My mom and I walked up to a booth this past weekend that was filled with beautiful photographs and custom coasters. Now, as per usual, my mom started chatting with the person manning the booth about this idea she had seen. I watched and listened only to discover that this person was not the least bit interested in what my mother had to say. Want to know why?
She had her head buried in her phone the whole time my mom was speaking to her!
It was so awkward and I couldn’t wait to leave the booth. My mom didn’t seem to care about it but I was really bothered by the encounter. Here we are, just walking into your booth as potential customers, and you’re too busy reading email on your phone to give us that time of day? I couldn’t believe it!
So, here’s a friendly reminder folks. Though the iPhone is an amazing piece of technology, put it away and engage with potential customers! I have the feeling this particular person was just manning the booth and wasn’t the actual artist – but there’s a lesson in that too. If you bring along a friend or family member to watch over your craft booth while you grab a bite to eat or got to the bathroom, make sure they are knowledgeable about your items for sale and set some ground rules. Here are my suggestions:
- No phones
- Smile at customers walking by
- Memorize item specifics (price, how items were made, etc)
- If a customer asks a question you don’t know the answer to, let them know that the artist will be right back and be sure to hand them a business card
- Sit up straight (no slouching)
- Be visible. Don’t sit in the far corner and hope no one walks by while the artist is gone.
- Say hello to everyone that walks into the booth
Do you have any other rules for running a craft fair booth?
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