Teach Soap

Hi everyone.
An opportunity was presented to me and I need to do my homework so any input from you craft fair experts and non-experts would be appreciated

Apparently this play studio (that my kids never went to because they were too old before it was built) in Berkeley is putting on a holiday shopping event Nov 7th (it is a large indoor play space for children, with each room equipped with toys and structures centered around different themes). I was approached to be a vendor. It appears I was 'found' on Etsy. They only want to have 18 local vendors and one room would be cleared out to accomodate this event. From the little info I was given the other areas of the play studio will be open to kids/parents who come to the event. I certainly am flattered and it's one way to get some further local exposure which I would love!!! with a market of people (moms/woman and some dads) who I think would *really* be attracted to my products for themselves and their children. Here's my list of comments/questions to consider

1. I looked at the Studio Grow (that's the name of this locale) website to see if the person who sent me the e-mail (another Berkeley mom/Etsyian) was associated and could not find a connection so first things first is to find out her role in all this.

2. Price is $90 from 9:30 - 1. setup before and shutdown after. Seems like I should be able to bargain that down a bit or at least ask if they will consider $60 or even $45 given the short time span. I've no shame at this point in asking for discounts since I'm so new at this. I'm a little conerned that it's only a few short hours vs. an all day event.

3. Find out if they have ever done this event before ? And what kind of marketing they plan to do? They said they would be expecting a 'significant' turnout but I need some idea of what that means.

4. Find out if there are any other soap crafters who they invited. My guess right now is they are asking a handful of folks for committments as they work their way to 18 vendors.

5. They supply the table (6' by 30") not a problem for me and chair (so there is no tent required/cool and this place is a stones throw from my house - yes Honey if you read this - I can bike there but I've not the means to carry my soap inventory as well so a car will be required )

6. If they did this event in the past and are inviting back any old vendors, would they be willing to let me talk to those vendors and get their perspective?

7. Is there a question I havn't thought of that I should be asking?

THANKS TONS for helping me prepare for my discussion with the requestor. I want to be open and flexible but also be smart about this too.
Hilary

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

More important, how many do they expect to attend? This sounds like something that mostly just the families of the kids involved might come to. Hopefully I am wrong. It seems a little expensive for this type of thing.

There is a big, annual craft fair at a state park, and the fee is only $40. I went to another, small first time gathering... about 1000 people over 2 days attended - fee was $25. I do have to admit that I sold about $350 in soaps, but all that was within a period of about two hours.

I should say, however, that this is a VERY rural, small town. Berkeley is like another world, compare to my mountain area.

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

90.00 does sound a bit hgh for that short of a time period.. i pay 10 a week for the local farmers market and make around 200.00 to 400.00 depending on the day and time of year... my experience with these events is it usually falls flat, so dont expect much.. we had a lasy that put on a huge event out here and cost was 150.00 for a full 8-6pm day and dinner, and getting into a brochure to pass out and the event fell flat, she did tons of advertising on tv and everything, i made less than i do at markets. so just be careful, if you cant afford it i would push for it, there will be better things that come up...

hope i helped!!

Danielle

Danielle and Baraka-
Thanks for the perspective of costs you've experienced. I'm attending a fair in October - also in Berkeley but a well organized/attended fair (full sponsor) - 30,000 attendees. And a fair that I've been to myself. Full fledged event cmpany + the local business association for the neighborhood promotes. Costs me $75 because I was able to negotiate splitting my booth with another friend/craftsperson (yeah I did use my sympathy card with the event coordinator - new artisan trying this show for the first time/recently layed off project manager - of course at somepoint I won't be able to use that but for now.) - While my items and my friends are different (she works with polymer clay) the pricing and colorful items she has works well when we share a booth.

From what I gleam in your comments is that I need to have all my questions answered and absolutly get some solid #'s regarding attendees. And I should actually consider pushing for $30 (i.e. 1/3 of the fee). And I should be comfortable 'walking' away and saying 'thanks but no thanks' if the answer don't sit right in my gut. I suppose at some level it seemed so flattering.

I'll keep you posted on the resutls.

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

Absolutely the right choice. It would be interesting to know the amount of total sales made at this event. It sounds like the only person who could make any money off this, was the organizer. How well did you do at the "good" fair?

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

Ditto! I'd be outta there! I hate short shows--- all that work of hauling, set up, tear down, packing up---- would rather be there all day. On the other hand, I did agree to do a Christmas show at a school from 9-1 but they only wanted $25 and it benifits the school. Lot's of times parents come out to support the school events I've found.

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You may be only one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person

with that list of restrictions, I dunno if I would have done it even at $10. Sure not for $90 - you did the right thing, no question!

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http://www.magichandsworkshop.com
http://www.magichands.etsy.com
http://www.magichandsworkshop.blogspot.com

Thanks all for your support. The only 'attraction' about the venue (at first) before peeling back the onion on it was the 'target market'. Up to this point it seems like for the moment and I havn't reviewed my excel spreadsheet on all my sales but it's likely 80-90% are woman - so I was looking forward to getting some really good local expsoure with a very targeted woman market *but* I'm going get that anyway (and more) this Sunday at a wonderful street fair called "Spice of Life" - http://www.gourmetghetto.org/ - come see me if you contribute or lurk on this forum and live in the Bay Area - I'd would be a blast to meet any of you!!

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com