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FIFTEEN SECONDS -- Part II

© Cheryl Lewis

THAT COUNT FOR HOLIDAY SALES

Fifteen seconds. Do your fifteen-second homework! Roam around at a few craft shows and see what you like and what catches your eye during that first fifteen-seconds. Look at all the booths. Shop around for ideas that you can adapt into your booth. Look at Natural Foods Merchandiser. "Making A First Impression Count" for tips. The piece is written for store owners, but most of the information will apply to anyone selling and wanting to make a good impression.

Several ideas to use when displaying your products:

• Use contrast - smooth articles against a rough background.
• Use bright, vivid colors against a neutral background
• Always place small items in front, large items toward the back of a table or display.

Display on multi-levels by tucking different size boxes under the table covering. A shirt box under the overcover creates a shelf for several small items. Give levels to your products and make a category or one special piece more noticeable. Group items according to theme and color.

Look organized. A cluttered look does not promote sales. When a booth looks messy and disorganized, a customer might question the quality of the work! An Organized Home. is a newsletter telling about organizing a home. Most crafters work out of their homes and this could prove a helpful site to read.

Customers get that burned-out feeling when they are shopping a show and find the same types of merchandise in many booths. Shift items around, highlight new things and keep replenishing during the show. This is especially important for merchandise at the front of your booth. A shopper might stop and browse your booth the third time around the show if an item appears at the front of your booth that hadn't been there before.

Your attitude also helps sales. People are ruled by emotions, if you are excited about an item, it can be contagious. The longer a customer lingers at your booth, the more likely you'll make a sale. This will work, if you are friendly and the customer isn't pressured to buy. Let the customers browse, ask questions and feel the items.Be positive...Pass it on! has list of motivational videos and motivational books to read to develop a positive attitude.

Chance of making a sale increases when the customer has access to and can handle the items. One generally won't buy what can't be inspected. Holding an item also gives the customer an emotional attachment to the piece. If the item "feels" right, the person will buy it.

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