I just had my first pottery sale ever at the MECA/SEA Holiday Sale this past weekend and it was a blast!
I did pretty well (I think) for my first sale, having years of grueling retail experience has finally paid back. There was a lot of cool stuff, I was also fortunate enough to be able to trade with my peers at the sale. Like a beautiful majolica decorated/glazed trailed earthenware cup from Kaitlyn Miller. I was also grateful to be next to Kari Radasch who was good company and gave me some helpful hints. Here are some things that I learned.
1. Stand up! – Communicating face to face with a customer and making eye contact I found where crucial in making sales.
2. Make booth look interesting – My table partners and I just put a clean white sheet over our table and called it done. The problem was I ended up having a lot of pots, and it was hard to see them all at one level. The next time I do a craft/holiday sale I will add levels to break up space. So that people can see the tumblers and the small cups, bowls, etc. without everything being too busy.
3. Business Cards – People where asking me for business cards and contact information (which I didn’t have). Who knows where that can lead to (possibly a commision? Wants to buy more pots later?), I ended up scribbling on a piece of paper my email address and my blog page for some people.
