Challenging prices

[exceptional]

Pricing is and maybe always will be a challenge for me. Everyone says don't lower your prices because we work hard, have lots of investments and need to pay our bills. I get that. I used a spreadsheet to price out my stuff by using "inches cut, piercings, time to cut" and tried to charge those prices. Problem was, I wasn't able to sell anything at these craft fairs and I have been at a few big ones. I started lowing my prices thinking, selling anything at a lower cost is better than sell nothing at a hire price. Now, maybe it was the event but the last two events have been okay, just covering my entry cost (not my time invested in the show) which I don't consider a success. I need to make money. Don't know if there are any answers but I have sold some stuff now, the up side is, I have about 7 projects setting on my desk from these events. Maybe I'm looking for success in the wrong places. Making special orders vs. selling off my table maybe the way to go. Thanks for listening.

[CNCCAJUN]

First off let me be clear . . . I have never worked a Craft Show with metal art . . .

I have done concessions - funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups & kettle korn . . .

I have played shows where I was asking $5.00 a bag for kettle korn and they walked past me like I was insane . . .

Same town, same fairground a month later . . . different show I could not pop fast enough . . . they surrounded me 4 and 5 deep . .

What I learned from festivals & craft shows is to look at the crowd.

Are they there for fun or to buy . . .

Is the show juried?

Are there junk pedallers selling import crap along side of you?

If so you are wasting time & $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Steve

[AnotherDano]

I look at farmers market/craft shows as a marketing expense. They are just an opportunity to let the public know that I exist. The retail end of it sucks but it gets my name out there.
In my experience, you cannot NOT be there, every time and every place. Consistency will pay off.
People are reluctant to buy stuff from someone they don't recognize and may never see again.

A couple of years ago, the City was wanting a bunch of little 'cowboy boots' to give away in their gift bags at a convention.
After making 350 of the damned little things, I swore that I'd never put myself through that ordeal again.

Well, here we go again. They just asked for a bid on more of the same and this time they want the boots and a cowboy hat to give away. But there will only be 15 each, so I'm going to bid on it.

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[exceptional]

That is a lot of boots, but what really caught my eye was the sign just above all the boots. Now that is funny.

I know I have to stay out there and I wouldn't have the jobs I have without setting behind the table where people can ask questions. Just a little surprised that all my great stuff doesn't move. What is moving in the last show.... gun stuff. Big market here in Colorado for gun stuff. I am going to refocus on that market starting in Jan, gun shows and farmers markets. haven't done those yet.

Thanks for your input to my frustration.

[CNCCAJUN]

That is a lot of boots, but what really caught my eye was the sign just above all the boots. Now that is funny.

I know I have to stay out there and I wouldn't have the jobs I have without setting behind the table where people can ask questions. Just a little surprised that all my great stuff doesn't move. What is moving in the last show.... gun stuff. Big market here in Colorado for gun stuff. I am going to refocus on that market starting in Jan, gun shows and farmers markets. haven't done those yet.

Thanks for your input to my frustration.

How did you finish all those little boots?

Steve

[AnotherDano]

How did you finish all those little boots?

Steve

Powder coated with RUST.
I had to use paper clips to string them together. Finding metal paper clips was a chore - everything is plastic these days.

Grab a string from the left, coat, then and re-hang on the right. PITA

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[Redneck]

I agree with Dano......we do lots of shows, 17 this past year, including a state fair that ran 11 days. We MUST do them. Sometimes they are a break even event, and we just consider it an advertising expense. We have nice color brochures for people to pick up, and get calls all year long from people that picked up a brochure at one show or another. I think they work much better than a business card. (we have those too).

We used to do gun shows too.....but quickly found out that I had a weakness there.....I'd spend as much at the gun shows as we took in....

[gary42095]

another thing to remember.

you need to have items of interest based on the event, not all but a well rounded array of items. you probably wont sell to many sunflowers at a gun show, and so on. but, its nice to have options, and give ideas to people what your capable of as well. turning wheels to pay for fuel is worse than parking the truck. while you must "take the good with the bad" low low pricing will attract cheap people expecting everything for nothing as well.
stick to it, there is good and bad, hi and low in every business.consistency i think is key.

just my $.02 i do this more for hobby giving stuff as gifts, along with fabbing parts for my own equipment to keep it running

anyway i wish you the best