Success!

Oh joy oh joy! The RISD sale was a HUGE success! Thanks to everyone who bought something, especially the doctor who made a BIG purchase for his new office. My friend, Ana, who sells beautiful jewelry also did well, especially since there are many jewelry makers around. I was next to her booth for the first time and was simply amazed how crowded and active her area was for the whole day.  I know many people are thinking about art sales right now, and if it's worth it because of the economy, so here is my two cents on why we did well...

* This is "Art & Craft Sale for dummies", but both of us have a very distinct look to our products. Ana and I use very distinctive colors in our lines which helps with branding and making us look professional.

*There are many sales, but do your research and find out what kind of buyers will be there. For instance, the sale Ana and I were in brings in many upper middle class buyers, people who have not been hit as hard economically (or in some cases, at all!). If you are in a smaller area, newer sale (that maybe isn't as on the radar like other seasonal events) or know that the sale attracts a certain audience who doesn't have as much income (college kids, young families, etc) than that's good to know.

*Ana and I make sure our prices cover our overhead and are fair to us, but we also know not to mark up too much just for the sake of marking up. Ana's jewelry is beautiful (and not what I would call cheap) but compared to her competition she was a bargain. Pick a number that feels right for both you AND your customer.

*Don't waste money and you'll rake in more profit! I was tickled to see that Ana's expensive-looking suede displays were actually cardboard structures she had hot glued fabric over. So much cheaper! I have to be cost effective and cheap at this stage of my life. Having something vertical at my table helps to get attention, so I have a table easel holding a large painting of mine. That's all I need, and it's way cheaper than buying display walls. All these things reduce your investment and allow you to enjoy more profit.  

Okkie dokkie. Good luck to everyone doing Art& Craft Sales!