JR8675309
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2019
Posts: 807
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Post by JR8675309 on Oct 1, 2022 8:04:45 GMT -5
rockbrain I love these! The flower eyes on the middle sugar skull rock are perfection.
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Oct 1, 2022 8:28:05 GMT -5
Didn't see this yesterday when you posted it. Got home from the day job, went to help set up the club booth at a craft fair on the courthouse square.
Hope you enjoy it. I'll never forget our first one. Hope you do MUCH better than we did.
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rockbrain
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Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,033
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 1, 2022 14:42:04 GMT -5
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 1, 2022 15:19:55 GMT -5
I guess it must be a TS thing, there was one in Wickenburg today that they sponsored. I stopped by on the way from an early work shift, nothing there as nice as what you were selling. Well, there were peaches as big as a grapefruit and fresh picked, there goes my Keto again...
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Post by liveoak on Oct 1, 2022 18:06:47 GMT -5
$200 was well worth getting out of bed & going early on a Saturday, I'd say.
And now the word will get out that you're there .......
I have to agree with Lee, at our Tractor Supply, it's baby clothes & toys, obviously your town is MUCH different !
Glad to hear it went well.
Patty
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rockbrain
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Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,033
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 1, 2022 18:18:12 GMT -5
liveoak I think it's more like a yearly thing but now they're talking about doing another one soon. We recruited 4 other vendors plus us. The manager said there were 10 others coming but only 1 showed. If it wasn't for us the only one that would have been there is the guy selling the reclaimed wood stuff. No one absolutely killed it but everyone did better than I thought they would except for my bro in law with the fishing lures. He only sold a couple. I didn't pay much attention to what she was getting for them but I was shocked that our neighbor sold about half her paintings. I wouldn't expect that at TSC.
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 1, 2022 18:58:51 GMT -5
rockbrain - Your setup and displays were really eye appealing! I really liked the handwritten signs. If your wife did those...please tell her her handwriting is as artistic as her rocks!!
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Post by liveoak on Oct 1, 2022 19:32:38 GMT -5
Well that's too bad rockbrain that it's not a regular (monthly) thing. Especially since your area obviously has a higher class clientele that would appreciate it (and spend $).
OTOH you got your feet wet & it was a good experience ,
so will encourage you to look for more outlets for both yours & your wife's offerings.
Patty
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rockbrain
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Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,033
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 1, 2022 19:47:42 GMT -5
Yea, jasoninsd she's a very talented calligrapher and has done a bit of sign painting. Our front windows used to always be painted for the holidays too and they looked pretty damn good. I think the best window was when she did a leprechaun for St Patty's Day. She left it a little too long so I painted rabbit ears coming out through holes in the hat and a basket of colored eggs for the approaching Easter holiday. That one didn't stay very long!
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rockbrain
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 1, 2022 19:55:46 GMT -5
I think I'm going to see what I can do for an insurance rider and try and set up a sale at my business. We have room in the parking lot for probably a dozen vendors. I could actually set up in my building in an open roll up door space. I'd be inside but the table would keep buyers out. I've already got everyone that was there interested in doing it. The guy selling the wood stuff is actually a customer of mine. I don't think the insurance coverage costs much and we'd just split it up. My shop is located just past one of the 2 southbound off ramps in town so there's a lot of traffic. There's also a popular flea market nearby on Sunday and we get loads of traffic then, although I don't know if the flea market traffic would generate much in sales.
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 1, 2022 20:13:11 GMT -5
I think I'm going to see what I can do for an insurance rider and try and set up a sale at my business. We have room in the parking lot for probably a dozen vendors. I could actually set up in my building in an open roll up door space. I'd be inside but the table would keep buyers out. I've already got everyone that was there interested in doing it. The guy selling the wood stuff is actually a customer of mine. I don't think the insurance coverage costs much and we'd just split it up. My shop is located just past one of the 2 southbound off ramps in town so there's a lot of traffic. There's also a popular flea market nearby on Sunday and we get loads of traffic then, although I don't know if the flea market traffic would generate much in sales. That's actually a really genius idea! If the area allows for easy access to the area, then it almost seems like a no-brainer! It'd be really cool if that would work out for you guys!
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 1, 2022 21:55:32 GMT -5
Holiday bazaar season is not far away, we did pretty good at a couple of them up north. We may try one next year if everything is reasonably together by then.
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Post by fernwood on Oct 2, 2022 6:01:01 GMT -5
Holiday bazaar season is not far away, we did pretty good at a couple of them up north. We may try one next year if everything is reasonably together by then. rockbrain Pop up markets are popular here. Many businesses have started hosting them. If you could organize a pop up Holiday Market, there might be more vendors interested than you think. Often, organizers go to other, more well established markets. They pass out info to the vendors there. I doubt you would have any problems getting 12 vendors for a pop up market.
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agatewhisperer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2020
Posts: 802
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Post by agatewhisperer on Oct 2, 2022 10:36:02 GMT -5
Good work on the first show! rockbrain your displays look really nice. What did you use for your magnets? Mine were a bit of an afterthought and I just grabbed a small magnetic whiteboard but looking for a better idea for next time.
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 2, 2022 10:43:29 GMT -5
Good work on the first show! rockbrain your displays look really nice. What did you use for your magnets? Mine were a bit of an afterthought and I just grabbed a small magnetic whiteboard but looking for a better idea for next time. My wife had these metal cut-outs from Hobby Lobby or one of the other Craft supply stores for storing some of her magnetic decorative items. They worked very nicely, I ended up getting a couple extra to store my under-table show spares. I did raise the 3 for price to $11. IMG_4084 by Findrocks, on Flickr IMG_4086 by Findrocks, on Flickr
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rockbrain
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 2, 2022 13:21:33 GMT -5
agatewhisperer I own an AC business and have a full sheet metal shop. I made the little one to stand on the easel and just cut out a piece of sheet metal and stuck it in the frame for the big one. HankRocks those magnets are a lot nicer than mine. All I had to work with were pretty middle of the road tumbled stones. I think if I was doing the nice looking little slabs like you are I'd go to $5 or maybe even the nicer ones for 5 then have a "discount" board with the smaller and plainer ones for $4 each, 3 for 10. Of course the show you're at makes a difference too. (look at me talking like I've got some experience) A show where you're the only one selling stones is a lot different than a mainly lapidary show.
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rockbrain
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Member since January 2022
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 2, 2022 13:37:58 GMT -5
We just got accepted for a pretty good local sale. We have the Corbin Cash Distillery that's out on several acres on the edge of town. It's actually a young guy who built a still at his home and started making sweet potato vodka. He now makes a full array of premium spirits. It's a beautiful large home with a beautiful landscaped "yard". He does a lot of band and food truck events and it's a very popular, upscale place. People at the sale did very well last year. It's in the first part of November which should be perfect. There's another wire wrapper but I think they're just buying crystals and putting a few wraps around them to hold them and form a bail. I'm excited to do this one.
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 2, 2022 14:24:14 GMT -5
agatewhisperer I own an AC business and have a full sheet metal shop. I made the little one to stand on the easel and just cut out a piece of sheet metal and stuck it in the frame for the big one. HankRocks those magnets are a lot nicer than mine. All I had to work with were pretty middle of the road tumbled stones. I think if I was doing the nice looking little slabs like you are I'd go to $5 or maybe even the nicer ones for 5 then have a "discount" board with the smaller and plainer ones for $4 each, 3 for 10. Of course the show you're at makes a difference too. (look at me talking like I've got some experience) A show where you're the only one selling stones is a lot different than a mainly lapidary show. I have thought about raising the price, will use the ext 2 craft shows I have as a measure of how well these sell at my $4 ea/3 for $11 goes. You are correct about Craft show vs Rock show. At the Craft show folks are looking for pretty or unique gifts. No reason to bring a lot of higher dollar rocks as the true rock value really only registers with a knowledgeable person. Having said that, about 2 years ago I had a $110 Quartz cluster out on the corner as an attention getter. Sunday afternoon 3 ladies walk up and in less than a minute one of them says, I will take it. It was a gift for her husband and she bought another piece at about $20. That just goes to prove the other rule, put something out expensive as you never know who might happen along. As far as advice, I figure the sales business is half common sense and half experience and half observation, I think that's 3 halves but what the heck. One continually tweaks prices, layout and what to bring. Your one Show has given you some experience and some understanding of what goes well and what may not. My biggest advice to folks doing any kind of Show or sales, act like you want to be there, be engaged. I say to anyone who stops and looks at my items "Hi, how are you doing today?", usually the answer to that tells me if the person wants to converse further, or not. I have seen too many folks selling, acting like they are in the dentist office waiting on a Root Canal. Don't have to over-do it, just be polite and informative. I know I have made additional sales with my demeanor. Good luck with future shows. Henry
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rockbrain
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Post by rockbrain on Oct 2, 2022 14:49:58 GMT -5
HankRocks Hank I think all that advice is great. But, I think we're almost thinking opposite directions on part of the lapidary vs craft show. A small craft show you might be the only one there with lapidary fridge mags. At a lapidary show there's going to be a lot more competition. Of course you don't need rare, desirable material at the craft show, just something with some nice colors and shine.
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