# Our First Show



## LuvOurNewf (Jun 2, 2013)

This was our first show and although sales were dismal we learned a lot.

First, don't work a show that is geared toward children's activities. Bad idea.
Second, as has been said before "scent sells". Some of our bars are unscented salt bars and even after telling people they were unscented, most still held them to their nose.
Third, fruity and woodsy scents are popular.
Fourth, take CC's. We do and it paid off.
Fifth, make contact's with other vendors. We made a great contact and have an opportunity to work a very popular farmers market.
Sixth, not one person asked about ingredients.
Seventh, people like beer bars.
Eighth, make a list of needs for your next show.

As I said although our sales didn't cover the booth fees it was still enjoyable and a nice learning experience.


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## Hazel (Jun 2, 2013)

I'm sorry your sales weren't very good but at least you remained positive about it and realized you learned a lot. Good luck with future markets and I hope you do really well. :grin:


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## kazmi (Jun 2, 2013)

Your packaging and setup looks very appealing and professional.  The picture on the back wall is well done too.  How was the attendance?


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## LuvOurNewf (Jun 2, 2013)

kazmi said:


> Your packaging and setup looks very appealing and professional.  The picture on the back wall is well done too.  How was the attendance?



Very well attended. It's in a small town in Upstate NY, Chittenango, the birthplace of L. Frank Baum the writer of the Wizard of Oz. Every year they celebrate with Ozstravaganza. Most of the vendors are sand art, face painting, made in China collectables and toys. Guess after buying for the kids M&D aren't into things for themselves.

Next month is a juried show which we expect to do better at.


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## LuvOurNewf (Jun 2, 2013)

kazmi said:


> Your packaging and setup looks very appealing and professional.  The picture on the back wall is well done too.  How was the attendance?



Our banner has the company name at the bottom "Mudpuddle Soapworks". It's a picture of some of our very first bars set in a, you guessed it, mudpuddle. Uploaded to VistaPrint.


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## Lynnz (Jun 3, 2013)

Great setup and yes good advice my sales jumped once I offered credit card service............this time around I will be looking more to using the paypal swipe (cant remember the name off the top of my noggins)


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## Miz Jenny (Jun 3, 2013)

Your booth has great eye appeal. As you go, you get a feel for which fairs/markets, on which to pass. I no longer do them if they allow non-crafted products.


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## souljasam (Jun 3, 2013)

Lynnz said:


> Great setup and yes good advice my sales jumped once I offered credit card service............this time around I will be looking more to using the paypal swipe (cant remember the name off the top of my noggins)



its called paypal here and in my opinion its great. i dont sell soap yet but ive sold a few random things like video games and such on craigs list and it came in handy as some people preferred to pay with a card or even paypal(which there is no fee at all for so i would heavily advertise the acceptance of paypal if you use paypal here).


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## OliveOil2 (Jun 3, 2013)

Your booth and products look great! Sometimes it is difficult to know how much business you will do. So many of the larger shows make it difficult to do well because the fee is so high. You have alot of your prep work done for the next show, and  each show is a learning experience.


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## Autumnonapia (Jun 4, 2013)

I think your booth looked really nice.  It was well put together and I know, if I were wandering past, I would stop in.  You never can tell what is going to sell, it is usually the craziest things that do.  I always bring one unscented soap to a show (a bunch of bars of it but only one kind), and I may sell a bar or two of it, but it is always the scent that pulls people to a bar.  Even if one looks really neat, it is always the smell that seals the deal.  At shows at least.  I do now know why it is, but I have found that at the least expensive shows, I sell the most, and this has always been the case for me.  
Best of luck at the next show!  I am sure it will go better.  (Also, I often do a soap made for the theme of a show.  Like For the last one you did, maybe a Ruby Red Slipper soap, with red mica for coloring or a Rainbow soap or something would have gone over well.)


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## MaitriBB (Jun 7, 2013)

Miz Jenny said:


> Your booth has great eye appeal. As you go, you get a feel for which fairs/markets, on which to pass. I no longer do them if they allow non-crafted products.


 
Same here.  I was doing "vendor and craft shows" which have the direct sales vendors like Thirty-One, Avon, Scentsy, etc.  That tends to only draw the people that have a specific vendor that they want to shop at, and then they leave.  Had terrible sales.  So I don't do those any more, just 100% all-crafted items or farmer's markets.


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## Pepsi Girl (Jun 7, 2013)

Really like your booth and packaging!  I would certainly stop and "smell"!


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