Last week, I shared my experience planning to participate in an outdoor art festival and getting set up for the event. The planning and setup were intense but not half so fierce as working the event itself.
The moment the gates opened, people began flooding into the orchard where the festival was held. Never having participated in a festival like this myself, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Through nearly three decades of gallery experience, I felt pretty confident in my sales abilities. Still, I wasn’t sure what the dynamic would be like working with large crowds in a limited space and a venue full of other vendors.
Fortunately, I didn’t have much time to fret. Once people started walking into our booth, my sales muscle memory kicked in, and I began engaging with potential clients just as I would in the gallery. I would introduce myself and the gallery and ask the clients if they were familiar with us. I would then talk a little about the artists we represent. I would then let the client look around before I would further engage with them by telling stories about the art and artists as the clients stopped to admire a particular piece. I would ask questions to get the clients talking about themselves. In other words, I engaged in sales.
The display space worked out much as I had hoped. The angles of the walls invited people into the booth and encouraged exploration and engagement. Very quickly, Parker (my son, who was helping me man the booth) and I discovered that if we stood inside the booth, passers-by were likely to take a glance but keep walking. If we stood outside, either off to the side or across the walkway, in the shade of an apple tree, we would get many more visitors to enter the booth and engage with the art.
The first few hours of the event were busy but didn’t result in any sales. Over the event’s three days, we were to discover that this would be a pattern. Visitors would arrive early, look through the booth, and wander on. As the day progressed, visitors would return and begin making purchases. Very few visitors bought during an initial engagement.
Despite the initial lack of sales, we were on our feet and engaging with every visitor we could. This engagement and activity would pay off in returning visitors and sales. I was surprised to observe that while some other vendors were likewise engaging with customers, many were sitting in chairs, barely engaging with visitors. While it was taxing, I couldn’t imagine having gone to all the work to set up for the event and then missing the opportunity to encourage sales by sitting on the sidelines waiting for sales. In my experience, a “let me know if you have any questions” doesn’t cut it when trying to maximize sales.
The first big hiccup
It was about 11:30 on the first day of the event that we had our first sale, and it was then that we discovered what would turn out to be the biggest glitch for the event – our internet connection. I had planned to use our Shopify point of sale system to process sales. My cell phone data connection had other ideas. It turned out that the venue was located in a spot where my phone, which usually has at least a decent connection in Pinetop, struggled to maintain an internet connection.
Shopify wouldn’t load at all. I called the gallery and had Mikell process sales over the phone for our first few sales. Workable, but not at all ideal. As the day progressed, I remembered I had PayPal and Square apps to process credit cards. While they were slow to load and process transactions, they had the advantage over Shopify in that they would, at least, load.
For the second day, I had a Square tap and pay terminal I was able to use to process transactions. I learned that the terminal would fall asleep, and my phone would lose a connection to the internet after about four minutes of disuse. Which meant I had to beg patience from our customers as I woke up the terminal and cycled my phone through airplane mode to reestablish my internet connection. While checkout could have been smoother, we were at least able to get the sales done.
The second big hiccup
Rain.
Rain.
RAIN.
When you think of Arizona, you likely think it’s pretty dry. This is certainly true of much of the state throughout most of the year. June and July, however, welcome our monsoon season. Pinetop is at about 6800 feet and is located in an area that draws frequent thunderstorms during the monsoon.
By early afternoon on Friday, the first clouds rolled in, and it wasn’t long before the first showers arrived. The rain was light at first but soon became heavier. Parker and I scrambled to attach the side walls of our canopy by velcro to keep the art and walls from getting wet. We flew to pull our checkout table back into the booth.
The rain would let up just as we had everything covered and protected. Parker and I looked at each other and sighed, then moved everything back into place and took down the side walls. While visitors had scrambled for cover when the rain started, they quickly returned once it stopped.
Unfortunately, the rain didn’t stop for long. After only a few minutes back in business, the rain started again, and once again, we scrambled to get everything into the canopy and the walls back up. It would rain for a few minutes, then stop, and we would repeat the entire process. For a couple of hours, it rained off and on several times. We were certainly getting a workout.
By three on Friday, the sky opened up in earnest, and the rest of the afternoon was rained out.
Saturday saw lighter, intermittent showers, but we could stay open for the entire day. Sunday only brought one small storm.
Arizona and much of the west are in a drought. We need as much precipitation as possible, but I admit, I wouldn’t have minded if it had rained in the evenings instead or even waited until the show was over.
Do you know where it never rains? In a gallery🤣
My admiration for artists who do many shows each year rose dramatically as I discovered how much work these events are.
Fortunately, our guests are accustomed to the mountain rain patterns, and many brought umbrellas. They continued to visit between rainclouds throughout the show.
What we did right during the event
Engagement
As described above, our pleasant interactions with visitors helped drive sales. I cannot overemphasize how critical engagement is in these kinds of events.
No judgment or prejudice
I learned long ago that you never know who might end up being a buyer and who might not. I am very careful not to prejudge visitors to our gallery, and I applied this same policy to the outdoor festival. Anyone who stopped to look at art was warmly greeted. Many of our buyers weren’t wearing fancy clothes or exhibiting other accouterments of wealth. Some buyers only made small purchases, but those small purchases added up.
Backup inventory
As work began selling, having backup inventory on-site and access to additional stock at the gallery was hugely important. We kept our walls and pedestals well-stocked throughout the event. There was always a lot to see in the booth.
Professional attire (and comfortable shoes)
I struggled a bit thinking about how to dress for the show. I wear a buttoned shirt and dress slacks in the gallery – I think of this as my uniform. I was concerned, however, that this uniform wouldn’t lend itself to an outdoor venue. Ultimately, I decided I would feel more confident dressed as I usually am in the gallery. A few other vendors dressed as we were; most wore jeans. I’m not sure it made a huge difference to visitors, but I didn’t regret dressing up. Fortunately, my daily dress shoes are both comfortable and supportive – critical for an event like this where we spent so much time on our feet.
Bags and boxes
I ensured we bought plenty of large art bags to wrap sold artwork and paper bags and boxes for smaller items. We had Xanadu stickers to place on the bags and boxes.
Postcards
I brought a large stack of postcards with gallery information and was able to hand them out to many visitors who hadn’t been to the gallery before. I also brought contact cards so I could capture clients’ addresses. We always try to capture as much contact information as possible, but with the flood of visitors to the event, it was challenging to capture as many email addresses as I would have liked. The postcards meant that we had an easy way to send visitors on their way with images of our artwork and our website and address.
What we could have done better during the event
Credit card processing
I’m not sure I could have done much to ensure a better internet connection, but I learned that Square has a swipe card reader that can take credit card transactions offline and process them when you regain an internet connection. My phone doesn’t have an earphone jack, which the reader uses, but I think I can get an adapter that will allow the reader to work.
I heard some vendors encouraging cash sales. I understand the appeal of cash; no one likes paying credit card fees, especially when getting an internet connection is challenging. I’m confident that a willingness to accept credit cards encourages more sales and sales of higher-priced items.
Side wall clamps
Our canopy’s side walls didn’t provide any easy way to hold them in place when rolled up. This meant that each time we wanted to remove them, we had to take them off the canopy, and each time we needed to put them back up, it took several minutes to replace them. I noticed other vendors using woodworking clamps to hold the walls when rolled. Brilliant! I will definitely invest in these clamps for future events.
How do you interact with customers and manage sales at outdoor art festivals?
Do you participate in outdoor art festivals? What tips and tricks can you share to help other artists increase sales at these events? What advice would you give an artist getting ready to sell at their first outdoor art show? If you consider offering your art at a festival, what questions about daily operations would you ask artists with many of these events under their belts? Leave your thoughts, comments, tips, tricks, and questions in the comments below.
Keep an eye out for upcoming posts on the results and the tear-down for this event.
Another great post! Thank you.
I actually participated in my first outdoor festival 2 weeks ago, and had a similar experience, even though ours was accompanied by strong winds, so I laughed while reading your story! You make some great points that I sure will take into consideration if and when I do this again!
Very informative posts. Nice that each vendor tent was spaced far apart to allow easy access and viewing from all directions. Many shows have every tent lined up with access for viewing only from front. Thanks for posting
In June I showed at the first outdoor show I’ve done in 15 years. I feel lucky that they gave me a corner spot, which gave me some freedom as to how to arrange the grids in my tent.
As I’ve participated in many shows, both in and outdoors, I feel I can add a few items to your excellent list. First, I’m in the Midwest and wind can really be an issue. So, investing in weights or tie downs for the tent would be something to look into. Lighting to me is very important. Even though we’re outdoors, many days can be dark and lighting for the art is really helpful. We use a track system that hangs and allows me to point the lights where I wish. I’ve also had white covers made for my grid system where I hang my artwork. That reflects the light and it’s amazing how much brighter it makes my tent. I do more of an open layout and use a rug underfoot to make it seem more like my own personal gallery. For added display room, I bring some large floor easels and set those out around the tent pointed at where people will see them walking by from various directions. I use them, or not, as space allows.
I agree that one must engage the people, however, I cannot stand the entire day, so I’m one who sits. That doesn’t mean I don’t talk with anyone who’s even passing by. Even a friendly smile and hello go a long way. Since my fractal art is unknown to many folks, I often ask if they’re familiar with it. That gives me a way to launch into an explanation of what it is and how it’s created. I invite everyone to come in and take a closer look at the art.
Like you, I’ve found the Square to be the easiest to use device, but always welcome cash. I have also, on occasion, taken checks and have never had a problem with them. Oh, another good idea is to have a banner made to hang outside/above so people can see what you are from a distance. I also bring many packing materials for sales and in case of rain, keep a supply of large black garbage bags. They aren’t elegant, but they do protect the art. The few times I’ve had to use them, we joke about them, but the customers are grateful to have something sturdy to protect their purchases. Finally, I also bring a digital picture frame. Having movement in the tent is a surefire way to attract interest. Since I literally have hundreds of fractal designs, it’s nice to showcase them this way and gives people another place to stop and contemplate.
The digital picture frame is a great idea and one I have not used. Your other suggestions are great as well. Thank you for sharing them.
I have a banner … and will be making an extra to use so there’s no doubt where I am. Will add a QR code with my web address as well. Some artists add QR codes to their artwork labels. That could take them to that piece’s page on my website for additional background on the piece and something easy to share with their friend’s or partners, etc.
I just got home from an incredibly successful art festival this past weekend. So much work but wonderful results and conversations.
Thanks for sharing Deb – I love hearing from those of you who have expertise born of experience. Show-going artists are a heart lot!
Deb, I really like your digital picture frame idea. Sounds like you have this down pat. I will look into getting one.
I recently got weights for my tent (bags to be filled with sand) and they were critical during the show I did in June.
Excellent, thank you, Jason. Well-written & useful.
My first art festival was a local event when I was 14 years old I am now 60 and still at it . I have to say it’s not for the weak hearted it’s not easy to get ready for plan , set up and tear down load and head down the road . There is definitely a learning curve and still always trying to improve on . For a while my wife , small son and I were doing 32 shows a year inside, outside fine art, art and craft, rodeos were ever we could and multiple states. Some good some terrible it happens don’t get discouraged . My advice to any artist that is going to do art events or try it is take some extra money with you to get to the next show or home if you run into a bad one . Engage with everyone you can find something in common with them or at least acknowledge them stand up don’t just set in the corner. If it’s a bad show don’t let them know it with a puppy dog face stay happy and up beat smile and be kind the last customer can be the big sale you needed I’ve had it happen. Make your booth as professional and clean as you can it’s your portable personal art gallery. Anchor and weigh down your tent for wind and rain . And lastly take something to work on if things are slow I can pull customers in by doing some drawing they’ll stop to watch and look I’ve made a lot of sales that way just don’t be to upset if what your working on gets ruined your just using it to get people in . Good luck and God bless
Thank you Jason for the post. I have always been sceptical about showing at an outdoor venue. Now less so after reading your blog. Thanks for walking us through it.
Super post Jason! I have never participated in an outdoor art festival and don’t know what to expect. Your post filled in a lot of the missing gap for me. Thanks.
Very nice account of a day in the life of an art festival artist (or gallerist). I have been doing outdoor art festivals for several years, and I have to say, the biggest deterrent is the weather. Having a sturdy, waterproof tent is recommended, as wind can also become a factor, especially here in the Northeast. Beyond the weather aspect, engaging with people and talking about the artwork is the most rewarding part, along with sales of course.
Ha! so glad you had an experience of the good stuff as well as the bad stuff. With a solid tent top you can withstand most types of precipitation (done everything but snow myself) but our enemy is w**d. So much so that we try not to use that word so as not to invoke it. It only takes being blown out of existence once to learn WEIGHTING**.
I also recommend backup power block to re-feed the phone, and a handful of those credit card papers we used to use in the ‘knucklebusters’ for when all else fails. Or sometimes people can Paypal/Zelle/Venmo you directly from their phone and show you the transaction, and you’re good to go.
Great suggestions, and know I know not to invoke the work w**d – thanks!
Thank you so very much. I’m doing my very first outdoor art show this Saturday and I was quite nervous about it. It was reassuring to read a few tips and be aware of the pitfalls. My worry is that I won’t have much room under the canopy for my art which is fairly large. And not sure how many art pieces I should try to bring. This will be a good learning curve for future shows
Fantastic post! As I mentioned before I have participated in many good festivals and a few not so positive experience ones. I found myself smiling as I heard and read comments you were referring to. I was laughing with you not at you. Outdoor events are whole different ballgame. A LOT of WORK. They can be very rewarding but compacted into a small time frame. Thanks for sharing…enjoyed very much. Darryl
Very good post about outdoor festivals. I usually do 2 or 3 a year. Glad to hear you had help. Doing it alone is very difficult. I would always advise having 1 or 2 helpers. The other element to be prepared for is wind. The last event I did here in the desert was a disaster for several artists who did not have significant weight holding their tent down.
Thanks for the tips, I have participated in several festivals and although they are lots of work, they are worth it!
I have heavy💪 pieces because my art is made from reclaimed wood. Square has been super valuable in my sales and I recommend to anyone considering it. I appreciate Deb Lutz mentioning a digital frame👍.
These shows can be tiresome, and I rotate standing and sitting, depending on traffic flow but I still engage in a welcoming gesture or greeting to let people know I acknowledge them. Because part of my profits goes towards helping horses that end up in kill pens(yes, that is real!), I ask people if they are familiar with the breed, Standardbred and then educate them or exchange stories.
I love doing festivals and try to set up as much as possible.
Thanks for sharing your tips and knowledge,
Amy Allmond
Reclaimed Equus
For those wondering about weights for the corners of booths, I made unobtrusive weights out of white thick wall PVC pipe about 4 in around and 24 inches long. I glued a cap on one end, filled it with wet concrete and capped the other end with another cap that has an eye bolt inserted in it. To this eye bolt I snapped a hefty chain that reaches up to the top corners of my booth so I can chain the weight at any height. Each weight will weigh over 40 lb and provide significant resistance to movement to your canopy. And, it is also a good idea to screw a handle on the side before you fill it with wet concrete so that you can move the weight easily during setup and take down. I love these because they look nice and don’t get in the way of people going in and out of the booth.
I saw a number of artists using something similar to what you are describing. Maybe someone should start a business making and selling these?
Various weights are available through Walmart online at very reasonable costs. They are delivered directly to your home address.
Also like the idea of the chain going to the upper supports.
I have done many outdoor displays here in California we usually have very good weather.
I do many venues that are not art festivals but related to my animal subjects.
At my last event I didn’t make any sales yet I did over $20,000 in sales to one client when he contacted me 2 months after the event ! So you never know.
I use John Deere tractor weights. 40lbs in cast iron and can be carried like a suitcase. They are small, stack well for storage and can be ordered online thru Home Depot.
Excellent suggestion Timm – thanks for sharing!
Fantastic guy
For me It difficult
I paint bit I dont exhib my work and that is not very fun.
I don’t really know where to start in this country. I am french and my first try with open studio has benn a disaster :17 artworks stolen at once. Since that I am kind of paralysed.
I am in san jose.
And will be happy to be in touch with a few of you and maybe join some of you in your art fair. Alone as you said its really difficult.
Yes I need some encouragements. I think I can do it bit i am probably over thinking.
You can go on my messenger and live some comment on your next’s exhibitions in art fair if you want help.
I come back from France in The bigining of December.
I will be more than happy to talk and exchange. About art and sell and exhibitions.
Thank you for your article and for giving the opportunity to talk.
Have fun all.
Marie
My comment on weights:
When I was planning to attend my furst show, I visited another show to look at setups. Checking out their weights, I realized I had never noticed the weights at all when I was a customer. Almost anything works!
EZ-Up also sells weights. That’s where I got my “sandbag” ones.
Thanks for that information!
I was at an outdoor show and some of the vendors used buckets of water for tent weights. The dogs walking around the paalrk with their owners would take a drink while their people where looking at the Art. Gave me a chuckle, but not a bad idea.
My hubby has a home gym and I’ve found that using free weight plates work well. The have a hole through through the middle where you can thread a rope. If I’m setting up my myself, I’ll use a couple 10 pound plates ate each corner. If he’s helping and it’s supposed to be windy, I’ll grab some 25s. I’ve only done a couple but will be doing 2 this summer.
When I was helping with the Kayenta Art Festival in Ivins, UT, wind was a BIG problem. The booths would “walk” away unless anchored. PVC tubes like those you describe were the best weights. Sand instead of concrete was used to fiĺl the tubes.The sand was dumped reducing the weight for transport. Sand is plentiful in southern Utah or can be bought at Home Depot, Lowes etc.
Great post, Jason. I participate in quite a few fine art festivals each year and enjoy doing them despite all the hard work they require. I responded to Deb Lutz with a few suggestions of my own. I am freshly returned from a very successful show in Rhode Island. Your suggestions are spot on and thank you for the list of what you did well/not so well. My husband handles all the logistics, sales processing, packing (good puzzle solver) and manages putting up the booth with my help. I select the paintings, create a layout, label (with stories) and hang them, and do the majority of the talking, asking questions and selling. We are quite the team.
I love the relationships built with collectors, fellow artists, organizers, and fans. It is so great to hear feedback on my art and to have people decide to bring it into their homes. It is extremely rewarding. I’ve gotten to know one family over the years through the RI show. One sister went home with two of my paintings and had her wish list of 5 more if money was no object. I had asked in advance of the show whether there were specific pieces she would like to see there and she provided a list. That meant she spent a long time viewing work on my website (which she does regularly) and came prepared to make a decision there. She didn’t purchase what she thought — but that also saves that piece for next time.
These festivals aren’t for the faint of heart. Lots of planning. Lots of work. And, hopefully Mother Nature behaves fairly well or you are resourceful enough to manage.
Another nice occurrence at the show was being approached by multiple galleries. We’ll see what happens.
Thanks again, Jason.
Thanks Jill!
I had similar connection problems with my phone at The Bayou City Art Festival in Houston a few weeks ago. A contact on FaceBook advised me to get a Hot Spot for next time. She never does a show without it and never has a connection problem.
As you mentioned, I also stand outside, across from my booth and wait for them to pause inside before I come up and gently tell them who I am. People are intimidated if I stand/sit in the booth. I only made 2 sales, but I’m new to the area and my subject matter is new in this last year. One of the sales, I made to someone in my neighborhood through a FB Live tent tour video I did in my booth while it was storming rain. The crowds stopped, so I found a way to fill the tone. It was ok that I didn’t sell much. I was just so excited to get my new sculpture out of my house and see people’s expressions as the took it all in. They seemed intrigued and genuinely excited about what I was creating and it was SOOO affirming! Scary, changing subject matter AND sculpting materials at the same time! But I’m glad I did it. Really making what I’ve always wanted to make, now!
I am now doubly convinced to never work an art fair! Just too much work!
Thanks for taking us there, Jason. It sounds awful! LOL!
It was a lot of work, but not awful 😉 It certainly made me appreciate the gallery though!
Sandy, it’s a lot, but it works, for so many artists. I really enjoy connecting with the crowds. Quite exhilarating! People genuinely love art and really love talking to/hearing about the artists. I’ve done studio tours, but only just recently started doing festivals. Focusing a little more on indoor Art Expos now. Sculpture is tricky outdoors.
And those of us who are gallery artists REALLY APPRECIATE our galleries! Though I won’t venture out to those shows, thanks for your excellent descriptions of the crazy stuff that happens. — Chuck
I’d say shows like this put me “on the map” for people I wouldn’t see during Open Studios.
Good for you for giving this a shot! I respect that extra effort. Well done.
Re: payments: I try to give my collectors options. I happily accept cash, credit cards, PayPal, Zelle, and Venmo. I also use Square for offsite processing. While it means I have to stay up to date on several different apps, it makes life easier for buyers.
Since I do a lot of plein air painting, I usually stand off to the side painting. I make sure to wear a name tag that says ARTIST under my name. I only bring a couple of BIG paintings, with mostly smaller (8 x 10 or 5 x 7). At our festivals, the people don’t seem to buy the large things, but they really draw the attention in. My banner also has some of my large art. I have cards/prints and giclees since most people want a cheaper price point. Most of our festivals here in middle TN are mixed arts/crafts, so we are competing with pottery and jewelry!
Yes! I also set up an easel and paint a couple each day ! Usually what I’m working on sells !
It’s gives you something to do too !
Just make sure your back isn’t all the way to the people 😉
Square sells/gives? it’s pos gizmo with a lightning connection – it’s on their website. (I only learned that the night before I needed one, but now I know.)
I’m on Android, so no lightning for me 🙁
Thank you for all this valuable information. It has made my decision to not participate in outdoor fairs so much easier! This is definitely not for me😳😂
Great article. FYI square has a cordless module for those with no phone jack. A huge benefit for me of participating in a juried art show is building relationships with other vendors. It creates positive energy for a show as well as has many spin-offs later. I look forward to reading your comments on the post show impacts of your participation. I was in a show last weekend and already had a customer come to visit and have special orders to fill. Annual participation in the show I just did is like visiting family and customers like to stop and chat and say how much they enjoy previous purchases. Some also make a point of wearing my pieces. It feeds my soul and creates anticipation for creating.
Thanks Wendy. I have the Square wireless model, and it’s great when you have a connection. However, it won’t process sales when you are offline like the swipe reader will – something to do with the chip and tap technology needing a connection to work 🙁
You are right about the value of relationships. I didn’t get a lot of time to visit with other vendors, but I did have some time, and enjoyed talking to them.
A Marine Battery is really a life saver. Some shows seem to run my phone down trying to make sales. I’ve found plugging both the phone and Square into it makes connection easier and sales go smoother.
Do not bring extra chairs or you’ll end up with someone telling you all their woes. No negativity allowed in the booth!
Excellent advice Johanna!
What kind of marine battery?
I’m always ready for customers an hour before the official start because the serious people come out early to scope things out and come back to buy before the browsers are even getting started. Engaging with people is my favorite part and I make sure every single person gets a hello and smile at minimum, by the time many leave we are at the hug phase.
Something that is not mentioned here or by anyone is branding yourself at a show, How to get people in your booth and make sure they remember you. My work is touchable and I play that up. I have signs all over that say Go Ahead, Touch Me next to the art, it works like a charm, because so much art is not touchable and being humans we love to touch things. it also gets people close enough to realize that they are not looking at a painting but glass beads. its a great conversation starter too, both in my booth and at other booths. My packaging solution is allows unique and saves tons of time and materials. Each piece has a custom made Sherpa wool bag that goes with it. the bag is signed with name of the piece and my signature. This protects the art during transport to various shows, keeps me from wasting bubble wrap, tape and Saran Wrap and best of all looks very professional for the customer. They love showing off the packaging and reusing it for something after they get home. It’s the Tiffany concept, i have many clients that say they jokingly that they buy the art as much for the package as the bag. It’s part of my brand and something each artist should think more about. It also cuts down tear down time since all we do is slide the piece in the correct bag and place in the tote until next time. I never worry about scratch’s or damage either. Costs me about $5 per piece and I do this for works $300 and up.
You are a pro Sabrina! Thanks for sharing your experience. Your experience proves that success is created in the details.
Where do you find a Sherpa wool bag for $5. This is just a fabulous idea, one I’ve never seen before! I applaud your creativity!
MarleneLouise
I buy the fabric from Hobby Lobby and make the bags myself. It’s an easy sew job and takes me about 10 mins per bag to make, but always saves me a ton of time during shows.
I once encountered an “early bird” original-art buyer at a comics convention! Unfortunately the only original art I had on hand at that event was a book I was still working on and thus couldn’t sell because I hadn’t scanned it yet. I’ve since sometimes taken my originals to comics shows but never sold any…sigh.
Regarding internet processing, don’t let the buyer walk away until the spinning stops! I lost connection in the middle of processing and didn’t realize it. She was in a hurry and walked off as soon as I handed her the card. When I looked down it was still spinning then said processing failed! Hard lesson. Hold the card until you get to the receipt screen before handing back!
Oh no! I hope it wasn’t a large/valuable piece. Thank you for sharing your story – that must have been really frustrating! In general, it’s always a good idea to make sure that the transaction is fully processed before handing the card back to the customer, but also not a bad idea to make sure you are getting contact information just in case. Live and learn, but ouch!
Mom always advised “be the best dressed person there”.
Yep. Always better to be over dressed than under dressed! ☺
I have a small bin of handmade collaged abstract bookmarks in vinyl sleeves, while I fiddle with PayPal and phone I ask client to pick out a free bookmark, it keeps them occupied while I pull up my connection. Plus I like giving tiny gift with purchase.
Great idea ! Thank you 😊👍🏼
We always offer a 10% discount if they pay in cash. We have a small sign that says this at the front of the booth. Also we no longer use PayPal after a customer basically stole a 500$ piece . She bought the piece, took it home. Contacted PayPal the next day, said her daughter used her credit card without permission. PayPal refunded her money and she kept the artwork.. We filed protest after protest to no avail.
Sorry to hear about the lost sale – it’s unfortunate. There’s a special place in hell for someone who would steal an artwork like this. It’s not just the lost $, it’s all the time and frustration she caused. Fortunately it wasn’t a $5,000 sale 🙂
It’s not just Paypal that does this. It happened to us with Square, same story, similar price. We didn’t have a leg to stand on. Depending on your product, I know some artists use an inventory list that automatically deducts the item, so you have a record of what was sold, time & date.
I take a picture of the customer with my more expensive works that they purchased. Also, a signature helps. Go old school. Some of this is better than nothing when fighting the CC companies. Square used to give you the email of the customers which was nice to send a thank you or reach them if you had too. That stopped a while ago & I think crooks are more brazen because of it.
Back when I used ProPay I got cheated like this. Someone bought a poster (so, only about $10) with his credit card and then disputed the charge. My protests fell on deaf ears at ProPay and I was out of luck.
Before I did shows I asked other artists at the shows for advice. Best one was Easy Up tents are Easy Down also spend the money and get a good tent.
Great advice from everyone! I just participated in a weekend art festival and my square reader would not work! Luckily I shared a tent with a friend and ended up using their square! Phew! We have shared a tent for three years and while this year was a bit quieter than other years it was still successful.
I’ve done a few shows in the last few years and weather is always frustrating. It either rains or it is so hot you struggle to tolerate it. In my neck of the woods it is usually slow traffic. Sales are hard to predict. Subject matter really is important at different venues that may range less than 100 miles apart. The clientele in one area isn’t into wildlife or livestock and in another area subject matter like wolves are pretty taboo. Our internet is unreliable too but Square does seem to be the best. So many things out of the artist’s control makes it a challenge always.
Great article. Thank you. Could you explain contact cards some more?
Booth spaces are not always the nice flat, level ones you expect. I bring a small spade shovel with me to help level things out when expected. On a show in Florida earlier this year, the shovel wasn’t enough to make my space flat. I use 8 hollow core doors for my pottery displays. I used regular door hinges to hold them together when setting up. I thought my setup in the lumpy area would be a disaster, tilting all over the place, but a lightning bolt thought saved the day. I always carry small wooden spacers to place under the edges of uneven surfaces, but that wasn’t enough. What I realized I could do was up or down the door hinge alignment in steps of about 3/4”. In discovering this, I was able to up step each individual door so that it wasn’t tilted so that nothing was leaning over precipitously. I stepped five doors up by approximately one foot from the lowest to the highest ones. It worked astoundingly well in an otherwise extremely difficult situation. There are many other things I’ve built into my display stand over my 48 years of being a potter and doing shows that have greatly improved how my display can fit nearly any space. It comes from having dealt with all sorts of problems and figuring out to overcome them in the future.
Love the post. Curious if you think you will be doing more festival shows in the future? I look forward to November when I will begin doing a festival show once a month for the next 5 months through March. Can’t wait to meet all the people. It is a ton of work, but so worth it.
Great post and replies. My wife was a professional basket-maker and we did outdoor festivals for 25 years. Being in Ohio, weather was usually unpredictable, especially spring and fall. Water was typically good for her baskets made from hard maple with no fru-fru added. So, we never fretted rain. Wind, however, posed the worst problem. We cut two 2-foot sections of 4” PVC pipe. We sealed one end by gluing on a cap. We then filled them with sand and glued a cap to seal them.
At shows, we simply wrapped bungie cords around one at a front and then a diagonal back corner post securing the pipes vertically against the legs. Unless there were 50+ mph winds, these worked beautifully.
Thank you for this help. I’m New to selling and still learning so much about how it all works.
Rain : use pool noodles to make an arch on each inside perimeter.
Since I am a leather crafter, I like to be engaged in a project on site to demonstrate that it is handmade which is how I became interested in Leathercraft in the 60’s in Mexico.
Very important when choosing shows, make sure what you make fits that particular show. That will make or break your sales. I’ve been doing shows for 8 years now. There’s a difference between art shows, markets, craft shows and vintage shows. Engaging is very important, however you have to have the right clientele. Meaning what are they looking for and do you fit in. I see it all the time. The booth next to me getting little to no sales, because what they sell doesn’t fit that specific type of market. Research before you sign up. Go to the market and check it out first to see what it’s like if possible. Even a year ahead, view it to see if it’s worthwhile and if you fit in. See if they advertise too.
Great information …thank you for sharing.
Two recommendations:I had the same card with a picture on it since the 70’s. When people pick this up they remember. I’ve had people bring the card to a show ten years later. Also a tall director’s chair is a necessity. You are still at eye level, sitting or standing.
I think your blog is interesting though I’m not sure why you are attending outdoor art shows if you have a brick and mortar gallery. Spaces at good shows have always been at a premium and it seems to me someone without a gallery and with good work might have wanted a space and was probably turned away by the promoters.
This is a great article! I have been doing art shows and events selling my photographs for 8 seasons now and like you I am always amazed at how many artists sit and play on their phone and don’t interact with people. One event I did this year in Utah was hot. Not AZ hot but 90 degrees on Labor Day weekend and people were melting. I had a spray bottle and stood outside my booth offering to most people and cool them off. I had to keep refilling my spray bottle form my igloo 5 gallon container! Making sales is all about interacting with people. Great article!
This was specifically helpful to me and I thank you! My sister found you on Facebook and tagged me in the comments, now I’m on your mailing list. 💞💞💞
This is helpful to me because I can relate. My daughter and I work together to create our pieces. We are at the beginning of year two with zero experience to begin with. We have never had our work in a gallery before. We have attended our 8th vendor market. It has been a learning experience more than anything. The first thing we learned is your booth can be fantastic and filled will beautiful art- that does not mean you will have a single interaction or sale! Our first market we watched 100s of people walk by. They would glance and if you made eye contact that would be the end of it with most people. Saying hi is not enough! people will smile and that is fun to see bitch face turn into charming wonderful smile- we love that! you will get little to zero sales with just a greeting or hello though. Standing or sitting in your booth or being easily seen by potential customers does work. They will avoid you! And events with central checkout are even more of a bust for the most part! It is about interaction and that does not come easy- at least for my daughter and I. It’s hard! The thing we love is talking with people. You will not get many sales until you establish your name and learn how to sale yourself- let’s face it selling your art is selling yourself! There was a woman at our last event- 35,000 tickets sold for this event meant for shopping. we did not make a profit! This woman sold out on the first day! She had a constant line!! Why? Because she was known. It took years to get there. We were feeling defeated and wanted to give up. This brought hope- And we are going back next year and apply what we learned. If she can Sale out we can too. We have to walk that middle!
Great article and spot on! I can’t believe how many sellers I see sitting off to the side of their booths and not engaging with people. I greet everyone and engage enough to say what I do, then let them look. Here are a few new things I have done: My paintings are mostly plein air. I make laminated labels with the usual info but then I write a short paragraph describing where they were painted, something about the day, and why I was inspired to paint this scene. It’s concise-too much and people won’t read it. It really makes people connect with the work-especially if they are familiar with where it was painted. I always give them the laminated tag with their purchase. The other thing I did this year worked really well. I always bring replacement paintings because I tend to sell a lot, but my Subaru can only hold so much! This year I made a binder with pages showing photos of paintings I had at home and with all the information which would be on the label. I would encourage people by saying “These works are also available, and if you’d like I can bring those you are interested in tomorrow”. I had 2 takers at the only show I did last summer and both people came back and bought the paintings!
My husband and I had the same problem in regards to phone and PayPal shutting down. While at Home Depot he spotted an adapter that fit on his batteries for the Rigid tools. It allowed you to charge a USB item. So we now bring two batteries with adapters. That way we keep the phone and PayPal plugged in at all times without them shutting down.
We learned that plugging our card readers into an external battery solved the problem of losing the connection.
Great information Jason and so much info in the comments. I have done small arts and craft shows and for the first time this summer doing my first art festival. I’m so excited but really nervous as I know a lot of prep and work goes into it.
Engaging with potential clients is soo important. By the end of a show I’m usually loosing my voice.
Dressing for success is always my thought when doing any show.
I have used the QR code and it’s quite helpful as many people do use Zelle or Venmo and the square reader has been my go to for credit cards.
I try to keep a tiny journal to jot down reminders of person and the engaging conversations. It’s worth it especially if you will see them again as a return customer.
Qs:)
I would like to know how to display art outdoor in a tent setting.
I will sell jewelry art as well in the form of earrings. What else in jewelry form would sell? Pins perhaps?
I have my first art festival coming up in July. Thank you so much for all the important information!!!
While I’m processing payment, and waiting for everything to turn on, I hand the client a clipboard and ask them to fill out their contact info – there is also a check box to be added to my email list, and a space to leave comments. This keeps them busy while it is processing and I’m wrapping the piece. It is also fun to look at afterwards to see what they wrote. There is also a space for the title of the piece so I can enter my sales easily afterwards. Just make sure you can read their writing!
I also have a “sign up for my newsletter and be entered to win a (calendar)” this is a great way of catching people who like my work but aren’t ready to buy. I also have a postcard listing my shows for that season so I can invite them to other shows.
This post certainly got a lot of attention. I have participated in an outdoor event a couple of times. At the last show I was not convinced it would be the best for me so I borrowed some grids and I did not have a tent or any help. The day was very long. I did engage with anyone who dropped by but had no sales by the end of the day. My large paintings were way too expensive for the event and they and I were sunburned. LOL. I prefer inside venues for sure. And I saw nothing to inspire me to invest in the necessary equipment or the better, rather costly, venues. Nope, not for me.
Thank you for writing about festival artists! It really is hard work. I have a rigorous workout routine that includes weights to keep me fit and able to continue to do art festivals. I love the vibe of art festivals, the rhythm of them. I like the work hard, play hard idea (especially if sales are good) in a new areas I travel to for the festivals. Artists do wear out eventually though and begin to think about an easier way to sell.
For all the difficulties and bodily wear and tear, I still think about doing shows again for my smaller pieces. Some big name artists are doing this successfully. And I love talking with people. But if I did, I’d have to invest in different panels. Your experience with directing traffic flow through them is an eye opener. As for w**d, once panels with heavy oil paintings are bungee’d to the EZup, they’re pretty solid. especially with weights – and panels positioned so that the w**d flows through them.
I love these posts – all of them. I have learned so much!
Jason, thank you for the great information. I’ve been an “assistant” for friends with booths at a large street art festival and a small arts/crafts fair. My take is that it’s really nice if there can be two people: the artist and someone to help keep a second eye on things and provide backup for breaks.
I’ve been doing events for the past 9 yrs, indoor & out. We live in an area where the winds can pick up in an instant. I’ve found the best weights for me are kitty litter jugs with handles, either filled with sand or leave the litter in it. This way I have close to 40# of weight on each leg, plus they are easier to carry. I encourage anyone doing an event, even in the mildest weather, to use weights. Anything can happen in the blink of an eye, and your tent & product can become a missile with the potential to injure someone. I vended at an event once where the weather came in unexpectedly, & a gal near me had her entire tent with walls picked up, somehow got tangled up in it, & blown down the aisle. My canopy lifted off the ground an inch or so at times, but never took off during this.. the weights made all the difference. Make sure when you set up, you look at your space as a shopper would. Would YOU want to walk in there & browse? Can you see items clearly? Is where you plan to sit/stand an area that might discourage shoppers & make them uncomfortable? (too close to items, blocking space/walking areas, etc). A smile and a “good morning” or “good afternoon” greeting has always drawn people in for me, and helped engage in enjoyable small talk while they browsed. Lastly, HAVE FUN!! I never considered myself a social person, and put me at a party I’ll be a wallflower. But events? LOVE them! I love briefly interacting with so many people, the majority who are pleasant and put a smile on my face. I especially love when I get repeat customers over the years.
Thank you very much for the advices and sharing your experience! I’m going to try this format with my console tables and have a lot of doubts 😅 Now it’s seems not so scary )
Thank you Jason for your article. We just returned from the Ann Arbor festival a few weeks ago. It was an awesome experience being the visitor vs. being the “artist”. I noticed that some artists were readily available and some were not. I felt those who were sitting back and watching the world go by really didn’t care if they sold something. I like it when an artist makes eye contact and engages. I have been to many festivals over the years and admire people who put in the work to have a booth. I admire you for getting out of the “shop” and getting a new experience, and with an eye on passing on what you learned.
Excellent post. I have done numerous outdoor sales and I actually run an art and music festival myself on my property. Your points about being engaging were super helpful and a good reminder about how to engage to encourage sales. I am definitely going to keep those points in mind next time.
Spot on. Prep list can be long and include pricing/tagging, layout optimization, promotion, and all the little things that take time. START EARLY!
A topic of interest may be the total budget involved with staging a booth for an outdoor event. Starting from scratch, canopy/booth, walls, weights, etc. add up before booth fees and travel expenses. It is great exercise in creativity to get set up without breaking the bank.
Weights are critical and most events seem to mandate weights vs. tie downs. Sand bags are an option that are relatively inexpensive.
QR codes with links to web site, newsletter sign up are nice to have, but have found they are not often used. Business cards always on hand. Will likely move to post cards in the future. Have started attaching small framed bio and/or lit of upcoming events/exhibits on one of the outer canopy legs. A banner is a must have – VistaPrint generally has good deals. I try to put the most eye-catching work in the most visible location, and stand outside the booth and acknowledge/greet everyone that comes by – then take it from there.
I have the greatest respect for the road warriors that venture out and around. My routine is a few, local one-day outdoor events (watercolor and FL rain are not a good mix!) and one major, indoor summer weekend event.
I did a few art festivals but found putting up and taking down by myself was exhausting. That was thirty years ago. I’m sure I’d be a lot more engaged with customers now. Hinging two antique doors together I created a corner at the front of the booth. I tried to recreate a home setting where I hung a couple of paintings over an antique table in the corner with a big vase of colorful flowers. It always drew customers in. The closest I’ve ever been to lightning came at the end of my first show. It was too close for comfort! Fortunately I could pile everything in the car for the day.