Everyone of use has one of those days. No matter how much we want to have a good craft show, something in the universe prevents it. Be it weather, traffic, or money, sometimes no matter how much you prepare, it will happen.
I had that happen to me this weekend. I had a great setup planned (knowing the preferred setup of this show), yet when I got there, the setup had been changed. This threw all of my setup off. I went from an L-shaped setup that allows for plenty of display, to a front table setup with little display room.
The rain and drizzle also helped to start the morning. I actually checked the radar before we left the house to decide whether to take my sidewalls or not. Since it was a localized shower, I assumed it would be gone by the time I started setting up displays. Wrong again! That drizzle stayed over the show for three hours.
So needless to say, I was in a damp mood by the time the show started. Then came the worst of it! The guy in the tent next to me was selling those annoying yippee dogs you find in toy stores at the mall. The ones the walk and go yip-yip-yip until they are cut off or the batteries die. You know the ones. He had ten of those things going ALL DAY LONG!
So I realize that my body language drove my few customers away. I was extremely annoyed. So much so that I actually called the promoter this morning and left a complaint. I rarely do that, as I am not really the type to complain to those in charge so much as I am the type growl about it and walk away.
The guy beside me was there to make money just like I was. However, I do believe that there was poor planning involved to stick handmade arts and crafts beside commercial junk like that.
I know in the past I have said check out the show before you do it. The sad thing is this was not my first time at this show. Sometimes someone new comes in and re-arranges a show and you don’t find out thing changed, until you get to the show.
So what do you do in this situation? I really wanted to pack up and go home, but I stayed. I did not complain at the show, but I did tell the promoter I will double check there setup plan from now own before I submit an application. (You can ask if the promoter plans to inter-space non arts & crafts with the handmade booths, or if they are separate.) In this case, if they are not in separate areas, I will probably not do this show again.
Oh, man, there's nothing worse than sitting at a show all day in the rain next to a kind of annoying neighbor. We did one in September where it kept raining, and it certainly affected our set up and overall mood too. The next one will be better!
ReplyDeleteSorry you had a bad day, but as you know it happens to all of us :) I had to cancel from a fair two weeks ago because I was sick, but it turns out that, even though it was really well-organize, sales were slow for every one!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that you had a bad day. I hope you are feeling better now.
ReplyDeleteMani
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