Post by Jerry Reynolds
How is your 2022 show season going? For many, this year has been slow and something I am asked about almost every week is, what are you doing to have success. I think asking that question is very important! Our ability to share information with each other about trends or tips that are helping us to have success is all very valuable.
Every year I do 25-35 shows across Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho. As a result, I have talked to a lot of people and learned a lot about what goes into successful shows.
Here are 5 tips for successful shows:
- Engagement - Customers are looking for reasons to buy your products, so you have to extend an invitation to them. That means getting out front of your booth, saying hello, smiling, and finding any reason to have simple conversations.
- Presentation - How we showcase our items is also very important. When items are laying flat on a table, it can be hard to see differences between them. Utilizing shelving layers gives you an opportunity to showcase more products without needing to expand your booth space.
- Feedback - One of the great things about doing shows is, customers will tell you what they like and don’t like about your products. It is very important not to be offended. Log every idea in your mind. Continually seek out other products they ask you about. Over time, you can take all those suggestions, especially when you start to hear them multiple times, and figure out ways to creatively incorporate them into your work. All feedback is good feedback.
- Your booth - The number one thing people look at is your booth. If you present them with a buying experience that stands out, you will convert more conversations into sales.
- It’s bigger than one show - Whether we are working on our business full-time or as a hobby, having successful shows is important. It can be hard to keep a positive mindset when days are slow and we are not meeting our goals. However, being positive is crucial. About 20% of my sales come after a given show is over, these are called downstream clients. Building that relationship will turn into future customers.
I admire the bravery it takes for you to create products and put them into the world for others to judge and purchase. It can be scary but I want to encourage you to just keep on going!! Showing up to events is the most important way to have success. Continue to take feedback and focus on details, they are the most necessary elements in creating fantastic products and producing successful outcomes at shows.