As a popular pet portrait artist, I've spent quite a few hours at various dog shows, Saturday Markets and other art festivals and fairs meeting the public interested in commissioning a painting. Sometimes I even get to meet and greet their fabulous pets!
The 12 tips I would suggest for a successful show are the following:
1. Give yourself plenty of time to set up. Unless you're a seasoned veteran, this always takes longer than expected. Allow for unexpected traffic delays or a crowded show where you may have to wait to set up until other vendors are out of the way.
2. Purchase a canopy that will withstand the wind and rain that you may encounter if it is an outdoor show. Caravan makes a canopy that is easy to put up and has several outstanding features. Canopies are also well worth the cost for indoor shows, because the white sidewalls reflect light to the interior of your booth and help with a feeling of privacy during the show. The sidewalls are easy to put up during the evening hours when that day's show comes to an end. I also have a carpet remnant that I bring that is a lifesaver for standing on cement floors all day. It also gives my booth a homey, friendly feeling.
3. When wondering what to put in your booth, remember that you will have to fit everything into your car or van and set up/take down whatever you bring. A good idea is to set up a few days before in your den or backyard. This gives you an idea of what will work and what is just too cumbersome to bring. There have been times I've wanted to bring that special something, then thought better of it. One of my favorite things to bring is a small mirror to place beside me while I'm painting, or place near my note cards. It adds sparkle to my environment.
4. Fill your booth with lots of samples in various sizes. Be ready to answer questions as to which size is appropriate for your clients. Stock your booth with smaller items such as note cards containing your art with your information printed on the back of each card, small prints, or other inexpensive items. These are traffic stoppers. A potential client may walk past your booth if they only see large items, but they may stop and chat if they find just the right note card for a relative or friend. The person who purchases a $3 note card one year may commission a painting in the future.
Bring gift certificates also to let people know that you are happy to provide a gift certificate to someone's friend or relative. This may seem like an obvious addition to the booth, but I've had people in surprise exclaim, "Oh, you give gift certificates, too?" Display your items in a festive manner. For your gift certificates, you may want to decorate an open box with a painting set half inside of it with a big, shiny bow.
If you don't have painted samples of every size portrait you offer, you may want to bring empty canvases. The rule of thumb is: the more you can show your clients, the better. I bring five notebooks full of pictures of scans of past paintings with an index in the front. That way when someone asks me, "Have you ever painted a Doxie?" I can show them a sample.
5. Be sure to bring a sign-up sheet. Many times your business card may be lost in the shuffle, but if a prospective client has given you their contact information, it lets you know they have more than a casual interest in your work, and you can ask if it's all right if you contact them later on to follow-up if they have lost your information. One such event happened for me when I called a woman who wanted to have a portrait of her Schappendoes. She was so glad I gave her a call a month after the show as she had lost my information.
A blank notepad is also a lifesaver. You may want to jot down a person's name and phone number to let them know of a breeder friend of yours at a later date, or to send a gift certificate or custom note card.
6. Invest in a great booth sign. A very large eye-catching sign is worth its weight in gold. Your sign should preferably match your business card and be one of your trademarks at a show. You may be a vendor at the same show for several years running and your sign is what will initially catch people's eye.
7. Be painting at the show. This not only gives you something to do, it is an ice-breaker, too. People are much more likely to stop and chat about your paintings if they see you at work. The shows I attend sometimes start at 7:30 a.m. and run until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. This makes for a very long day. But if I'm working on a painting, the hours seem to fly by, and I get something done to keep up with my orders.
8. Wear some kind of a badge or sign on your person. That way whenever you leave your booth, you are a walking advertisement for your artwork. This also lets everyone know who enters your booth, that you are the artist to talk to. This may seem like a small item, but when your booth is packed with people, this can clear up any confusion.
9. Keep your spirits up during the slow times. I like to bring my own food, hot drink or whatever else will make me the most comfortable. There may be times when no one passes by the booth, and it's important to keep your spirits up. You never know when someone will pop in and say "There you are! I read about you in the newspaper vendor list and I'm so glad you're here!"
10. Get plenty of rest the night before and drink lots of water during the show. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of visiting with so many potential clients and you may forget that you are expending an enormous amount of energy and will need to replenish yourself.
11. On the last day of the show, you will be expected to not only greet the public all day, but also to dismantle and load your booth into you vehicle, as well as drive the distance home. So be sure to take extra snacks for the last day. You may also want to bring a change of clothes if you feel you will be more comfortable taking down your booth in your work clothes. Keeping everything organized as you pack up is a time saver for setup for the next show.
12. The other vendors can be a wealth of information. Some are seasoned veterans and most are happy to share their knowledge with you as to which shows are most appropriate, where they purchased their card rack you've been admiring, and other odd tidbits that can make the experience more enjoyable for you.
I'll never forget one artist whose booth was next to mine who told me to get to the show very early the next day or there wouldn't be any parking to be had. I thought she was kidding about the early hour, but just to be sure I got to the show the next day extremely early. I was stunned to see the parking lot already half full!
To sum up, remember to start with whatever you have and build from there. At my first major show I only had four tables, two or three paintings and one book of samples and a homemade sign with no canopy. Each year I've added more and refined what I have. As my confidence has grown, so has my booth and my clientele!
At the close of the show, remember to thank the vendor chairperson for a fabulous show! Always keep a positive attitude about the outcome of the show. The client with seeming interest who signed up for a large painting to hang over their fireplace may change their mind after the show, or be unreachable by phone or e-mail. On the other hand, the person who grabbed your card on the run who never spoke with you may call a few months later and commission several paintings as gifts, as well as a portrait of their own dog. They may be so thrilled with their portrait that they take it to their office to show their co-workers which may lead to other commissions. So always keep a bright and positive attitude and it will come back to you in repeat sales, more show invitations, and a happy, fulfilling career doing what you love!
Note: this article may be re-published freely as long as the following resource box is included at the end of the article and as long as you link to the URL mentioned in the resource box:
c Connie Bowen. Pet Portrait Artist and Professional Illustrator Connie Bowen creates stunning pet portrait paintings on canvas from photos. Specializing in capturing the spiritual nature of dogs, cats, horses and other animals in a realistic fashion with impressionistic backgrounds as seen on Oregon Public Broadcasting?s TV show, Art Beat. Over 200 pet portraits completed and counting! Visit http://www.conniebowen.com to view exquisite samples.
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