Giving Craft Shows and Festivals a Try - pics

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Mrs Beaver asked if we could give about a half dozen craft shows and a apple festival a try. As usual, her idea was awesome and really is working out well.

First one we did was a two day apple festival. Sales from that two day event topped over $1200 and I just got a follow on order tonight from a store owner that bought some items at the festival from us to show his partner for another $1125. Also landed a new bundled firewood customer who is taking delivery of $550 worth of firewood this weekend for his hardware store. That show was a home run in my book.

Two craft shows after that each netted a bit over $400 and $500 respectively and we have been handing out a ton of business cards and getting some orders on our ecommerce website as a result of those cards.

We have 4 more booked between now and Christmas. Hope they keep producing like these last few did. Mrs. Beaver is real busy now and loving every minute of it.

Here are pics from last two shows of out setup. Nice and simple, but deadly effective. Large bears and airplane shelf, plus some signs and cutting boards sold as well.



  

  

  

 

[thecfarm]

I can see why those bears sell. You are doing good.

[Magicman]

I love your innovative ideas.  Apparently your customers do too !!!   

[Jim_Rogers]

Got any of the spoons with wood that is the color purple? My wife would like that for sure.

Jim Rogers

[SPIKER]

Might have to try and see if any of those places have space for you to set up the small pen turning to show how it's done.   might have to have a plexiglass screen if actually working but might be able to set up with some shavings and a blank or two mounted up with some tools etc...   glad it is going well we have craft show this weekend too to go to not display/selling tho.

Mark

[justallan1]

WOW! That's a lot of nice stuff on that table.

Allan

[m wood]

that looks awesome BB!  congrats.  As I have said, that is inspiring.  I love people and I love selling the stuff that I/we design and build.  Festivals and trade shows get my juices flowing.  But, my stuff is really big and I tend to need 2 spots side by side  usually cuts into the net takehome.  Good job busy beavers
mark 

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

the cfarm and magicman and justalan, thanks again for the kind words. I truly value your opinions as does Mrs. Beaver

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Jimmy

We actaully do have access to purple color wood. It is called purpleheart.  Will see if i can come across any 1.5 inch square pieces of it. I think most of what i have right now is 4/4. But is am going on a exotic wood buying trip in december. Lets see what i come up with

Fred

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

 Spiker

We do actually do turning demonstations at some of the shows. Just bought Mrs. Beaver a new lathe for anniversary gift. Super light weight version that Penn State Industries just came out with. Variable speed and less than 20 pounds. Very portable and awesome deal for around $200. I am a Penn State Dealer and love to try the products and get to know them before we offer them for sale to our customers. Been very impressed by it so far and it sure is a lot lighter to move around and any of our other three lathes.



 

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

m wood

I know what you mean about the cost of space rental and how renting multiple spots cuts into profits.

Along those lines I would offer you encouragement and say keep searching for the right shows. We have found some that were extremely cheap, even if you had to rent two spaces. For example, we just booked an indoor gun and outdoor show that well promoted and is a 3 day event and that draws well over 25,000  folks.  Cost was $30 for an 8 foot table. Thats only $10 a day. Heck we took two without even thinking about that.

Other times with some of the outdoor shows, they dont care how much space you take and the rent is usually very reasonable. We did one in september that was $10 for all the space you wanted. We set up 5 folding tables and may take more tables next year. Did very well there.

[Jamie_C]

WOW ...  Those are some pretty cheap booth rentals !!!

Up here if i want to put in a booth at the Sports & RV Show the absolute cheapest one is $850 for a single 10' x 10' space, then there are extra charges if you need power & internet at your booth. For me i would need a double booth ($1700 + power + internet), i figured out that by the time all my costs were incurred (including shutting down my retail shop for 4 days to do the show) my break even point would be somewhere around $8,000 in sales.