Presentation tips and sales techniques
All the artisans who participate in the Amata fairs make beautiful things - otherwise, they wouldn't have been invited (at least not a second time). But making beautiful things by hand isn't enough to earn a living. You have to sell them. Interestingly, many artisans don't seem to realize the importance of a good presentation.
If you take a stroll down a city's shopping street and look at the shop windows, you'll see that the shopkeepers, whatever products they sell, try to display them in the most attractive way possible. And the more exclusive the shop, the fewer items there will be in the window: a jeweler of unique designs might display twenty pieces in the entire space, while his neighbour who sells cheap imported jewelry and watches has managed to fit hundreds of items without leaving room for one more.
Like the jeweler in this example, you have to convince a skeptical public that the quality of your work justifies the higher price, because you have to compete with cheaper, and sometimes quite good, products from resellers. Your products don't just have to BE better, they have to LOOK better. This means you need to think about the best way to display your work and, when setting up your stall, do it with patience and dedication.
Display
Your display should give the impression of having been carefully and lovingly arranged. Each piece is unique and deserves its own attention, so you need to leave ample space between different items. You don't need to put everything you have in all its variations on the table. If you notice a customer is interested in a particular design, you can bring out similar pieces from under the table to show them. This also gives you an opportunity to make contact (see below, "Connecting with the public").
You can group similar pieces (of the same design but in different colours or sizes), but maintain distance between groups and different objects. To separate them, you can use natural elements such as a branch, an interesting piece of wood, rice grains or seeds, a small piece of decorative fabric, etc.
A display where the distance between the customer's eye and the object (whether in front or at the back of the stand) is always the same, makes it easier and more interesting to view everything. Creating tiered displays at varying heights achieves this effect. A very simple and inexpensive way to do this, yet with a very professional result, is to use cardboard or wooden boxes of various sizes, covered with one or two layers of fabric. The boxes can be folded for transport - they are lightweight and don't take up much space.
If you want to sell your products, you need to ensure that the public notices them, looks at them, and appreciates them. When choosing fabrics and backdrops for your display, keep in mind that the human eye is designed to distinguish objects that stand out from their background. Therefore, you shouldn't display small items on a fabric with a colourful pattern - even if the fabric itself is cheerful and attractive, it will be nearly impossible to distinguish the displayed pieces. Similarly, you shouldn't display light-coloured items on a light-coloured fabric, or dark-coloured items on a black fabric.
Aesthetics of the stall and your person
At Amata fairs, we strive to maintain a clean and well-kept appearance. We avoid dirt, loose dogs, and clutter between stalls; and we prefer stalls that give this same impression: tidy and lovingly crafted. Your stall should reflect the same care and effort you've put into making your pieces.
To create a more uniform look at the fair, without requiring everyone to use the same structures, we require that the fabric used for the stall roof (or tent) be white, cream, or off-white, and the table skirt be light brown. The fabrics must be clean and cut and/or sewn to size, with the pegs and lights concealed. We can provide you with suitable fabrics at wholesale prices.
At normal craft fairs (non-medieval), we accept folding tents, provided the roof is white, off-white, or cream.
You must pay the utmost attention to the display of your goods and your stall. In medieval markets, we prefer wooden stalls; if your stall has metal parts, you must "disguise" them (with medieval fabrics and/or other similar decorations). Lamps should also be disguised in a rustic style.
By not paying enough attention to these details, you could jeopardize the market's continuity.
We would like you to work at your stall. If you cannot do any part of your work outdoors, at least bring some photos of the process, some semi-finished products, and/or tools to show the public how your pieces are made.
A work table, covered with the same light brown fabric, can serve both to display your tools, photos, and/or business cards and to hide items that don't fit under your sales table. Avoid having cables visible and ensure your stall isn't surrounded by boxes or plastic tarps.
Finally, pay attention to your personal appearance. Especially at themed markets, make sure your outfit is clean.
Outfits must match the theme; avoid anything too "hippie" or "Indian." Wear leather shoes or sandals, not sneakers.
Don't just rummage through your wardrobe the day before the market looking for outfits that least clash with the theme (medieval, Roman, etc.). Just as you dedicate time to preparing your products, you need to prepare your presentation.
At themed markets, you shouldn't wear a watch or use a mobile phone, tablet, or computer in plain sight.
And remember, a market full of attractive stalls will encourage visitors to look more closely, making it much easier for Amata to attract the interest of local councils in organizing their fairs.
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Sales techniques and connecting with the public
At Amata, we're convinced there's still an audience interested in authentic craftsmanship and willing to pay a bit more
for a unique piece. You have to convince these people that your products are what they're looking for.
You don't have to become a charlatan shouting "look, look, everything's cheap," nor do you need to drag people to your stall -these aren't the right tactics for selling quality products. But you also shouldn't hide behind your stall with a book, or - even worse - walk off to chat with your colleagues.
If you want to convince people to buy what is, in essence, a luxury product, you have to make contact. This can be difficult if you're a shy person, but there are a few tricks that can help.
One reason to display products on a slope or steps is that the top will be more or less at eye level; your eyes, if you're standing or on a high stool behind the display. Once you make eye contact with the public, you can tell them something about your work, point out a special piece, or take something out from under the table. You can also make these comments if you see someone looking with interest at a particular part of your table or a specific piece.
Another way is to work next to your stall, in full view of the public. This way, they can see that you're the one making it, and how much patience and care you put into crafting a single piece. It gives them the opportunity to buy something with a story: they've seen how it's made.
You can also position yourself next to the stall, arranging some pieces, moving them around, etc. This way, you can direct the public's attention to certain items, and it's easier to listen to what they're saying and start a conversation. For example, if they say, "I saw it in a store for half the price," you can reply, "Yes, but this is handmade by me, and if you'd like it in another colour (with your name, larger, etc.), I can make it."
Most people are looking for something unusual, something special. Special, because it's a unique piece, because they saw you making it, because they liked the place where they bought it or the person who sold it to them. That's why it's important to try to start an interesting conversation. Don't forget that your work process might be routine for you, but it's something new for them: tell them about the materials, the techniques, show them different tools and explain how you use them.