So How Did It Go!?
Here are a few images from my first attempt as showing and selling my work last week... I love the colourfulness and vibrancy! It was a hot hot day so the colours shone out! I feel pleased and proud to have done it, and learnt SO much in three short hours! The overall response was really wonderful, with lots of interest, and people taking a good long look, and wanting to touch and explore some of the more unusual things... and I even managed to sell a few items! In a funny kind of way, I'm actually relieved not to have sold much more of it - after my first tentative outing, I would totally love to do it again, but have worked so hard at producing this stock, I'm not sure I could do it all over again so soon!
What Did I Learn?
With this attempt, I was feeling my way. And based on the questions people asked me, comments, and observing what seemed most popular/attractive, I learnt a lot about how I might display it all next time. I think I would need some different levels, and definitely some way of hanging the fairies and bead hearts etc - this wouldn't have worked last week due to being so exposed to the wind (the hardest thing last week was keeping my windswept work on the table!!)..., I would also clearly mark prices highlighting the things that I am (purposely) selling super cheap (these were snapped up once the price was known!) - I didn't quite have enough space this time for my little labels to stand out (and they were blowing away!)... and I would also put out more little signs/labels suggesting uses - because once I explained the ideas behind a few of my things people seemed delighted, I would want to make this more immediately obvious next time. I would do this in a playful way, in keeping with the spirit of my work. I also have a much clearer sense of how to pitch prices and to be confident about it all.
What Next!?
So overall it was a very positive experience, and I have come away bursting with ideas, enthusiasm and energy to do it again and find different spaces to explore. I so grateful to every person who took the time to look and chat to me, each one taught me something new. I made an effort on the day to chat to some of the stall-holders next to me as well as another creative business owner that I met on the day, and it gave me a sense of wanting to learn from other crafters who are more experienced at selling their work, and to be a part of a positive supportive community of artist/crafters/entrepreneurs. In that spirit I made contact with a friend on Monday morning, who had invited me to an artisan market that she is coordinating, I asked if I could join as a seller and her response was YES!
THIS CAN GROW!!
I have come away with a really strong positive belief that this can GROW, that one thing leads to another and another, through connections and conversations and just being 'out in the world'. More than anything, whether I am selling my work or not, I feel excited about the potential of being a part of something enjoyable and fun and meeting kindred souls as I venture out into new spaces!
I also want to acknowledge my mum, who I am so utterly grateful to for believing in me and investing in me. And also my first Wool Fairy customer who is also a friend. It makes so much difference to feel supported and valued - it makes me believe that anything is possible, all I have to do is try! And it reminds me that every time I buy something hand-made from independent artists (which I try to do as much as I can), I am celebrating and supporting that artists and helping them too, to grow and believe...