Lesson 1 - Evaluating Your Product

So you've started crafting and you're ready to get started and do some shows, right?  Before hitting the door running, it's always a good idea to take a little time and evaluate yourself and your products.

Evaluating -

I know this doesn't sound like fun, but I promise, in the long run, this is a really beneficial step and can save you some real heartache.  Remember: you only have one chance to make a good first impression with your potential shoppers.

Can you produce enough product for a show?
This is a really good question to ask yourself.  If you're doing a show with 5,000 people in attendance in three days and you know it takes you an hour to make your product, this may not be the best time to jump out there headfirst.  When looking at shows, make sure to look at what the expected number of shoppers is going to be.  You know everyone of those shoppers are not going to buy something from you, but you want to make sure you enough supply to meet the demand of your audience.

Do you have access to booth fixtures and displays?
When we started, our booth was a hodge-podge, mix-match of whatever random things we could find to put our products on for the show.  It didn't look the best and I'll tell you, we lost shoppers.  We lived and we learned from this experience, but its something to avoid if possible.

 Are you ready for shows?
i. Evaluating yourself
1. Can you produce enough product for a show?
2. Do you have access to booth fixtures/displays?
3. Are you confident in your work?
4. Where are you finding inspiration? Inspiration vs. Copying
5. Are you prepared to present yourself in a professional manner?
6. Can you physically be at a show for 6-8 hours?
7. Do you have help/support?
8. Should you share a booth?
9. Keep it simple; don’t overwhelm yourself.