Where The Shows Are!! Services

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Application System

An easier way to manage your events… Just think how nice it would be to take applications all through the day or night… 24 hours a day… with automation for

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Application System

An easier way to manage your events…

Just think how nice it would be to take applications all through the day or night… 24 hours a day… with automation for everything.

How about a HELP DESK feature that keeps all your messages to exhibitors in just one place… accessible from all your devices.

Imagine being able to produce reports, check in forms, and access to exhibitor information with just a couple clicks of a mouse…

SAVE TIME, MONEY, EFFORT & CREATE A PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE

  • You’ll be able to track finances

  • Upload images for jurying

  • Automate things like receipts, setup information, last minutes changes

  • Recruit and organize volunteers

  • Record special requests from exhibitors right in  their files

  • Create email messages you send out to either everyone or just a select few

  • Automatically create a web page of participants giving them additional exposure

  • Offer Sponsors special packages

  • Create coupons for either exhibitors or shoppers

  • Create automated reminders about anything you’d like

Interested? Call or email for a complete demonstration

Implementing our application system is affordable, easy and one of the best decisions you may make all year long!
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Here are some other articles you may find useful...

Application System

An easier way to manage your events… Just think how nice it would be to take applications all through the day or night… 24 hours a day… with automation for

Read More »
Read More >>

Clearing My Cache on Android Devices
How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tablet. Follow the Steps

In the fast-paced world of technology, our devices often build up digital clutter that can reduce their performance over time. The main culprit of this issue is cache data. A cache stores temporary files, images, and data that help speed up processes and improve user experience. However, this cache can become a double-edged sword as you continue using your Samsung tablet. This is because it starts slowing down your device and causes glitches instead of making it faster. But fear not; we will show you a comprehensive guide to regaining your tablet’s lost speed and efficiency. We will teach you how to clear cache on Samsung tablet and get rid of this cluster mess on your device. 

Key Takeaways

In this article, we will show you step-by-step how to clear the cache on a Samsung tablet. Cache not only eats your storage but also slows down your device the more you use it. We will discuss how to clear different types of cache on different models and generations of Samsung tablets. Not only will clearing the cache give your tablet a speed boost but also increase its lifespan if you do it regularly. 

How to Clear App Cache on Samsung Tablet?

If you ever feel like an application on your Samsung tablet is not responding, it’s time to clear the app cache. Clearing the app cache will remove temporary files that the apps have stored and free up memory. Here are a few simple ways to clear the app cache:

  • Go to your tablet’s home screen and touch “App.”
  • From there, touch “Setting.” 
  • In the settings menu, go to “Applications”.
  • From all the apps being displayed, select the one you wish to clear the cache from.
  • Touch the ‘‘Storage’’ option.
  • Touch “Clear Cache” and wait a few seconds. 

These steps allow you to clear the cache from each app on your Samsung tablet. Repeat the same steps for each app, and you will see a massive boost in performance and a lot of free storage space. 

How to Clear Browser Cache on Samsung Tablet?

Another type of cache that slows down your device is the browser cache. Browser cache also takes up a lot of storage space and negatively affects the performance of your device. The method to clear the browser cache is a little different but still very easy: 

  • Launch the web browser you want to clear the cache for.
  • Touch the three-dot menu icon located on the top right corner of your screen.
  • A drop-down menu will appear; click on ‘‘setting.”
  • Within the setting menu, look for the ‘‘Privacy” or ‘‘Privacy settings” sections.
  • Look for the ‘‘clear browsing data” or a similar option.
  • It will show you a list of data that can be cleared; click on ‘‘cache.” 
  • Confirm it by tapping the ‘‘Clear data” option.
  • Restart the browser by closing it and opening it again to complete the process. 

Please note that the menu options and their names might vary from browser to browser, but the process will be the same. By clearing the browser cache, you will free up storage and make your browser run much faster. 

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Samsung Tablet?

Just like the cache, cookies are also temporary files that are stored in your device by different websites you visit or even apps. Cookies and cache both cause performance issues over time. Here is a quick method to remove both: 

  • Open the web browser on your Samsung Tablet.
  • Navigate to the three-dot menu on the top right corner of the browser window.
  • Tap on the “Setting’’ option.
  • In the settings menu, select the ‘‘Privacy” tab.
  • Tap on the ‘clear browsing data’ option.
  • From the list of data you can clear, select ‘‘Cache” and ‘‘Cookie.”
  • A confirmation button will appear called ‘‘Clear Data”; tap on it to confirm.
  • Close your browser and open it again to ensure the data is cleared. 

Clearing cache and cookies are simple maintenance processes. Make sure to do them occasionally to maximize your Samsung tablet’s performance and not waste any storage by keeping junk and temporary files. 

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Galaxy Tablet?

If you have a sluggish Samsung Galaxy tablet, try clearing the cache data and temporary files. Cache data keeps growing over time and negatively impacts the performance of your device. Here’s how you can clear the cache: 

  • On the home screen of your tablet, tap on ‘‘App”.
  • Locate the ‘‘Settings” app and tap on it to open.
  • Scroll down to find and tap on the ‘‘Application settings” option.
  • Choose the app you want to clear the cache.
  • Tap on the ‘‘Storage’’ option.
  • Then tap on ‘‘Clear Cache” to finish the process. If a confirmation button is showing, just click on it to confirm. 

Repeat these easy steps for all apps on your Samsung tablet, as it will work wonders in boosting the performance of your device, and it will never feel sluggish again. 

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tablet

Source

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab S6?

The Tab S6 by Samsung is almost 4 years old at this point, which is why many users feel that their tablet is slow. The cache that has been built up during this time period causes most S6 Tabs to be slow, so make sure to clear the cache by following this method: 

  • Locate the ‘‘App” section on your home screen of your Tab S6 and tap on it.
  • Open the “Settings” app.
  • Scroll down and tap on “App” or” “Application” from the list of settings options.
  • Locate and tap on the application for which you want to clear the cache. This will open the app’s settings page.
  • In the app settings page, click on ‘‘Storage”.
  • Find the ‘‘Clear Cache” option and click on it.

Do the method again for all apps so all types of cache data are removed and your Samsung Tab S6 runs at its full speed. 

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab S6 Lite?

If you own the lite version of the Samsung Tab S6, there’s no need to worry, as the process of clearing the cache is the same on all models. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make your Tab S6 Lite fast again by clearing the cache: 

  • Launch the” “Setting” app on your Samsung Tab S6 Lite.
  • Locate the ‘‘Application Setting” by scrolling down, and click on it.
  • Find the application you want to clear the cache from and tap on it.
  • Tap on the “Storage” button found on the selected app’s settings page. 
  • Click on the ‘‘Clear Cache’’ option.
  • Restart your device for better performance.  

Make sure to do this for all apps for the best result. By clearing all cache, your Samsung Tab S6 Lite will run like it is brand new.

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab S7?

The Samsung Tab S7 is also slightly old, so it is prone to lack performance due to large amounts of cache data. Cache data from each app slows down your Tab S7 and eats a lot of storage space. Here’s how you can quickly clean cache data: 

  • Open the “Settings” app on your Samsung Tab S7 from either your apps or the drop-down notification menu. 
  • In the settings app, look for “Application setting” and click on it.
  • This will show a list of applications installed on your device; click on the one you want to clear the cache from.
  • From the huge number of app settings options, click on “Storage”.
  • Tap on “Clear Cache” and let it perform the task.
  • Once done, restart your device for the best results. 

Redo all these steps for each app to fully optimize your Samsung Tab S7 and make it run at its full potential.

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab S7
Source

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab A7?

The Samsung Tab A7 was released around the same time as Tab S7. So, it is obvious that most Tab A7 owners will also have a lot of temporary files and cache junk built up over time. This junk can slow down the device. Here’s a list of steps to clean it:

  • Go to the home screen of your Samsung Tab A7 and open the “App” menu. 
  • Launch the ‘‘Settings app’’.
  • Scroll down or search for ‘‘Application settings” and click on it. 
  • From the numerous apps, select any one you want to clear the cache of.
  • Once you’re at the app’s settings page, click on the “Storage” option
  • A “Clear Cache” option will appear, click on it and wait for a few seconds.
  • If there’s a confirmation message, confirm your actions. 

Follow these steps for every other app you wish to optimize so your Tab A7 is fully clean from junk files and cache. Make sure to restart your device after clearing all cache for better results. 

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tablet E?

The Samsung Tab E is a beast with high specs, but it can still run into problems like slow performance due to a high amount of cache data. This cache needs to be deleted to maximize the performance of your Tab E. Here’s how you can do it: 

  • Launch the “Settings” app on your Samsung Tab E from the apps menu or the drop-down notification bar.
  • Scroll down and look for an option called ‘‘Application settings” and click on it. 
  • Tap on the app you want to clear the cache from.
  • In the settings menu of that app, click on “Storage.” 
  • From there, click on “Clear Cache”.
  • Make sure to click the confirmation button if it appears.

After you have followed these steps for all apps, restart your device, as it will provide the best results. 

How to Clear Cache on Samsung Tab S8?

Even though the Samsung Tablet S8 is one of the more recent devices, it can still run into the same slow performance issues. The cache can quickly increase in newer devices due to many apps and successive use. Here’s how you can eliminate cache from your Samsung Tab S8: 

  • Click on the “Settings” app in your apps menu to launch it.
  • In the setting app, navigate to the “Application settings” option and tap on it.
  • All the installed apps on your device will be shown; click on the one you wish to clear the cache from.
  • Select the “Storage” option.
  • Tap on “Clear Cache” and wait until the process is completed.

During this process, make sure to accept the confirmation pop-up if you get one. After the cache is cleared, restart your Samsung Tab S8 for a successful outcome.

Conclusion

Clearing the cache is a simple step to receive a massive bump in the performance of your Samsung tablet. If you keep doing this occasionally, your tablet will never run into performance issues again. If you still feel like your Samsung tablet is slow and sluggish after clearing all cache, consider contacting Samsung support or any reliable third-party Samsung repair service like Simply Fixable, as there could be something serious going on with your tablet.

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I paid for a premium subscription but I can’t see everything…

PROBLEM LOGGING IN TO WHERE THE SHOWS ARE!! – I’VE PAID MY SUBSCRIPTION BUT IT SAYS I NEED TO PAY AGAIN… OR I’M JUST NOT SEEING ALL THE INFORMATION!

If you’re logging on to the subscriber portion of our website and the system is telling you that you need to subscribe to the PREMIUM EDITION or if all the fields are not showing, it means that although YOUR computer thinks you’re logged on… our server thinks you aren’t fully logged on.

You may find this doesn’t happen immediately… but after you’ve logged in and logged off a few times it does happen.  The issue has to do with the caching on your computer and the storage of cookies.  These make the internet seem to run faster… but it can also cause some problems.
 
To solve this problem we’ve created a video using Microsoft Edge which is a common browser.  Most other browers work the same way.  If you’re trying to clear the cache on an Iphone or on an Android device we created pages for those devices too.  I’ll include links to both of those here on this page.
I HAVE AN I-PHONE OR IPAD AND I NEED TO CLEAR THE CACHE
I HAVE AN ANDROID DEVICE AND I NEED TO CLEAR THE CACHE

If you're still having problems after having cleared the cache and cookies please give us a call, send us an email or send a text!

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Outsell Everyone at Your Next Show!

Over the last year since we’ve emphasized our online presence so much I’ve been reading like crazy about all the different social media, mass email systems, transactional email, how to maintain contact with customers and deliver meaningful information (because of course that’s our business) and all kinds of other “technological” innovations that allow us to be in touch with you!  We’re always trying to come up with better ideas and more effective ways to do business so I try to read just about everything I can on the subject.  I just finished reading another article entitled “Email Workflows You Should Be Using in Your Marketing Automation.”  Of course some of this stuff just goes way over my head.  But in the end it made me realize that no matter the “technical” engine you put behind your marketing and sales efforts… it’s really just the same old thing!

As I write this article, the fall season is just around the corner and there is no time that is more important for us to sharpen our selling skills than when we’re in a position to come face to face with more customers than any other time of the year.  For quite a few people this time of year is when we take in about 50% or better of all the money we make all year long so if there was ever a time to maximize your sales… this is it!  I’ll provide you some of my thoughts on the subject.

At one point in my life I was involved in sales training.  And as such, I became very well versed in most of the techniques involved in selling.  All these are great… but one thing I learned was that 90% of all sales are made when you just simply stick to the basics of selling…  Let the customer know you exist… tell them what you do… show them how they can benefit by owning your work… and ask for the order.  So whether you’re selling paintings or pottery… sculpture or salsa… dolls or dresses… it really makes no difference.  The process or getting your work into the hands of your customers is just about the same.

Let the customer know you exist.  No one can buy from you if they don’t know about you.  I believe this is the marketing phase of selling.  It’s a program designed to raise awareness of the product you offer.  This can be accomplished by attending and exhibiting at events like we list here in our guide.  It can be a result of an internet website.  You could hand out flyers or talk up what you’re doing among friends.  Home parties have worked well for Tupperware and it’s become a household word.  You could advertise in a newspaper, magazine, on TV or maybe even the radio.  You may choose an email blast targeted to a specific group most interested in your kind of product.  Some people produce seminars or workshops where they demonstrate the product they are selling.  There are a million different ways to “get the word out” and let people know about you.  However you do it, the marketing of your work is a very important part of what you must do to sell.  This is only the first step in the process though and if this is all the further you’re willing to go then you’ll probably be heading home with just about everything you came with!

Tell your story.  The unique nature of what we create makes what we offer special.  And that special quality is what separates our work from some mass merchandised piece you may buy at Wal-Mart or Home Depot or maybe the Old Time Pottery Store.  Just like you, I’ve seen offerings very similar to what we see exhibited at shows… at a fraction of the price in a big box store.  So telling your story… how you came up with the concept… how it was created… what was the thought process behind it… is essential to helping the customer understand they are buying a unique work of art and they won’t see it at the next ten homes they visit!  Do you remember the Home Interiors parties back in the late 70’s and early 80’s?  That was the ultimate vision of mass marketed interior decorating!  Every home you visited had just about the same thing.  It didn’t look bad for the time… but talk about nothing unique.  You can be the antithesis of this type of trend… and luckily it went out of vogue.  But if you shop any of today’s chain store like “Rooms to Go” or “Kane Furniture” you’ll see they are still trying to relive the glory days of mass design.

So how do you tell your story?  What makes your work distinct?  How do you interact with the customer to let them know?  Well part of that starts with you.  It’s worth taking a little time to analyze your thoughts and organize them into a cohesive story that’s easy to follow.  You can even rehearse it with some willing participants.  Initially you could even write a script (that may later become a notecard you place with the piece).  For some people this comes naturally… for most, it’s a learned skill.  After you get a little more relaxed with the presentation it will come naturally but notes, rehearsal, role playing and the like will get you headed down the right path.

Show them the benefits.  Even though the customer may never tell you… the most important question they have is “What’s in it for me?”  This is where you have to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and try to look at the sale from their point of view.  How do we do that?  To begin with, lets ask them some questions and find out a bit about their life and the things they consider important… the kind of decor they like… the kind of things they own already… what are their favorite colors… their favorite artists… do they have a large home, a small apartment or a mobile home for example.  The more you know about them, the better you can make a meaningful recommendation.  Clearly the extent to which you go with this is somewhat reflective of the price point of the item you’re selling.  If for example you’re selling PVC marshmellow shooters for $6.00 each then the extent of the question might be “Do you have kids or grandchildren?”  If not… most likely that’s the end of the sales pitch.  But if you’re selling an original sculpture at $10,000 then it’s worth taking a couple of hours of fact finding!  In the end the question is still the same… “What benefit does the customer get by owning your work?”  They have to want your work more than they want their money!  Let them touch the work… maybe try it out… get them to picture themselves owning the piece.  Play on peer pressure by having them consider how jealous the neighbors or their friends will be.  Have them picture the spot in their house where the piece will reside.  Maybe you can use the status they will enjoy.  It all depends on what you’re selling.  The better you can answer that question, and the better you become at reading your prospective customers then the more successful you’ll become at selling your product!

Ask for the order.  OK… this is the close!  This is the step where they actually give you’re the money and you actually give them the work.  How do we do this… we’ll there are lots of ways… some more direct than others!  As simple as this sounds… and as logical as it is… you would be shocked at how many people do absolutely everything correct to this point, but don’t have the nerve to actually ask for the money!  They’ve done the presentation. They’ve done fact finding about the customer.  They’ve answered questions and overcame objections.  The customer is on the verge of pulling out their wallet and the exhibitors says something like… “Well think about it and let me know.”  Or worse… he says nothing at all to motivate the customer to move forward with the sale!  I’ve watched thousands of exhibitors sell… I’ve seen this kind of thing happen over and over again.  They go home with dismal sales while some guy a few booths down the row can’t find time to count his money!  What’s the difference?  ASK FOR THE ORDER!

That request can be something as simple as “Will that be cash or would you rather write a check?”  It can be assumptive… “Would you like to take it home right now or would you like to pay for it now and pick it up later?  Other times you may ask for the order and you’ll get an objection.  If that’s the case, you’ll have to revert back to the “Show them the benefits” phase of the sale and reenforce the points that got them to this part of the sale.  Here again… the better the job you’ve done to this point, the easier this will be.

If you still get some objection, you will have to also instill a “sense of urgency” so they make the buying decision today.  The world is full of “be backs” and “I want to think about it” types.  The reality is that even thought they may be seriously considering the purchase, once they walk out of your booth the chances of the sale actually happening drop to only a small fraction of what they are when you’ve got them there with the check book ready!  I used to tell people… “A lot of people tell me they want to think about it… really they want to forget about it!  But when they get home and someone else bought the work… or I’ve packed it up in the truck… they are sorry they didn’t have it at home!”  The truth is… this is a one time opportunity.  You won’t be making another one just like it.  You’ll be gone in a couple of hours and with your departure also goes the opportunity for them to make this work theirs!  Make sure they know that!

Sometimes you’ll get the price objection.  Mostly this isn’t actually true… most likely what they are looking for is an excuse to buy.  You may not want to ever concede on price.  But chances are if you don’t sell to this person now you never will.  NEVER give a huge discount in the initial negotiation! In fact, rather than a discount, sometimes it’s better to give added value.  That way it supports your price structure and if you have another customer considering a similar purchase you don’t run the risk of having to discount that sale too!  If you sell pottery and they buy a set of coffee mugs… you could for example throw in a sugar bowl.  If you sell prints, you could discount the frame by 25%.  If you do have to change the price, don’t ever offer more than just a very small discount initially.  This sets the whole pace of the negotiation and more or less defines the value of your work.  If it were a $100.00 piece I might discount say $5.00 and make it $95.00.  You’d be surprised at just how many people will go ahead and buy.  In a substantial number of cases the discount isn’t really the issue.  It’s the principal attached to the success of negotiation.  Or it’s that “little excuse” that gives them the reason to buy now.  It’s all really more a “mind game” than anything else… after all.  If $5.00 really makes that much difference in the purchase… or $25.00 for that matter… what the heck are they even doing here!  They need to be spending their money on food and housing… not on art! Well that’s about it.  Everyone has a built in fear of sales to start with.  When you stop to think about it what is that fear anyway?  After all… who is afraid to take money and see happy customers walk away with their work?  No one I know!  The fear of sales is really the fear of rejection and especially when you’ve conceived the work yourself, created it with your hands, put your personal expression into it… and sometimes you’ve laid your soul bare to present it… you’re bound to take it personally if someone doesn’t like it!  Well the reality is that the art or craft we create is unique.  And there is absolutely nothing “objective” about a personal creation.  To some we’re a creative genius… to others we are out of our minds and all out taste is in our mouth… it’s just the nature of the beast.  If you’re going to sell art or craft, then you must develop a thick skin and divorce yourself from the very emotion that allowed you to create the work in the first place.  Get elated when people love what you make… and learn to accept that some people just have really bad taste!!!  In any case… keep in mind the basics.  Let the customer know you exist… tell them what you do… show them how they can benefit by owning your work… and ask for the order.  These simple steps will serve you better than all the fancy sales techniques and closes you’ll ever study!

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Bringing Art And Opportunity Together

The fact that exhibitors participate in art & craft shows is the “stock and trade” of a publication like “Where The Shows Are!!!” and that’s where we’ve focused our efforts for decades. There have been and always will be ups and downs in the show market as there have been and will be peaks and valleys in any market in which you may decide to become a part. Personally I’ve been in a few other successful businesses and I have several friends who own companies that have nothing to do with the art industry… and once again it’s the same story. So it’s my belief, based on years of personal experience, that no matter what industry you decide to participate… you’ll have to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities that can help smooth out those natural variations in sales. Although you could in theory run businesses that are totally dissimilar, most likely you’ll have more success by staying with a similar theme… but expanding the possibilities or marketing those talents. It’s that line of thinking that inspired me to write this article.
The events we list in this guide and that take place every week are at best a seasonal phenomenon… unless of course you’re willing to travel. For some that makes sense and I know that I’ve done it myself for many years. The shows are a very straight forward approach to marketing what you make… but for a wide variety of reasons that approach may not always be practical. So lets take a look at some other ways to market your work.

1. Take Your Idea To Industry. The nice thing about a show is that you simply set up and then depend on someone else to bring the customer to you. The marketing of your skills are all done by someone else and you pay them a fee to bring in the customers. But that isn’t the only way to have someone bring in the customers. You can find them yourself by networking among friends too. And by doing this you aren’t limited to a Saturday and Sunday. Here are a few examples…
Almost every industry needs the skills of an artist from time to time. In most cases they don’t’ need those skills every day of the week so certainly a full time position wouldn’t be a consideration… but that works out to your advantage unless you’re looking for that kind of situation. Products or all sorts need illustration and graphic work all the time. I have a friend in the aviation industry and conceptual illustrations are a part of his daily work. Engines, wings, new canopies and more are illustrated before they ever go into production. Often times models are created too. That not only goes for aircraft, but for boats, cars, motorcycles, bridges, buildings, housing developments, graveyards, highway projects and just about anything else you can think of. The ability to create all this work is well within the skill sets of most people working in the field of art. Along with the models and drawings is they idea these can be taken one step further and animated so that designers, potential investors and other decision makers can actually visualize they way something will work. Translating ideas into reality is a great business and another way you as an artist or craftsman can work directly with other industries and in a very beneficial way.

2. “Have It Your Way” in the construction and design world. The big box retailers would have you believe that the only way to decorate a home, build furniture or add accessories is to come to their store and purchase something made in a factory somewhere in a developing country. Well long before there were places like Home Depot, Ikea, Lowes, Rooms To Go and Wal-Mart, there were artists and craftsmen who interacted with the designers and builders to create just what the customer had in mind. If you can get beyond that mindset… the opportunity still exists today. How many of you could create the perfect stained glass piece for an entry way… or the perfect door for a shower enclosure? Why stick with some shelf from Ikea that will fall apart in a year or two when you could have something make with quality materials that would last decades? I’ll bet a lot of people remodeling a home or an office would gladly invite the opportunity to have just exactly what they want rather than settle for some design or idea that is mass produced. The trick here is to let the right people know what your capabilities are. If the architect is designing a building with the idea that Lowes will be supplying all the materials… then he’ll base his designs on that concept. If he knows you can provide something else… and turn his idea’s into reality then it expands the creative possibilities for both of you! Make sure you contact all the builders, architects, designers, remodeling companies, furniture stores and more in your area.

3. Retail Doesn’t Have To Go Overseas. There is probably no way you’ll be able to go to Wal-Mart, Sears or any other major retailer to get them to distribute your work. I’m not saying it’s impossible… but certainly improbable. And even if they did decide to carry your work they would probably provide terms that would have you living and working like a peasant in Siberia! The moral of this story is, forget about the big guys for the time being. You’d have to supply your work in such large quantities anyway that you probably couldn’t afford to do it… and even if you could convince someone to loan you the money to do it, these firms have bankrupted more than one company by stretching out payment to months! Then, to make matters even worse most of the really large buyers want “buy back” provisions in the contract that essentially make you responsible for their merchandise. This arrangement doesn’t leave a lot of reason to do business with the big guys.
The better prospect is a smaller retailer looking to be different. The smaller companies can’t compete on price with the big box guys and if they try then they’ll lose every time. Furthermore, if they stock the same merchandise as the big retailers… at a higher price, then no one in their right mind will buy from them. The smart thing for a small retailer to do is to find higher quality merchandise that is different from what you may expect to find a Wal-Mart or Lowes. That’s where you come in. As the artist or craftsman you can not only provide that different look and higher quality, you can supply the retailer in smaller, more affordable quantities that both of you can live with. It may be a little more expensive than what the customer may find at the larger competition, but the value will be much higher and the customer’s home or business won’t look just like everyone else. And because you’re producing in smaller quantities and a unique look, you wan work with feedback the retailer gets in order to tweak your work to match his clientele. Everyone wins! You won’t get every sale because some people will buy based on price regardless of what you offer them… but you’re small… your overhead is low and you don’t need every sale to make a reasonable living.

4. Go Directly To The Buyers. It’s great when the buyers are looking for you and lined up to buy your work. Of course that is everyone’s dream, but it doesn’t happen all that often. So when the bank account is getting low and the customers aren’t lining up in front of you… it may be time to go to them! Chances are there really are people who want to buy, but they just don’t know what you have for sale. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that only a very few people you know are fully aware of what you do. That’s not really so unusual… of the people you associate with, how many of they do you know exactly what they do?
The plan here is to gather together friends, family , acquaintances, co-workers, friends of friends and anyone else you can think of to do a presentation so they may purchase your work. Probably the best sort of business models that use the same approach would be something like Mary Kay, Tupperware, Christmas Around the World and those kind of marketing plans. This sounds easier than it is to accomplish, but it does work and the success of the companies that employ these techniques are testimony to this. This is a viable option when you’re considering a way to market what you do.

5. The Government Has Programs to Purchase Your Work. You’ll find more details about this in another article in this edition as we were fortunate enough to make contact with one of the directors of this project in Florida. These programs exist throughout the country and according the Lee Modica who directs the Florida program, there are over 450 government sponsored organizations who constantly look for and coordinate the purchase of art for public buildings. In addition to these opportunities, there are a multitude of other government programs if you take the time to look. Universities, cities and towns, individual government agencies, hospitals, the military, political campaigns and many others have a constant demand for artwork, jewelry, sewing, sculpture, stained glass, logo design, portraiture, photography and just about every other skill you also will see any given weekend at an event. These opportunities won’t usually come to you… but if you look for them you’ll find them because someone is doing this work every day of the week.

6. Arts Organizations Can Give You Exposure. Credibility and reputation are two of the most important attributes you can develop in order to be successful in the field of the arts regardless of what you do. The reality is that a great number of people really want to take advantage of the skills and talents you offer, but they have no way to judge whether they are getting something of tremendous value or something totally worthless. Of course this is always the problem artists or every discipline face when trying to sell their talent to someone who is not familiar with the arts. So one of the functions arts organizations can provide is that of credibility. When you display in one of their galleries, do a presentation for the organization, provide services to them and so forth the is often no immediate financial reward. What does exist however, is a kind of peer review of your talent. This is useful when trying to provide services to those who otherwise have a difficult time evaluating the potential you have to do the job they have in mind. All of the arts by their very nature are a completely subjective sort of thing influenced by personal tastes and the fickle public opinion of “what is good art.” Like fashion, the definition of good changes like the winds. Sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time and it all comes together… at other times you just happen to be the victim of having the right idea at the wrong time. But don’t be too discouraged… that can change in the blink of an eye!

7. Market Your “Style” of Work and Develop Consumer Demand. You’ve seen this done when a new movie comes out. There are action figures, games, books all kinds of things are produced to support the movie. Sports teams do the same thing. Jersey’s with the team logo, hats, pictures, flags, cups and just about anything that can be seen or used will promote the organization. All this is called merchandising… and it’s a pre-calculated way to gain exposure, develop recognition and consumer demand all while making money at the very same time! It’s actually an amazing phenomenon isn’t it… they’ve convinced you to spend money for their advertising!
Well you may not be able to have the effect that the Orlando Magic or the Pittsburgh Steelers have had, but plenty of artists and craftsmen have developed a style and merchandising plan that has made them not only a recognizable figure… but plenty of money in the process. I’m sure you’ve heard of Thomas Kinkade, the “Painter of Light” or Bob Ross. Sure these guys got terrible reviews from the critics, but who cares! And then there are the “Checks & Dot’s” type of folk art done by Mary Englebright. You’ll see her work on everything from aprons, to greeting cards, to teapots to just about anything else you can possibly paint on. And of course we sure don’t want to forget about Martha Stewart! These people took a simple idea and ran with it. And they didn’t limit the scope of their thoughts. Today they and many others capitalize on the name and style they’ve embraced to create a veritable industry around those simple ideas. With licensing, merchandising, mall shops, clothing lines, books and much more… all based on what amounts to some basic ideas with one heck of a lot of marketing!

8. Find an Agent. No matter how good you are… no matter how many credentials you carry… and no matter how much success you’ve had… when you start talking about your accomplishments it’s hard not to sound like you’re bragging. In fact, the more you’ve done… the more you run this risk and that apparent attitude can cost you as much work as it gains for you. But when a third party starts talking about you and your work. When he tells a prospect about all the wonderful things you’ve done and adds a whole lot of superlatives… it’s not bragging… it becomes the stuff of which future work and higher prices are made of!
A person who becomes your representative can be your best ally in part because they can get away with saying things about you that would be difficult for you to say yourself. In addition, since their income is dependent on your talent and people will tell them things they wouldn’t say to your face, these representatives can provide feedback to you that my otherwise be hard to obtain. If you’ve tried selling your work, made a proposal and then weeks later found out someone else got the job, mostly the people making the decision will just tell you some sort of BS about why they selected the other candidate. In some cases it’s not really BS… it’s just simply that they really couldn’t quantify why you didn’t get the job. A good agent will be sensitive to this kind of thing and since he’s probably much more objective than either you or the buyer his evaluation of the failure to get the work is probably more valid than any other opinion. Here you can work closely to decide if there are things you need to do to improve future presentations or maybe this particular instance is just simply a bad match for your talent. Remember, if the person you’re working with isn’t making money unless you actually get the work then they have a vested interest in making you a better, more saleable artist. On the other hand it’s also important for you to evaluate if this particular representative has a market for what you do. I’ve seen some artist experience dismal failure with one representative and tremendous success with another. Part of this relationship speaks well of the artist… and part of it speaks well of the agent. The best relationships speak well of both because after all, this really is a kind of partnership.

In many business there are a million ways to make a living. And sometimes we wind up putting on blinders to many of those new methods because we’ve had success in one area. Now that’s not altogether a bad thing… but if there is anything I’ve learned after making a living in the arts for the last thirty seven years… it’s that we must constantly keep our eyes open for opportunity. We must always be on the lookout for the next step in our careers and we must always be willing to at least try new ideas in your art along with new marketing ideas. Just as trends in the arts change with the winds… so do the ways in which we can make a living. A good friend of mine told me once… “when you’re green you’re growing, and when you’re ripe… you’re rotten!” Lets all try to keep green and growing in our chosen profession. By doing so we constantly keep learning and life will continues to be exciting no matter how long we live or no matter how long we decide to work in the field of the arts!

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It’s Just Too Good To Be True…
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It's Just Too Good To Be True…

You met him at the last show.  He loved your work, took your card and promised to give you a call later in the week. 

You’ve heard that story before, right.  How many actually call… close to zero!  But this time it was different, the phone rang on Tuesday and not only did he actually do what he said… he placed a big order.  The only catch is that the order needs to be shipped immediately to a location 800 miles away.  Don’t worry though, you’ll be getting a check through overnight express that will not only cover the cost of the product but the shipping too and even a little bit left over for the extra trouble you have to go through.  SWEET! 

You’re caught up in the excitement of making as much money as you have during the last four shows… in just one call.  And you’re thinking about how you’ll have all the money to buy that new equipment or maybe take a little vacation.  What a stroke of luck… Or is it?

I’m not saying this kind of good fortune never happens, but when it does you still have to approach it with caution.  The exact scenario I described above did actually happen to an exhibitor many of us know.  In fact, his wife approached me with the idea of writing this article.  As it turned out for them, this was a scam!  Sure the customer was real… and the deal he offered seemed on the surface to be legitimate.  But when they finally got over the excitement of deal and started actually investigating a bit more all of a sudden things weren’t adding up.  The chances of this being a scam increase exponentially when it involves a check from a foreign account or a secondary shipper who will be handling the arrangements while your customer “relocates.”  I did a quick search online to see if other artists or craftsmen were experiencing scams too, and I was shocked at just how many there were!

We always worry about being ripped off by someone promoting an unreliable show.  But unfortunately, there are always people out there who are willing to rip you off in plenty of other ways too.  And as the big box retailers, banks and other big businesses increase their ability to rid themselves of these threats, the con artists and thieves turn to easier prey… you.  Our law enforcement people have their hands full of much bigger concerns than someone trying to take advantage of you for a few hundred or a few thousand dollars so you don’t get exactly top priority when it comes to handling your particular case.  As a result, you are left to your own to make sure your hard earned money stays in your pocket rather than in the pocket of some crook!  Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

1.  Make sure to be objective when you get an unusual order.  It’s great to be excited and certainly we want to see you be successful.  But once the smoke clears and your emotion subsides you’ll want to take an objective view of what you actually have here.  Everyone wants fame and fortune, that’s understandable… and of course when it appears that just may have happened emotion takes over and common sense goes right out the window.  As I mentioned before… if a buyer is just a little to urgent in his requests, involves foreign bank accounts, third party shippers and other things that don’t add up, be skeptical!  If you’ve received emails as part of the correspondence make sure to look at the MIME code to see if the email is coming from where it appears to come from.  Is the wording of the correspondence consistent with a person who is capable of making a substantial purchase.  I know it sounds like were profiling here, but if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck… chances are good that it’s a duck!

2.  Don’t ship your work until you’ve confirmed the payment.  Just because you’ve received a check or money order doesn’t mean you’ve been paid..  Checks from foreign accounts can take weeks to clear.  Money orders can be forged.  Official looking paperwork can be faked.  Double check with your bank to make certain the money is actually in your account and there is no way you can be charged back by anyone.  If any of these financial instruments are found to be fraudulent you’ll be held responsible for the full amount plus any additional fees.  With bounced check charges, international fees, recovery fees and more a transaction gone bad can cost you dearly!

3.  If someone appears to have been too generous… they may indeed be a bit of a philanthropist but it should certainly raise your suspicions.  Once again this may be designed to either win your confidence or to cloud your good sense with the emotion extra money can provide.  Whatever you do, don’t ever agree to return the overpayment because if the deal goes south not only will you be out your work, the shipping charges, the sales tax and all the fees associated with a bad check or money order, but you’ll also be out the money you sent them to refund the overpayment.  That’s really adding insult to injury!

Trust your gut feelings.  When it feels as though something isn’t right… it very well may not be right.  That combined with a couple of other clues may help you “see the light.”

4.  The case of the vanishing gallery.  This happens more regularly than you may think, it applies to both artists and craftsmen and I know more than one person who has been ripped off this way.  When the “gallery owner” initially approaches you with his or her request to include your work, naturally you’re flattered.  Con artists love to stir emotion to mask good judgement.  There are two variations here.  The first gallery invites you to be a part of their exhibit and then suddenly there is a fee for this, a charge for that… but don’t worry… there are no commissions!  It doesn’t take long to realize that the gallery is making their money from the fees, not the sale of work.  In fact, that being the case… what motivation does the gallery have to actually sell your work?  They certainly have a motivation to gather a lot of artists and craftsmen to exhibit.

The second gallery looks great. They have a brochure telling you about all the benefits, a web page that is impressive and a prospectus for marketing your work that would be the envy of anyone.  You go to look at the gallery and everything looks perfect so you commit to exhibiting some of your best pieces.  Everything seems to be going great.  You may have even sold a piece or two.  It’s been a while since you’ve heard from the gallery so you go down to drop in to say hello and all you find is a locked door and an empty store.  One night they just cleared everything out and left town… along with all your work!  As they open up in the next town (which you’ll certainly never hear about) it become evident to you how they have such nice work on exhibit… almost all of it stolen from someone just like you.  What a deal for the gallery… 100% commission on everything sold!

5.  Be cautious if the customer is trying to get you to ship immediately.  Typically the scammer will try to get you to ship before any funds have cleared.  The obvious reason is that if you knew the funds wouldn’t clear then you would certainly never ship!  Many people believe that a postal money order or cashier’s check is virtually the same as cash.  It isn’t.  In fact, it can take up to a month before you know you’ve just been had.  Because of “privacy laws” put in place to protect consumers, banks usually can’t tell you much about a check before it processes through their entire system.  Naturally by the time everything goes through all the right channels you owe a ton of fees to the bank.  It’s amazing how “privacy laws” work to the financial advantage of the banks and hurt so many consumers they are designed to protect!

6.  Go online and do some research.  From what I’ve seen a lot of these criminals use the same or similar names wherever they go… and you probably are not the first victim.  Do some searches for the names of the principals involved.  Look into the names of the gallery.  Ask for references if it’s a big purchase.  What other work do they own and who have they dealt with?  Check out several of the blogs from people who have been ripped off previously.  You’ve got a substantial investment in time and money in your work… keep a level head about sales no matter how big and use the judgement that will keep you in business.

7.  Take action if you’ve been scammed!  Although you may not get top priority from law enforcement agencies, you should definitely report the action.  And even though you’re a small concern if you’re vocal enough about it then you should get some attention.  The State Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs is not only a source of information but a good place to go regarding any suspicious contacts by email, the mail or the phone.  If the US Mail has been involved then talking to your postmaster may be a good option.  Online there are plenty of websites listing names of companies and individuals who have committed fraud in the past.  There are suspect email addresses, websites and more right there for you to find!  If the internet has been involved, then the Federal Trade Commission can become involved too.  You can find out more about them by going to their website at www.ftc.gov or the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Whether it’s by a gallery, through the mail, over the internet or by an unscrupulous show promoter it’s never fun to be ripped off.  It’s tough enough to be in this business and to make ends meet let alone losing money to crooks who pose as business allies.  Make sure to be vigilant, remain skeptical and be cautious in all your business dealings.  If you’re in doubt, then trust your gut and double check the deal you’re about to enter into.  Ask others, go online, check references and do the things that would allow you to make a good decision.  We don’t want you to miss a golden opportunity, but we don’t want you to lose your shirt either!

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Making A Better Match For Your Work…

I know we’ve all been at shows where we said… “What the heck am I doing here!!!”  No matter how well we try, chances are sooner or later we’ll make a mistake and book ourselves into a show where there just plain is a real bad fit!  If you’ve participated in a lot of shows and you’ve experienced the thrill of selling like crazy to a crowd that really appreciates your work, then you see the situation immediately and you know the show you’re at is just a bad match.  If this is your first show then you may make the mistake of assuming that the work you’re so proud of has no market!  Of course that’s probably not true, but if you’ve only done a couple of shows you don’t yet have the perspective to see it that way and chances are you’ll get very discouraged.

I’m bringing this subject up because all too often I run into someone who’s just getting started in the business and they are ready to quit after the first or second show because sales have been extremely slow.  I’ll take a look at their work and usually I’ll discover that they are trying to sell crafts at an art show OR more likely I’ll see them with fine art at a country craft show!  I don’t mean to say you’ll never make a sale at the wrong type of event and or course these situations are obvious and extreme… but I chose them to demonstrate a point.  Matching the RIGHT event to the RIGHT work is one of the biggest challenges we all face when selecting shows.

I’m sure many of you have seen the situation I just described and I’ll bet you’re saying “man, how does he expect to sell anything!  It’s so obviously wrong!”  But of course three primary factors play an important role here. 1) The exhibitor is very inexperienced and didn’t know how to ask the right questions of the show sponsor.  2) The show sponsor didn’t give a darn and just wanted to sell spaces. And 3) The exhibitor just didn’t know where there was a good match for his work and just needed to make some money this weekend… anything is better than nothing! We’ll handle these problems one at a time. 

Situation #1.  This one is common to all of us when we start out in the business.  Personally we got lucky on the first show we did and so even though a few of the following events were blunders, we knew that good sales were possible and so we endured those that weren’t so good.  Especially for beginners, but even for some seasoned professionals… it’s important to remember that the arrangements you are making with the show sponsor is a business agreement and as such you certainly have the right to ask some questions to make sure this is the show for you.  Make sure to ask how long the show has been going on.  If it’s a first year event then you can bet that participation could be risky and the entry fee ought to reflect that.  A high fee on a first year show is only justified under a couple of circumstances… the show sponsor has an impeccable record of successful promotions… the location is proven to draw beyond any shadow of a doubt based on other shows that have taken place there… or the show sponsor shows absolute proof of substantial advertising.  When I say “absolute proof” of substantial advertising I don’t mean a promise of advertising, I mean real contracts.  And substantial advertising doesn’t mean a two column ad in the local Thrifty Nickel and a couple of Real Estate signs with the words “Craft Show” scrawled across the surface.  Ask how many other exhibitors have signed up for the event… you don’t want to be one of five people who show up.  What is the advertising plan?  What type of work sells best at the event?  If you are a fine artist, then you want to be in a show that specifies fine art.  If you are a craftsman you want to make sure you’re signing up for a craft show.  The two can work together well but usually only when there are distinct sections of the show for each type of work.  When customers shop at an event they usually come with a mind-set to view and purchase either fine art or crafts but only under limited circumstances do they come for both types of work at the same show even though we’re talking about the same customer both times!  Some events are extremely good at separating and promoting both types of work and of course the combination is a success in those cases!  I like to compare it to retail shopping.  If you go to Home Depot usually you are in the market for something like lumber or paint or some other home improvement type of merchandise.  When you go to the grocery store you are there to buy meat or produce, canned goods or other food.  Now that’s not to say you might pick up a piece of candy or a soda at Home Depot… or that if you happened to see a nice set of wrenches at the grocery store they may not make it into your shopping cart.  But generally a customer will buy merchandise that he or she sets out to purchase, and they go to the retail location that handles that type of product.  The same theory applies to fine art shows vs. craft shows.  Presented the right way, “one stop shopping” can work… just make sure the show you’re applying to is one of the successful ones who have figured it out.  You don’t want to be in the craft section of a fine art show that was designed simply to provide more revenue for the fine art awards!  Are there special exhibit booth requirements or is any kind of display OK?  Will there be commercial displays included too?  Is this event strictly for artists and craftsmen or will there be other displays and activities as well?  Can I drive right up to the place I’ll be exhibiting to unload and tear down (this is especially important if you have heavy items).  Can I set up the day before and is there a time limit for tear down.  I remember one time we signed up for a show and didn’t realize that the tear down was limited to one hour.  If you have a big display of fragile items such as we do, it just doesn’t happen that quickly! 

It’s always a good idea to ask for a few names of exhibitors who have participated in the show in previous years so you can talk to them about their feel for the show.  If the show sponsor won’t answer your questions, gives “sideways” sort of answers or won’t tell you who’s participated in the past then there’s no question something is being hidden!  My feeling is “go the other way fast!”  There are plenty of shows to choose from and you don’t need to finance someone else’s folly.

Situation #2.  There are some show sponsors who quite frankly don’t give a darn who they rent space to.  You might have African American jewelry and be set up next to the Ku Klux Klan booth!  Ironically a few of these type of events succeed in spite of themselves.  The majority or them fail.  If you suspect the show may be like this and the sponsor is all too happy to take your money (which they will be!)… just slow down a little and make sure to do your fact finding.  This may be a second string choice if you really need the money, but I wouldn’t pay much of an entry fee, I’d be prepared to leave early if it is too bad and I’d want to reserve the right to relocate my display if I felt my current location was not appropriate. 

The best bet is to just avoid these shows and the people who sponsor them.  They usually have next to no ethics… and it shows!

Situation #3.  Okay, here’s where I get to tout the values of “Where The Shows Are!!!”  Now if you’re just reading this because someone else lent their guide to you then now is a good time to turn to the back of the book and fill out the subscription form!  Certainly we’d like you to do that… but the reality is that our guide to the events DOES give you a wide choice of shows.

When I first started assembling the information that would eventually become “Where The Shows Are!!!” I did it because we were broke with five kids I needed to apply to most events I participated in last minute.  At the time I couldn’t afford to be out the entry fee for more than a few days because it was needed for food, clothing and a place to live.  When you don’t have money, the only thing you can have is innovation because it’s free!  I needed at least one show every week and when possible we’d participate in two of them.  In order to do this last minute you need a lot of information about events because most of the good ones are always full or just don’t take last minute entries.  As time went on of course we started selling more and more and the money became available to start booking shows further in advance.  Once again the value of having hundreds of shows to pick from right at our fingertips proved to be of great value.  After a while the questions isn’t “do I know where there is a show to participate in” it becomes “what is the best show I could choose.” 

Track the characteristics of shows where you do well.  Because of the unique nature of the work all of us produce, what works well for one person may not work that well for someone else.  I know we’ve participated in events where we couldn’t keep the pottery on our display shelves and the guy beside us couldn’t give his work away.  The next week we couldn’t give our pottery away and he was sold out the first day!  Making the right match with the show we chose explains the difference.  When we really stop and analyze the characteristics of shows where we’re successful and then those things that characterize the shows where we fail miserably the consistencies are usually indisputable.  Over the years I’ve seen a great many “systems” that attempt to “rate” the shows and provide a sure-fire way you can predict results in advance.  Nice work if you can get it… but I have yet to see it really work!  BUT, what does work is a careful analysis of those characteristics that produce an outstanding show for you.  Think about the physical setting, the income level of the attendee’s, the age of the shoppers, the lifestyle of people in the area, the proximity of major retailers like Wal-Mart or shopping malls, the predominant religious beliefs in the are (Christmas items may not sell well in a Jewish neighborhood).  You might also want to consider how well the organization sponsoring the event supports it.  Do the members of the organization buy work from the exhibitors?  Do they sponsor other activities that detract from sales.  Sometimes I’ve seen organizations take the money from exhibitors and then at the event they have booths actually competing for sales.  Some show sponsors are under the misunderstanding that you’ve made a charitable contribution to their organization.  In fact I’ve even heard them say that from time to time.  The nature of the financial supporters also tell you something about the kind of shopper you’re likely to encounter.  An event financially supported by someone like State Farm Insurance, Southwest Airlines, Bank of America, the local Tourist Development Association and so forth is more likely to attract a higher end customer than an event sponsored by the local “buy here-pay here” car lot or the “hold-a-check” corner store!  As you do shows and find successes and failures, make sure to write down your observations immediately after the show.  Don’t wait until a day or two has passed because your observations usually begin to fade with time.  Good shows tend to get better as time progresses and the bad shows tend to seem worse!  You need the most accurate information possible to produce the best possible data you’ll use for future decisions.

Your best friend in finding a good match for your work is the ability to ask questions along with your skills of observation.  Try to be objective in your choice of the shows you apply for.  Make a check list and make sure the shows you’re considering meet the criteria you’ve set for a successful event.  Don’t be afraid or hesitant to ask questions of the show sponsor because your future and potential profitability in this business may very we rely on it!  Chances are that you’ll only rarely make the “perfect match” with the “perfect event.”  BUT… the more shows you know about and the more questions you ask, the closer you can get!  The closer you get, the more money you’ll make!  People will spend thousands of dollars to get the right tools to produce a product.  They’ll spend thousands more to buy a truck or trailer to transport that product to a show.  That provides only one side of the equation.  For less money than the cost of a good dinner on the way home from a show you can have virtually every good show in the area… organized in a way you can use it… and every event is just a phone call away!  Remember, no product is worth anything unless you can sell it… and finding the best way to sell it, the best way to display it and the best show to participate in is what we’re all about here at “Where The Shows Are!!!

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Don’t Make Your First Sale… Your Last!

Once you’ve made your presentation, sold the piece of work and taken the customer’s money, the  sale is over, right?  WRONG !  You are right in a way because the first part of the sale is over, but what could be the most profitable part of the relationship has just begun because every customer who buys from you once will probably buy again given the chance. 

An old salesman once said that the best place to look for new sales is among those who have already purchased from you before.  This does make a lot of sense too because you already know the customer likes your work, thinks it’s well worth the money and given the right opportunity they will buy.  This doesn’t mean we don’t ever look for more customers, but it does mean we have a ready stable of proven buyers and it’s simply a matter of regular, effective communication with those people that will turn them into repeat clients.

The next question is, how do I communicate?  The first step is to make sure you get the name, address, email address and phone number of the customer.  These can be stored either in a program on your computer or even in many applications available right on the web using the internet.  If you don’t have a computer, then just keep them in a cardfile… it’s low tech, but it works!  How ever you store the names, get them and keep them.  The communication can be as simple as a hand written note that you photocopy to an elaborate four color brochure developed by a design firm.  Another way to contact customers on a regular basis is by email and internet web sites.  Here I’ll offer a word of caution… it used to be that you could just blast off a bunch of email messages to whomever you wanted to.  Those were the good old days!  But today the internet service providers are a lot more picky about what gets sent.  If you find that all of a sudden your email account has been blocked then you can bet that the ISP has got your number.  Try not to send out too many emails at once… that means more than about 25 per minute in most cases.  You can actually use Microsoft Word to send groups of emails and it has “throttling” features in it that allow you to slow down the sending of the message.  Alternately if you’re even a bit more of the techie type you could even set up your own mail server.  There are lots of free programs that allow you to do that!  Facebook is another way to stay in touch with your customers.  It’s simple and easy… you can share everything from pictures to movies to personal greeting or for that matter just about anything else you can put into a computer.  The great thing is that most of these tech ideas are either free or close to it!

No matter how you contact your potential buyers, the important thing is to keep telling them where you’re going to be selling, new products you have and all the reasons the should be buying.  Remember that the more reasons you give a customer to buy, the more they’ll purchase from you.  Don’t assume they know you have special Christmas items, don’t take for granted they know you take special orders, make sure your customers realize you change the items you carry or the work you produce on a regular basis.  If you’ve started a new line or found a new application for something you already produce let the world know !

Even if you’ve already told all you customers about all these things, tell them again.  Most people forget virtually all you’ve said to them as soon as they leave your booth.  Major retailers know all this and use it all the time.  After all, who doesn’t know that Wal-Mart carries school supplies?  But I’ll bet every one of you got a flyer from them telling you about all the exciting paper, pens and pencils!  Consistent, redundant exposure creates sales.  No matter what you said before… say it again in a new way.  Most people just aren’t paying attention and it takes several attempts to get through to them.

All this effort translates into one important thing… more sales!  And that of course is the ultimate goal… it’s what puts the gas in your car, the roof over your head and the food in your mouth.  The better you can accomplish that then the better off you’ll be!  There’s just no good reason to let your first sale to a customer be your last.

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