I participated in my very first craft show a few weeks ago.  It went great! Here, I’ll share the work I did to prepare, my experience at the show itself and what I’d do next time (yes, there will be a next time.)

If you are interested in learning how it came to be – check out my previous post about Goal Setting.

Before I even knew I’d be doing a craft show, I set some goals for my business for the holiday season.  I wrote down how many scarves and headbands I realistically could make on a given day.  I also assigned a specific amount of time to “marketing” – updating my blog, my Etsy shop and Facebook.  I also wrote: “create a new product” on the list. 

Preparation.  When I was invited to do the craft show, I felt prepared because of my list of goals..  If I kept to my schedule, I would have what I thought would be enough inventory.  What I didn’t consider is that I would also be selling items in the weeks prior to the show.  So there I was, making scarves and posting them on my Etsy site, and low and behold, people were buying them.  So I would make more.  It was a great “problem” to have.  I finally decided that about a week prior to the show I would stop posting new items on Etsy and reserve them for the craft show. 

Research - Learn from those that have done it.

 I did a little Google search on “tips for craft shows” and that led me to many great articles.  I especially liked this one from a blog on Etsy.

My big take-aways from my research were these:

1. “You can’t sell what you don’t have.”  Simply put: get sewing girl!  The more you have, they more you have to sell.  The other side to this coin is this: don’t kill yourself either.  You will have enough, and if you don’t, then you will next time.
2. Do your own promotions – toot your horn!  Sound the alarm!  Let everyone know what you’re up to. 
3. Accept credit cards.  I used the SquareUp card reader for my iPhone.  And I accepted personal checks.  (Read on to see how this worked for me.)
4. Have an eye-catching display that draws people in.  Pinterest came in handy here.

Planning for the Craft Show
I worked very hard, not only creating my products, but also considering the details of the event. 

1. Table Design – even though I don’t own a 90” round table, I used my dining table to plan my booth.  I took photos and asked friends their opinions about my layout and got some great feedback (thank you Susan and Michele!)
2. Change. How much change should I bring?  I asked my friend Susan – who is far more experienced than I - and she advised $100 in small bills.  All of my items were priced at either $5, $10, $15 or $20.  This made the change issue easier. 
3. Organization.  I sewed a “vendor apron” to hold my change, my phone and credit card reader (I used Square Up – more on that later) a receipt pad and a pen.  This was great because it kept my hands free and my money close.  I found the tutorial for the vendor apron, and made it the night before the show (gotta love last minute projects.)
4. Packaging.   I thought about how I would package sold items. Days prior, I prepared the bags and tissue paper to make wrapping fast and easy.  I brought my packaging supplies in a separate box that was easy to access and reserved an area in the back of my table specifically for wrapping up the goods.
   
5. Each of my products had a business card attached to it (another prep job perfect for evening t.v. watching)
6. Realities of life. I asked a friend to come sit with me for a bit so that I could have a bathroom break.  Thank you Lauren!  My mom, who was concerned about thievery, brought me lunch and watched over my booth.  It was nice to have the company.  There were no thieves at this craft show.

Involve your friends

The show itself was great fun. I’m sure because it was my first and I had adrenaline on my side, the time went quickly.  I arrived to set up at 9 a.m. (doors opened at 10 a.m.) and Lauren and I were cleaning up at 3 p.m.

Many friends came and I felt very supported.  I sold ¾ of my scarves.  Because I was busy, I did not get to see much of what other vendors were selling, except those directly around me (light-up glass blocks that look like wrapped gifts, purses crocheted using plastic bags and aluminum can pop-tops, custom name plates for kids rooms, homemade jams and lots of jewelry.)  My mom reported that I had the best booth (of course she did, thanks Mom) and I did feel like I had quite a bit of activity.  I think my pricing was right for this audience (a small church community, and of course, my friends.)  I also felt like I had a popular item – the infinity scarves – that no other vendor offered.  That is thanks to the organizers of the event who required vendors to commit to their products in advance, so that no two vendors were selling the same things.  Thank you Calvary Baptist Church!

I also paid attention to what people were saying as they were trying on scarves, looking in the mirror and commenting to each other.  I was in the back of my table, busying my self with a few hand-sewing projects (another great suggestion - this from my sister Beth: “Keep busy so that customers don’t feel like you’re staring at them.”)  Most popular comment: “Oh, that’s cute, but get this one because it will go with more.”  I sold all of my neutral scarves first – the blacks, greys, and creams.  The brighter colors and/or patterns sold well, but not until the neutrals were gone. Scarves displayed on the mannequin always sold.

Sales of my other items (ornaments and headbands) were slow.  The scarves really stole the show, and that’s ok.  I am curious about a different way to market the ornaments and headbands.  I think they have potential, but I need to find the right niche.

Here’s what I wish went differently:

1. I wish the church had advertised a bit more.  I went there the day before the event and there was not a sign to be seen.  There was one small hand made (by a child – cute, but ineffective) sign on the day of the event.  It was posted on a corner far from the actual location.  The location of the church was tricky (requiring a u-turn) so some big banners would have been helpful.  This was only the church’s 2nd year hosting a craft show, so I’m sure they are working things out.
2. I wish that my cell phone coverage was good enough to use my Square for accepting credit cards.  Once inside the gym, I had only 3 bars of coverage – not enough to run the Square.  Other vendors around me had no issues using theirs (Square, as well as other types of credit card readers.)  Each of us had a different cell carrier.  My Verizon didn’t work.  Lesson here: find a different way to accept credit cards. I could look into an old fashion “knuckle crusher” that you slide over the card with carbon paper. Or I could take credit card numbers on the receipt and input the info using the Square once I had coverage (in this case, in the parking lot!)
3. It would have helped to have wi-fi in the gym.  They had it in the church office, but it did not reach the gym.  Having a wi-fi signal would have allowed me to use the Square.  I don’t think I lost any sales over this issue (many thanks to friends Barbara and Missy, who took my phone and customers to the Church office for me!)  The snafu did prompt me to accept checks, which I hadn’t planned on doing. 

But all in all, it worked out fine.

Again, huge thanks to the friends and family who came to help and buy!  It was a lot of work.  I learned a ton.  Would I do it again?  You bet!

Update: After the show I came home and cleaned up the tornado of fabric that took over my house.  I took a few days to decompress and then I photographed everything that did not sell at the show and put it in my Etsy shop.  I also started sewing again.  I am adding new items to my shop daily and they are selling fast -- Go check it out!

- Mary

Next time: New Year, New Projects.  I love my scarves, but I’m itching to fire up my creative brain to try something new. 
Stay tuned for new creative endeavors.

July 31, 2013  -- (this date is sort of funny. sort of pathetic. sort of well … real life!)

Summer is nuts.  Every routine I established during the school year is out the window.  Exercise? Not so much.  Dinner?  PB&J is legit.  Laundry?  Sorry, maybe tomorrow.  Cleaning? Well, lets not pretend that ever really happened.

I could explain how busy I’ve been with two kids on summer swim team, a dog that doesn’t get walked enough and a husband who works from home. (see how I just explained that?) But I think most of us are in the same boat.  Regardless of if you have kids, dogs, husbands/wives/partners – summer just throws a wrench into the routine. 

Don’t get me wrong, we’re having (had) a fun time – lots of swimming, vacations, friends and family.  It’s great -- just different.

But that’s ok because it is officially Fall.  I love this time of year. Time for change.

As I mature (really?) I realize that I’m not so great with change.  I have a tough time getting on board with a new schedule.  It takes a while.  I’m working on that. 

It’s no surprise that my creative business on Etsy (the online store where I sell my handmade goods - Infinite8Creative) took a back seat over the summer.  I see it sitting there, in the waaaay back.  With the laundry.

In an effort to get focused, I read books and articles about growing an online business. I’ve found these very helpful:

Sell Crafts Online 
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Selling Your Crafts on Etsy

I’m also a huge fan of Brian Tracy’s GOALS!
At first look I thought GOALS! looked like a cheesy “get rich quick” type of book.  But it surprised me with its’ simple message: you are responsible for your life.  Don’t blame other folks when you’re not where you want to be.  Get focused, set some goals and head in that direction.  Pretty simple.

I tend to pick it up and randomly read from any chapter and it helps me focus, and not just on my business, but on my life goals as well.  You should check it out.

My “get back on track" reading gives me lists of things to do.  I love lists! And I can’t wait to put some little check marks next to each item.  There are some really great suggestions about marketing – SEO (that means Search Engine Optimization!), research (who’s selling what and where?), pricing (what’s my product? are other people selling the same thing? how are they priced? how can I make my products stand out? etc.) 

Etsy has a blog section with all sorts of advice for improving your business. 

I recently read one blog post on Etsy that inspired me to step out of my box a little more.  The article described some of the most successful craftspeople on Etsy offer the most unique items.  Don’t be afraid to be bold and unique.  Stay true to your artistic vision.  If you want to be known as the seller of porcupine art, or grasshopper sculptures, then do it.  And do it big. 

I’m going to try to bring more of that uniqueness to my shop.  More of “me.”  That’s exciting!

My Goals!
When I first started out on this little adventure in March 2013 my goal was to sell something online – put my toe in the water and see how it felt.  My friends and family came through in a big way.  Thank you!  Then I thought it would be really cool to sell something to a stranger.  I’ve sold some items to complete strangers (thank you Bethanne in IL - you were my "first stranger sale.") - which still surprises and thrills me! 

New Goal: I want to do better on Etsy.  However, it’s not enough to say “do better” or “sell more.”  I need to be specific with my goal. 

So, this week is about setting that specific sales goal, ramping up production on my existing products and introducing one new product. 

Oh, and I will make sure my family has clean underwear.   

Go out and set yourself a goal for this week, or month.  It can be anything, seriously.  It can be “do the friggin’ laundry, and actually fold it and put it away.”  See what happens.  I’d love to hear how that goes for you.  Leave a comment.

-Mary

I'm back!  Woo hoo!

Summer is busy with shepherding kids around and trying to keep up with my Etsy store - Infinite8Creative.

On my last (and first!) post I promised to explain the name of my business - Infinite 8 Creative.  It was inspired by these lovely ladies.

This is my girls' group (I'm in the middle, pink shirt) - we have been getting together on the first Thursday of each month for the past 11 years.  Some of us have been friends since the womb - our mom's were pregnant together.  Most went to the same high school.  Some met in college.  Two are related by blood, but we are all sisters.  We came together as a group 11 years ago and I look forward to every first Thursday since then. We have been through a lot together (you know... laughter, tears, etc.)  I love each and every one of them. 

We are always trying to come up with new names for our group.  First it was Bunco because we did attempt to play that game at our first few meetings.  However, it became clear that none of us had any interest and soon we referred to our meeting as "bunco" using the air quotes.  Several names have circulated over the years.  The most recent identity has been The Infinite 8.  Sort of super-hero-esque.  We each own the same infinity sign necklace and wear it often. There are eight of us.  The number eight looks like an infinity sign.  Get it?

Long ago we decided that our group is closed to new members and/or guests.  Have a cousin visiting?  Sorry, you'll have to leave her at home.  Old college roommate?  Nope.  The conversations are too personal (and goofy) to share with an "outsider."  Our meetings are a place to vent and celebrate and laugh 'til we (I mean ME) pee.  Bringing a visitor would upset the vibe.  We also can't meet in public places because of previously mentioned laughter, tears and occasional peeing.  We used to try to dine out and were asked to leave.  Plus our meetings go on for approximately six hours - a server's nightmare!

So my group of ladies - The Infinite 8 - are a support system like no other.   Each of them, while I can already hear their protests, is creative in their own right.  If and when they would like to sell something in the Infinite 8 Creative shop, they are welcome as my featured guest artistes.  They are my girls and I wanted to name my shop after them.  So there.

Here are a few goodies from my shop - happy July to you all!  ~Mary

My first blog post. Ever!

I've always been curious about blogging.  Read my fair share of them, most of the time feeling a bit voyeuristic while doing so.  Always wondered why people open up so much on their blog.  Some people REALLY put it all out there.  I guess they do that so other people (peeping toms like me) will read it and return.  Sort of like reality t.v. - or a train wreck - you can't look away.  I've never seen a train wreck, but lots of reality t.v.

Honestly, I'm creating this blog to support my creative business -- designing and creating accessories for you and your home.  My business is called Infinite 8 Creative - thus the title of this blog.  I'll tell you about the name another time (see, maybe you'll come back JUST to find out.  oooh, i see how this works now.)

The plan for this blog is mostly for me to write about this new venture - what I'm working on, inspired by, and what makes me want to tear my hair out.  Mostly it will be about my lofty, crafty goals... But maybe it will take a turn in a different direction if I feel like it.  Right now, no one knows this blog exists, so who cares, right?

If someone happens to actually read this, you can find my creative items for sale on Etsy. Infinite 8 Creative
Who knows, you may even buy something.  (go ahead, buy something!)

Here is how this whole Etsy shop came to be.  I went to my friend Kim's 40th birthday party, with about 20 other 40-something year old moms.  OK there may have been a few 30-ish whipper snappers attending, but you get the idea.  I made a gift for Kim -- a black and white striped infinity scarf.  Super soft, jersey knit.  The ladies went wild!  Well, if not wild, they were very excited by the scarf, and intrigued that I made it myself.  They said "Mary! You should totally sell these!"

And I thought, "Okay. I totally will." 

Actually, this idea of selling something that I made with my own two hands has been on my "to-do list" for a long time.  It's kind of funny/pitiful how long I've been saying (mostly to myself) "I want to create things.  Things that other people will want to buy."  But guess what?  Putting yourself out there and saying "spend your hard earned money on this thing that I made." is really scary for me.  It's probably worth a trip to the therapist.

But after Kim's party, I felt supported and motivated.  It felt like a good time to step out of my comfort zone and sell something.  And I did!  And I still am.  And I enjoy it.

So this is where I will spout my word of wisdom (insert laugh track here) about starting a creative business.  Because really? I am flying by the seat of my pants. 

But come back and check on me sometime!