Sticking Close To Home... Unless...

[Iguanadon]

So, I'm home from my latest 2 day event... and I'm exhausted and burnt out... And I've come to the decision and conclusion that unless an event is here in my town (on the island), or is in Southport, NC or in Cary, NC... I'm simply not going to bother.  I've experimented and tried various "festivals" and events and they just aren't worth the extra time, energy, effort and travel.  

Two weeks ago was a Summer Harvest event 45 minutes from home.  Two days long.  I did the first day and didn't do the 2nd day.  Mediocre sales. 38 puzzles

This weekend was a wine festival event almost 90 minutes from home.  1 1/2 days long.  Friday night SUCKED (4 puzzles) and today, even with absolutely perfect weather, had mediocre sales. 33 puzzles.

Both of those weekends, I could have done my local farmers market 4 blocks from my house and done my average 26 puzzles in just 5 hours and been home by 2pm.  It runs from Memorial Day weekend thru the first week of October each year.  

It's been a trial and error, learning experience in my first 16 months of selling.  I wanted to try various venues and see what the best shows are.  But these random festivals, etc just aren't worth it and quite honestly the clientele tend to think my price is a bit high.  I'm better off with tourists and mega-events.  

I'm not whining or complaining... I'm just worn out.  LOL  I've pushed myself and worked hard at this and it's catching up to me.  I still have a full schedule thru early December, but no more long distance "festivals".  I know I'm fortunate to live in a tourist area and I need to simply capitalize on that and ride the wave as they say.

P.S. the new little ornaments did quite well today, I sold 7 of them and I went with a price of $7 each at this event, but I think I can get $10 everywhere else. (I counted 3 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle in my tally. When I charge $10, I'll count 2 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle)

 

 

[Iguanadon]

A couple more complete pictures of the setup with the new ornaments...

[JOE_M]

I wouldn't give up so quickly on the travel. New venues = new potential customers.

[Iguanadon]

22 minutes ago, JOE_M said:

I wouldn't give up so quickly on the travel. New venues = new potential customers.

I agree, but they'll have to be proven, solid, mega-events.  No more small town "festivals".

I live at the beach, I prefer having new potential customers coming to me.  ;-)

Edited October 1, 2017 by Iguanadon

[hotshot]

Iggy, have you thought about branching out further, beyond puzzles?  You have to find x number of people interested in puzzles, and you miss the x number of people that could care less, but would like inlay boxes, or something else.  You are very good at your specialty, but with the same effort, and a wider net, maybe you could pull more buyers in with the same effort.  Your ornaments sales might be a good indicator of this.  Sell what sells.

Just an idea

 

----Randy

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by hotshot

[Iguanadon]

5 minutes ago, hotshot said:

Iggy, have you thought about branching out beyond puzzles?  You have to find x number of people interested in puzzles, and you miss the x number of people that could care less, but would like inlay boxes, or something else.  You are very good at your specialty, but with the same effort, and a wider net, maybe you could pull more in for the same effort.

Just an idea

 

----Randy

 

Good thought Randy.  I get such great responses to my puzzles and I sell enough to keep me busy week to week restocking after each event.  Once sales start dwindling, I'll look at venturing into other items.  But right now, I'm happy overall.  I've sold 1400 puzzles in 16 months (12 months of actual selling time).  I have a pretty good little niche, I literally hear a couple dozen times a day "I've never seen anything like these!"  Once I flood the market I'll look at branching out.

And keeping in mind, I truly enjoy making them and it's very relaxing to me as I cut them.  Every 30 minutes I have a finished product, and my personality needs that immediate gratification.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Iguanadon

[hawkeye10]

1 hour ago, Iguanadon said:

1 hour ago, Iguanadon said:

Good thought Randy.  I get such great responses to my puzzles and I sell enough to keep me busy week to week restocking after each event.  Once sales start dwindling, I'll look at venturing into other items.  But right now, I'm happy overall.  I've sold 1400 puzzles in 16 months (12 months of actual selling time).  I have a pretty good little niche, I literally hear a couple dozen times a day "I've never seen anything like these!"  Once I flood the market I'll look at branching out.

And keeping in mind, I truly enjoy making them and it's very relaxing to me as I cut them.  Every 30 minutes I have a finished product, and my personality needs that immediate gratification.

 

Instant gratification that is the way of a lot of Americans. Including me.   

[lawson56]

Iggy,sorry things didn't go as planned.I have been doing this for 17 yrs going out to different Events,Flea markets,Car Shows,exc,there's 1 thing my wife and I have found out,we are going to have bad events where we just don't make any money,while everyone else around you do.You make Awesome things.You ask a Great price.You will have better days.

[don in brooklin on]

An idea for additional items.

I went to a very high end show in Toronto to see what the latest craze is in wood.  I go every couple of years to get inspiration on what is hot.  (Last year was charcuterie boards).

One of the vendors there sold wood puzzles.  One and two layer ones. Not cheap but excellently done. http://www.forwoodpuzzles.com/

One of the items he sold at his booth was little frig magnets.  Does not show on his web site but they were silhouettes of animals etc.  Selling for $5 cdn tax included and I think 4 for $15. The prices at this show are nuts but vendors are able to get them.

The ladies were buying like hot cakes.  He had lots of choices and mounted on a piece of metal and had small baskets to fill.  I am sure this is was his lifeline to pay for the booth. (PS booths are over $2500 for 5x10 booth - 11 days)

The prices at this show are not what you would get a craft festival for sure.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by don in brooklin on

[Iguanadon]

8 minutes ago, don in brooklin on said:

An idea for additional items.

I went to a very high end show in Toronto to see what the latest craze is in wood.  I go every couple of years to get inspiration on what is hot.  (Last year was charcuterie boards).

One of the vendors there sold wood puzzles.  One and two layer ones. Not cheap but excellently done. http://www.forwoodpuzzles.com/

One of the items he sold at his booth was little frig magnets.  Does not show on his web site but they were silhouettes of animals etc.  Selling for $5 cdn tax included and I think 4 for $15. The prices at this show are nuts but vendors are able to get them.

The ladies were buying like hot cakes.  He had lots of choices and mounted on a piece of metal and had small baskets to fill.  I am sure this is was his lifeline to pay for the booth. (PS booths are over $2500 for 5x10 booth - 11 days)

The prices at this show are not what you would get a craft festival for sure.

 

 

Very cute, and a great little item.  Folks like "cute" and "cheap".  I like it.

[Iguanadon]

And by the way, while Friday night at this event was a total waste, it's not that I'm disappointed in a bad show overall this weekend, I'm simply saying I can stick close to home with my weekly farmers market and be happier than traveling 90 minutes each way to sell only a few more puzzles than I average at my farmers market. 

No reason to stray far away when I don't have to.

[Woodmaster1]

There is no place home.

[OCtoolguy]

17 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

So, I'm home from my latest 2 day event... and I'm exhausted and burnt out... And I've come to the decision and conclusion that unless an event is here in my town (on the island), or is in Southport, NC or in Cary, NC... I'm simply not going to bother.  I've experimented and tried various "festivals" and events and they just aren't worth the extra time, energy, effort and travel.  

Two weeks ago was a Summer Harvest event 45 minutes from home.  Two days long.  I did the first day and didn't do the 2nd day.  Mediocre sales. 38 puzzles

This weekend was a wine festival event almost 90 minutes from home.  1 1/2 days long.  Friday night SUCKED (4 puzzles) and today, even with absolutely perfect weather, had mediocre sales. 33 puzzles.

Both of those weekends, I could have done my local farmers market 4 blocks from my house and done my average 26 puzzles in just 5 hours and been home by 2pm.  It runs from Memorial Day weekend thru the first week of October each year.  

It's been a trial and error, learning experience in my first 16 months of selling.  I wanted to try various venues and see what the best shows are.  But these random festivals, etc just aren't worth it and quite honestly the clientele tend to think my price is a bit high.  I'm better off with tourists and mega-events.  

I'm not whining or complaining... I'm just worn out.  LOL  I've pushed myself and worked hard at this and it's catching up to me.  I still have a full schedule thru early December, but no more long distance "festivals".  I know I'm fortunate to live in a tourist area and I need to simply capitalize on that and ride the wave as they say.

P.S. the new little ornaments did quite well today, I sold 7 of them and I went with a price of $7 each at this event, but I think I can get $10 everywhere else. (I counted 3 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle in my tally. When I charge $10, I'll count 2 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle)

 

 

Don't ever forget Iggy, it's a HOBBY!

 

[Jim Finn]

I used to do over 25 sales a year but now only do one out of town sale/festival and still do about 20 sales a season.

 

     Over the nine years I have been doing this  I  have found that two day events are not for me.  The second day's sales were about 20% of the first day's sales total. 

 

     Over the years, I have shifted my offerings  from one type of item to another.    I am growing tired of setting up and tearing down my display so I am about to open a website and try selling on line.

 

     I will still do some local sales but possibly not as many.

[rjweb]

Jim,

i know you said going to try the web site sales, have you tried esty, it seems a few members here are listed there, RJ

[kmmcrafts]

22 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

 

It's been a trial and error, learning experience in my first 16 months of selling.  I wanted to try various venues and see what the best shows are.  But these random festivals, etc just aren't worth it and quite honestly the clientele tend to think my price is a bit high.  I'm better off with tourists and mega-events.  

 

THIS... is exactly why I stopped doing shows and events and concentrated with online sales only... There are only about 4 shows a year that is even worth the effort here in my area....and when I looked into them... there was a waiting list of 3-5 years unless someone croaks or stops entering.. because the people that get in the first year get to sign up for the next one.... they get first dibs on the spot they want etc.. All other shows are quite lame with very little foot traffic etc.. Plus focusing online only.. people shop day or night.. any day of the year.. Takes a good 5-7 years to build up some traffic though.. but it is starting to pay off for me.. 

You really are fortunate to be in a good location for a lot of different foot traffic..   

[amazingkevin]

On 9/30/2017 at 7:46 PM, Iguanadon said:

So, I'm home from my latest 2 day event... and I'm exhausted and burnt out... And I've come to the decision and conclusion that unless an event is here in my town (on the island), or is in Southport, NC or in Cary, NC... I'm simply not going to bother.  I've experimented and tried various "festivals" and events and they just aren't worth the extra time, energy, effort and travel.  

Two weeks ago was a Summer Harvest event 45 minutes from home.  Two days long.  I did the first day and didn't do the 2nd day.  Mediocre sales. 38 puzzles

This weekend was a wine festival event almost 90 minutes from home.  1 1/2 days long.  Friday night SUCKED (4 puzzles) and today, even with absolutely perfect weather, had mediocre sales. 33 puzzles.

Both of those weekends, I could have done my local farmers market 4 blocks from my house and done my average 26 puzzles in just 5 hours and been home by 2pm.  It runs from Memorial Day weekend thru the first week of October each year.  

It's been a trial and error, learning experience in my first 16 months of selling.  I wanted to try various venues and see what the best shows are.  But these random festivals, etc just aren't worth it and quite honestly the clientele tend to think my price is a bit high.  I'm better off with tourists and mega-events.  

I'm not whining or complaining... I'm just worn out.  LOL  I've pushed myself and worked hard at this and it's catching up to me.  I still have a full schedule thru early December, but no more long distance "festivals".  I know I'm fortunate to live in a tourist area and I need to simply capitalize on that and ride the wave as they say.

P.S. the new little ornaments did quite well today, I sold 7 of them and I went with a price of $7 each at this event, but I think I can get $10 everywhere else. (I counted 3 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle in my tally. When I charge $10, I'll count 2 ornaments as equaling 1 puzzle)

 

 

I know the feeling.I do tons of names and for free just to give a little happyness to someone that could use some.Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life.