this is certainly true for shows. Next year, I’ll be leaning into spring and summer shows but sitting out the majority of the holiday season! My website will still be open for those people looking for gifts, but it’s not worth my time and energy to do shows (especially expensive ones) when people just aren’t buying my work.
#4. There’s value in shows beyond sales.
I’ll be honest, the sales at both the shows I did were below the level I would have liked. (See #3 for part of the reason.) But I’m also not surprised. I’ve talked to a number of artists and makers who have had a lot of less-than-stellar shows this year.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that trend is going away anytime soon. I think we’re rapidly approaching an era where shows function as much as marketing as they do revenue generation.
I’m not saying you should go into a show expecting to make no money, but simply that there can be value to a show even if sales are lackluster. At these shows, I handed out lots of cards and signed people up for my mailing list and I’ve already seen a couple of online sales as a result.
As someone who would prefer to sell online (let’s be real, wouldn’t we all?) there’s still value in getting my work in front of new potential customers IRL.
There’s also value in seeing how people interact with the work and what they gravitate towards. If you’ve only been trying to sell your work online, this kind of feedback can be super valuable in knowing which work to focus on for your online marketing.
#5. It’s not over til it’s over. (And even then it’s not over.)
When sales are slow, especially at the beginning of a show, it’s so easy to develop a negative attitude. It’s tempting to call a show early and spend the bulk of the show slumped in the back of your booth scrolling your phone.
But it’s important to remember that a show isn’t over until it’s over, and you’ve got to stay in sales mode as much as possible. You never know when your ideal customer might emerge from the bunch.
And even if you aren’t making a lot of sales at the show, it doesn’t mean you won’t see sales later. It’s important to focus on sharing your work with as many people at the show as possible – talking about your product, handing out cards, and encouraging people to join your mailing list.
Not everyone who sees your work is going to buy it the first time around, but that doesn’t mean that a show was a total bust. You just never know what might come after. As I shared on the Artists & Profit Makers Instagram the other day, “Every time you share your work in the world, it has an impact on future sales, even if it doesn’t have an immediate result.”
As much as it can suck to be at a disappointing show, it’s important to put on a happy face and get on with sharing and showing your work with anyone who stops by. You can be disappointed, but save the outright frustration for drinks with your show friends after the show ends!