Group Your Items To Give Your Buyers MORE Choices!

This picture shows another idea on how to place displays on your craft fairs/art show table making your items more appealing.  A large silver long bowl ($4) with polished river stones ($2 or 2 bags at the $1 store) makes a great setting for silver jewelry.  The smaller black base ($4) has been set on a plain black cube displaying a silver charm bracelet.

Sometimes a buyer is not sure how would they wear or with what colors your merchandise will go with.  Of course this is your job, you must engage them, not only describing the piece, but how versatile it can be.  Usually approaching the all black or white outfits appeal to all.  We all have pieces that we use with those 2 basic colors.  And black is always regarded as the 'interesting, elegant, and evening-ish' look.  White, reminds people of summer vacations, sitting on the porch and sipping tea.

I have a multi colored line, and although I specialize in folkloric, and South West pieces, I also have regular pieces of jewelry that are big and bold, made with gemstone. I mention gemstones because there is a great and interesting way to engage your customer in another conversation.  Whatever medium you use, keep a piece of the raw item, or pieces of the unfinished product displayed.  I do this with the natural stones, if I am using coral, I place a piece of coral (aquarium plastic) and a huge chunk of turquoise, to create that familiar two tone SW look.  I also group the jewelry together by tones, and add earrings, rings, bracelet and hair accessories that compliment the look.  That gives your customer not only ideas, but perhaps a lower $ alternative to your lovely line!

If I am using gemstones I keep them raw, in crystal forms next to the piece or pieces I am selling.  This way you can approach and start a conversation with your customer as to what the original stone, paper, wool looks like and it's origin!  Perhaps an anecdote of that trip you took to a mine, a sheep farm, whatever it is, tie it with your product.

Continue creating and making lovely stuff, but while you are in the process, think of a way to keep your buyer engaged and interested. :) 

Using Frames And Shadow Boxes For a Gallery Look To Your Displays

 I am always looking for interesting and cheap ways to display my items. Regardless of what you sell, you can create the 'Gallery' look to your on line store, craft table, or art show booth.

On the first picture I took a lovely original signed print ($4) in a great heavy wood frame, at the same store I found a heavy clear glass frame, that slides right off!  If I glue the together, it would create a gallery effect to any piece, plus I can set it down on top of the table, without that 'thrown' look.  And it will be want to make it easy and accessible to a buyer, I can leave it unglued.

 Recently I was at a show in Santa Fe, where we are planning to move in October (God willing)!.  It was an indoor show (GREAT for sellers and buyers!) One of the artists had a gorgeous setting on her table, her handmade jewelry ($350+) consists on delicate rose buds tied together with fine silver.  As a couple with kids went to see her higher set/displayed pieces, their child, started playing, picking up and touching the delicate necklace.  The parents where oblivious.  If your pieces are delicate and you only want adults handling them, find a way to place them on a higher shelf or display, and the pieces   that are sturdy on your table. I like to have a combo of both but protecting the heavy and expensive is a must.  I did mentioned to the artist, she also told me that the majority of the damage incurred to her pieces where made by adults!  So her most expensive pieces, rosaries, was displayed on the wall, in a vintage frame.

I did mentioned to the artist, she also told me that the majority of the damage incurred to her pieces where made by adults!  So her most expensive pieces, rosaries, was displayed on the wall, in a vintage frame.  Setting some of your work on interesting frame, not only adds dimension, put keeps the kids away from them.  Mix and match these, and don't forget to add something interesting  around them.   Basically eye candy for all.

Deep framed shadow boxes with either paper or fabric liner that compliment your product are also very professional looking.  These are always available, they usually come in sets, or the square open big frames that are used on walls for decor, can be stacked and your pieces can be displayed there as well, plus you create height! 

Continue tweaking your displays for that professional, but fun and interesting look that will have people looking in various directions, and finding your items even more appealing.

Continue creating, your goal is to sell, sell, sell :) 

Cash And Carry.. Fast ITEMS For Sale At Your Craft Or Art Show!!

On an earlier blog, I wrote about this earring stand, for art and craft shows.  You must consider the wind, rain and other climate horrors at these events.  So I placed my 'photo holder' on a heavy Mexican pottery bowl.  $4 at a thrift shop. Double sided tape, will make sure it stays put.  Arrange more of your cash and carry earrings, or cards,  or whatever smaller 'one price' item you want to sell fast!  Earrings work the best.  You can actually make them as you sit on your booth or table at the art craft show.  Plus people are always interested in seen the artists at work!.  BONUS!! 

These are the earrings that I placed on the 'not' color printed side of the ''Mexican Loteria" cards I paid about $2 for a bunch of them, plus they come with the larger ones for other purposes.  Cut them to the size of the small bags, just have to remove a little on both sides, make 2 tiny holes, put your logo or name in the center.  I used a rubber stamp with a half moon, for La Luna, and just wrote with a sepia pen 'La Luna Ranchwear'.  Instant name recognition.  Inside the bowl I placed a little frame, in which I will write "Show Price Special $6 ea 2x$10".

Although most of my art show items,  are above the $50 range, these have a great appeal to the crowds.  Imagine if you can't sell an item for $150, but sell 20 of these, your craft show expenses will be covered.
I used a regular TV dinner table, $0.99, easy to carry and assemble, uses no space in the car when you travel to shows!  Made a great fitting cover, with the same fabric as shown. A little basic sewing and it looks tailored and elegant.   I used a heavy weight table cover that I got at a garage sale for $1, it does not wrinkle easily and the pattern conveys a lot about my shop. 

Placing this table close to the entrance or exit to your booth is a STRATEGY! People will gather around your booth, that always is a draw! This is one of those impulse buys, cute, great for gifts and inexpensive and easy to make,  (keep some spare in case you run out of them), you can place your business cards in the back if you want.  I suggest you use a less expensive version of your 'High Quality Business Card' or glossy cards with a picture of you with your product, name recognition!. (On another blog we will look at this important item)  ;) Stay tuned, I assure you by the end of the series you will be pumped and will take that leap or tweak your store, booth or table!

Keep on creating to SELL!

Create Interesting Displays To Sell Jewelry

Anything can be turned into an eye catching display! Keep the background colors simple and the important pieces, like your merchandise, will pop! If your items are in pastel tones, a softer, natural and organic look can be made with stones, moss, upside down 'washed paint' (watered paint brushed unevenly) are great to display necklaces, planters with branches 'growing' out of it, create great displays to clip cards, earrings and smaller less heavy items. A simple thick bamboo branch, cut to size is perfect to display bracelets.

In my case, my jewelry is eye catching, bold, and some pieces are 'weirdly interesting'. I use many mediums, and have lines that range from puffy fabric pastel colored necklaces, South Western line, Steampunk, Day Of The Dead, Frida Kahlo and Natural healing gemstone jewelry. And I also paint primitive 'retablos'.

Keeping all of these together when doing a show, and displaying each of them as a 'unit' can be tricky. This applies to all artists that use different mediums.

It is important to educate your customers about your merchandise, some people might not be aware of who Frida Kahlo is, Day Of The Dead, or what Steampunk is. So it is my job to do that. A small framed, well written 5x7 with a short description also works. This way you can separate your different lines and give your customers and idea of what they are looking at, in case you are either busy with other customers (YEAH!) or just want to give that special browser some 'alone' time. This is important, when to engage and when not to. We will get to that another time.

The picture above shows a vibrant crystal skull ring. I decided to buy the simple 'loteria' (Mexican folklore bingo like game) cards that are available at Spanish/Latin supermarkets, and I just placed the ring on top. It creates a more interesting background. These little cards are very handy. I up cycled them and I use them to post my 'cash & carry' earrings, they easily slide into small plastic bags that you can buy (100) wholesale on ebay for about $4. The back of the cards are as interesting as the colorful pictures in the front! The 'brown craft' color does not clash with the earrings, they are made of a medium card stock. So I punch tiny holes on them, hook my earrings, place rubber stops in back and voila! I also add a ink stamp print of half a moon, or my La Luna tag. Product recognition! VERY Important! We will get into that later :)

Since I will use these as 'cash & carry' sales, I want them to be ready and accessible by the entrance of my booth, or if you have a table, close to you. Like an impulse buy :)
A simple tall wire photo holder displays them, I placed the photo holder on a Mexican pottery deep dish and I placed more earrings on it. This heavy bowl serves another purpose!. Shows are very windy, so you have to make sure that your displays are secure and will not fly away nor fall. A little frame/card will read the 'show' price. Pictures to come next post :)

Keep on creating, and create to sell!

Display Ideas....Jewelry Show Ideas...Displaying Your Merchandise For Sale

Mmmm, so you finally got the courage to step out there, and sign up for some art fairs, craft shows or art shows and craft fairs.

Two different ways to make money with your art. And basically SELL what you make at home.
A very popular trend right now!

We are all looking for that 'personal' connection. We are also looking for unique items. Even with this economy we still buy 'impulse' items. For example when you go to another State or City or Country, don't you always buy something as a 'memento'? Same is true with with art shows and craft fairs. Even if they are selling something different and interesting at the farmer's market, we are bound to buy it, as long as it fits in our budget.

So get your crafts together and make a plan! If you sell hand made jewelry like I do, you scored BIG time!! Even if you sell handmade cards, I am sure you will find my display ideas, affordable and something interesting to look at.

Make an impression!! People should be HIT with some sort of 'feeling' when entering your booth or looking at your little folding table at the local craft fair. But a combo of you, your products and the original ways to display it does the trick :)

Start with a mock up display at home. Leave it as long as you can and get feedback from every one you can. Take pics every time you change the look, just in case the look you had before worked better than this one. Think color, BOLD in your face. If possible keep your display where you do your craft. This will inspire and motivate you.

Separate yourself from everyone else, the more different you and your product 'seem' to be the better your chances to sell them. It is all a matter of perception.

In the next few weeks, I will be going through ideas, displays, costs, equipment required, basic needs, and more.

If you have any specific or related ?? let me know.

Art Shows

Intense preparations for an Art Show Festival....fabulous tips and things learned to be shared!