The Relentless Challenge

It is very hard for an artisan to figure out what shows work best for their product. Last weekend I participated in a fabulous small show. When setting up it had all the bells and whistles and I really expected something fantastic, but it tanked, and not only for me, for so many others as well.  Yet there were others that did very well. This always leads me to ask why there can be so much of a variance within just 30 vendors, all in the same place for the same timeframe. 

For me it just boils down to two things: demographics and attendance. 

This show last weekend was all about the eggs and the art was secondary. I watched many high quality egg artisans command top dollar for a top of the line product. Meanwhile, people with other items struggled to even make booth rental for the weekend.  

Artisans that make a product that meet a niche market don’t need a show with high attendance; they need a show with the right attendees. Someone like me who makes a more utilitarian product, often needs a high attendance because I can reach a percentage of those attendees and all the small sales then add up to a profitable show. Sometimes the perfect storm happens for me, I get a show with the correct demographics that give me a small number of high dollar sales, mixed with a large attendance that gives me a large number of small dollar sales. That is when I hit the jackpot. 

This perfect storm only happens a few times a year for me and is the elusive show I am always on the hunt for. I have learned over the years that there is no one thing that makes a show like this stand out to me. I know so little about new events when I apply to them:  location, cost, projected attendance, and hours. Not all expensive shows bring in the right demographics, and many less expensive shows tend to overstate their projected attendance. All I can do is the most research possible, make the best informed decision I can, and then just go and be at an event. 1 in every 12 typically is something that is profitable; the other 11 hopefully produce a few repeat customers in the future. 

This is why my show schedule changes so much from year to year. I am always looking for the best shows that suit my product. This is why my products are always evolving each year as well. But this hunt for the prefect show is one of my favorite things about what I do. I enjoy the relentless challenge.