Re: How Is Show Biz????

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/3/2006 10:46:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

scryp913@... writes:

Did anyone do any shows this past weekend????? How did they go???? I had 2

this weekend and WOW!!!! DID WE TAKE A BATH.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ouch! Sorry to hear that, Deb. I didn't do well this fall, so I decided

not to do any spring shows, and it looks as if it wasn't a bad decision.

Beth

[Guest guest]

Debbie,

EWWWW, not something we like to hear. I am sorry to hear that it was that

way.

I haven't had any retail shows yet, I try to wait until June to start. I do,

however, have a wholesale show on Thursday and Friday this week. I'll send

along a report when I'm through.

Anyone else do any shows yet?

Leigh

Leigh M. O'Donnell

Adirondack Soapworks

Phone - 518-879-6593

Fax - 518-583-2829

Web - www.ADKSoapworks.com

Email - AdirondackSoapworks@...

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

WE did the EXACT same thing we did last spring at the exact same show.

TO the DOLLAR. was like 50 cents off though. But basically the same

thing. Was a wee bit disappointing though because this spring we

seemed to have more stuff.

I have 2 more comming up with week one really short one friday my

brother got me into. He says its really good. Never done it before so

i wont know what to expect. Then One on saturday, which i did do last

spring and i did better then then i did at christmas. I dont expect to

do as good this year though. I did so well because i ended up getting

alot of special orders. So we will just have to find out and see. Hey

ya never know.

[Guest guest]

Double EEWWW!!. I'm in the middle of a show (2 week thingy) at the Broadway

Market. Supposedly the second week will be very good. Time will tell. I

am doing a three day show at the end of the month. Will report then. Hope

this isn't indicative of the coming year...

Jeanine

Jeanine's Hummingbird Soap Works

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[Guest guest]

I did not do spring shows last year...cos I was busy with my son in

land....but I really could not believe what happened last

weekend....especially so

close to Easter...and it wasn't just me....others said how bad it was

too.....I did one 2 weeks ago at a very small ukrainian church and did

well....considering the size of the membership....I have another one this

weekend and I hope

its enough to recoup last weekend....but my sister did take some of my Easter

soap and candles to the school where she teaches...to sell...she sold some

last week...and she did good....maybe I can ask the other sister to take some to

the hospital where she works....at least if I sell the Easter stuff...it won't

be bad....

HOPE YOU ALL DO WELL!!!!!!

Debbie Z. in Pa.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/4/2006 9:17:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

jlv40@... writes:

Hope

this isn't indicative of the coming year...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Me too. Last year was bad enough. . .

Beth

[Guest guest]

> Kbear, which shows are you doing?

>

> Shaye

>

well as i am sure you know by now i only do little bitty ones. lol

Thats just what i like and even then i have enough of a time keeping

up. It is only the start of my 3rd year after all. Eventually I would

like to do some big ones (I think)

So far this spring i did one just before valentines day, forgot where

it was even. but it didn't do good at all. it was a first run one and

they havnt done any in years and the advertsing could have been a bit

better. Some curch can't remember which.

Anywho, I did my Church, Mother of Sorrows March 25th. Did as good as

last year though everyone was certain that attendence seemed a bit low.

Next is Blue Cross blue shield on Friday. I dont know much about it.

my brother works there and got us a few tables. He said its pretty

good and with it being pay day and the cafeteria is right there so

everyone has to walk by. It only lasts until 2 though. So we will give

it a shot and see how things go.

Saturday is Greece Baptist church. I LOVE this one. Last spring was

its very first show and things were flyin, asi said i did better ther

then i do at some of my Christmas shows. Im located in a hallway so I

have a fairly good spot. If i was in one of the classrooms i dont

think i would do as good. and the FOOD and service is excellent. and

CHEAP oh my. $2.50 for a huge portion of sausage biscuites and gravy.

My mom said the hot meatloaf sandwich was great. they even do fresh

fruit salads (YUM), soups, the whole bit. And if you bring your own

mug vendors get free coffe OR cocoa all day. I love that because I'm

not a coffee drinker and most places only offer coffee. So im looking

forward to seeing what their second season is going to bring.

Then there are a few over the summer, just small church ones and

stuff, but we are not sure what ones we are doing yet because we've

got first comunions and dance recitals and Baptisms and well a whole

bunc of stuff going on. lol you should see my month of June all the

dates i have circled for potential stuff. It is crazy and I dont even

have kids of my own.

[Guest guest]

at least if I sell the Easter stuff...it won't

> be bad....

> HOPE YOU ALL DO WELL!!!!!!

> Debbie Z. in Pa.

>

ahhh yes the easter stuff. That is why i do not like to do all too

much seasonal stuff. I just got a cute little duckie mold which makes

really small ducks and I was like " they are cute but not sure who

would want any " forgot all about the fact that ducks go for easter

too. But even still not many people seem togo for the easter stuff. I

only made 16 which was 2 molds worth (8 duck mold) and sold them for

$.50 well gosh darn it i made a pretty penny on them darn things.

They were litterally swimming away. My first sale was 6 minutes into

the day and she bought 4. then someone else bought some and some more

and more. of course by noon i had 2 left and no one wanted them.

I have 2 more pre Easter sales so i made up SEVERAL. Fortunatly I was

thinking they would be great as baby shower favors and gifts. So ifI

dont sell ALL of them thats ok because there is alwas someone having

a baby.

Aside from that after seeing all the ducks sell i only made a few

eggs soaps and bunnies. Not too many though, just a few to see how

well they go, sure dont want to be stuck with them. If i am you know

what my nieces and nephews are getting for Easter. lol

[Guest guest]

Sorry to hear everyone is having a terrible time with their shows

this year! I don't do shows anymore, and my site has been pretty

slow this year. I can say that I've picked up quite a bit in the

last few weeks. For some reason I sell more Easter eggs & bunny

soaps than most other seasons. I've got one lady that orders every

year for her granddaughters. I always include a free note to them

for her because she has the soap sent right to them. I make up a

nice color printed card for them.

So, maybe give your customers a little incentive to purchase from

you at shows. You could offer a small $ item free when they

purchase a certain $ amount. I also used to print coupons to give

out at shows that folks could use at upcoming shows or future

orders. You can print coupons on fliers with your show schedule, or

make sticker coupons that attach to the back of your business cards.

I hope things turn around for all of you!!!

Colleen

Handcrafted & Decorative Soaps

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

Well I personally haven't done any shows as of lately. Though I have 2

lined up (well supposedly 2, the second one is ify) and I hope I have

good luck where I'm going to sell.

Gabby

[Guest guest]

Sorry!!!! I sort of dropped out on you gals...

I am very sick with the flu...I'm full of cold

medicine and I'm putting my BIG GIRL PANTS on..

and I'm off to another show tomorrow...It will

either kill me or cure me...LOL!!!!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Debbie Z. in Pa.

[Guest guest]

Well, I did the Lakeshore Yacht Club show last weekend. I was all

revved up to have a few hundred people at this private, upscale party.

I got a call a few days before the show to confirm my participation. I

asked how many people were expected. She said, " We've gotten 50

replies! I think we're doing very well! "

YIKES????? All my stuff (and there's a lot!) for 50 people???? Well,

I schlepped it and did the show. I wouldn't say the show was

spectacular, but it did get my name out there, they loved my products,

and with any luck, I'll be invited back next year. I also made contact

with the salon that was doing nails next to me & she wants to carry my

products as well as use them in her services. I really wanted to visit

her this week, but it was just impossible. Life interfered! I made as

much money selling to these women (a loose count was around 75), as I

did to the 1,000 women at the 93Q show.

One nice thing I found out about myself, is that I really know what

I'm talking about! Sounds weird, doesn't it? I've done the homework,

but I didn't think I knew as much as I did. There's still more to

learn though!

I'm still just starting out, so I'm trying to find my niche for shows.

Do many of you do home shows?

Sweet Pea Soapworks

PS: Every show has a funny, and here's mine: As I was setting up, I

noticed all this white " stuff " on the carpet in front of my table &

wondering what the heck it was? I tripped twice on the carpet (now

this is wall to wall & nothing to trip on!) and looked at my

shoes....THEY HAD EXPLODED!!!!! They were White Mountain sandals and

the heels just EXPLODED! I lost the whole bottom of one of my shoes &

was shredding like mad! Just the impression I want to give these

people.... My sweet DH brought me a new pair of shoes...whew.....

[Guest guest]

> I wouldn't say the show was spectacular, but it did get my name

out there, they loved my products, and with any luck, I'll be

invited back next year.

It would be nice to make a ton of cash at every show. However, like

you said, you got your name out, you got exposure to your products,

you had a successful show. Any form of advertising when you can

reach a lot of people is a good thing. As much as we'd all like to

make lots of money, we always have to remember to look at the bigger

picture.

Too funny about the shoes! I thought maybe you'd had some powder

explode. And I can so totally relate to tripping over nothing, I do

it all the time!! LOL!

Colleen

Handcrafted & Decorative Soaps

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

>

> It would be nice to make a ton of cash at every show. However, like

> you said, you got your name out, you got exposure to your products,

> you had a successful show. Any form of advertising when you can

> reach a lot of people is a good thing. As much as we'd all like to

> make lots of money, we always have to remember to look at the bigger

> picture.

>

> Too funny about the shoes! I thought maybe you'd had some powder

> explode. And I can so totally relate to tripping over nothing, I do

> it all the time!! LOL!

Yes, tons of cash WOULD be good!! LOL!! But, yes, I did consider it a

successful show, much more so than the 93Q one. All the things you

said, and in the right venue. The first year you get established and

hopefully the following year you have repeat customers!

As for the shoes.....I was tripping over the heel that was coming off!

Oh what a sight I must have been!!

Sweet Pea Soapworks

[Guest guest]

Well...I am home again...and this show was bad for

me too...as well as others...I'm glad NY is doing better than PA.

I was the only person that had soap too...can you believe that???

TONS OF JEWELRY...lots of candles..too many of these vendors..

the lady next to me was at last weeks show..and she makes

the quilted bags like VERA BRADLEY...she did lousy last week..

and she only sold one all day today...a 35.00 sale...but the

ice storm when we got there sure didn't help things either...was nice

when we left home...started raining half way there...after unpacking

the ice sleet and snow came...YUK!!!I hope it gets better in the fall..

meanwhile I am going to explore some other options...

LOOK AT THE PICTURES...DO YOU LIKE??? BE HONEST!!!

Debbie Z. in Pa.

[Guest guest]

but the

> ice storm when we got there sure didn't help things either...was

nice

> when we left home...started raining half way there...after unpacking

> the ice sleet and snow came...YUK!!!I hope it gets better in the

fall..

> meanwhile I am going to explore some other options...

> LOOK AT THE PICTURES...DO YOU LIKE??? BE HONEST!!!

> Debbie Z. in Pa.

>

UMMM i hope you mean the sales and not the weather cause it sounded

almost like you were talking about a fall sale they way you were

talking about that weather lol lol AUGh hearing that after all the

NICE weather we have been having the past month or 2.