Our tutor arranged a stall for 5 of us to share on what promised to be a very good exercise in customer profiling and marketing last Saturday in Chorlton. I was glad of the chance to be getting rid of some older stock and judging the reaction to my new direction of papercutting. We set up quickly, soon finding that we were quite unprepared for the low lighting and the professionalism of our fellow traders. Not wishing us to look like country bumpkins I asked our tutor to run me home for some battery fairy lights and whatever else I could scoop up in a hurry.
Doors opened and 2 girls made their first sales, I was to wait a little longer for my sale but it came in the afternoon. Far more fun was going round spying on the competition. Handmade doesnt mean hand thrown any more and we were all impressed with the level of finish and quality of the goods on offer. I was particularly taken with a ceramicist making tiny bottles and keys all with an archaeological aesthetic. It was also great to put faces to names I've seen on Twitter, Artist on a Bike being the first 'craftworld-famous' person spotted. I love her use of maps and bikes. I spent a small sum on another bike related item, namely a 3d town bike that I can't wait to put together.
All in all we all sold something and I learnt a lot.
Namely, finish your product, especially for face to face sales.
Don't ask the customer to frame your work, do it yourself and charge accordingly.
Personalize a much as possible.
Think of kits as a very good impulse buy idea.
Be prepared to work as if your boss had given you a target. Nothing sells itself.
A very good day.
