First "Show"

[kennelmaster]

Tomorrow, there will be a Horse Expo at a local mall. I decided to buy a booth at the expo and expose the public to my sign business. To that end I have been busy making simple signs, generic to the horse industry. Since I also have a dog bording kennel, I made up some dog signs too. And, because I have a wierd sence of humor, I did some other stuff.

Attached are pic's of some of the offerings for tomorrow.

A lot of the process and ideas came for you guys and gals on this forum. If tomorrow is a success, you get the credit!

pjs

[fwharris]

Looks like a great set of signs and some long hours. Good luck! Don't sell yourself short though with giving any of us to much credit!

[TerryT]

Great looking stuff. Good luck!

[Dodadd1]

Nice work and good luck.

[SharonB]

That is a very nice array of projects you will be offering to the public. Wishing you luck on your sales tomorrow. The horses is one of my favorite designs...even though I haven't carved it. Your "Life is Hard" plaque is one that will put smiles on a lot of faces.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Nice Signs.... !!!!!

I would do a Horse sometime in as big as you can on the CW as a 3D Cut Out.... Something that someone could apply to a bigger sign as a center element... You can then cut out the letters to go above and below the Horse... Some nice Horse Patterns in the Depot...

And If I did it... I would do it out of PVC Board even carved..... And recommend PVC Cut Out letters too.... If you do the Horse in MDF or Wood the Expansion and contraction will split the horse... A PVC background piece would be good too... They come in 4 x 8 sheets... Expensive but DURABLE....

Good Luck,

AL

[kennelmaster]

Al,
Please tell me a bit more about the PVC board. Is it the PVCI think it is ie; the plastic for water pipes and conduit? How does it carve? What special preps for painting, 4X8 sheets in what thickness? etc, etc, etc!

Thanks,

PJS

[Underdog]

Nice work! Good luck on your show tomorrow.

[kennelmaster]

UPDATE:
Yesterday's show was successful in the two areas that I was most looking forward to. #1; Got my name and business cards in the hands of many people. Exposure was a priority. #2; Sold a few pieces meaning people were walking about the show with my product in their hands.

The additional benefit was that I took a few orders for custom work and the CW is humming away right now as I type this for order fulfillment.

I would have liked to sell more pieces but the exposure was most important. There was another signmaker at the show and he had his booth right next to me.

Two important things I learned from the show.
Have prices on each piece. I didn't
Have pieces specific to the show theme. I did, competition didn't. I sold, he didn't

Thanks to all contributors to the forum for your invaluable sharing of your experiences and talents. Selflessly, you help neophytes like me with some degree of sucess in our sophomoric attempts to produce worthy projects.

pjs

[seathis]

Good going. Very nice. And I'm sure the forum appreciates the kind words thrown their way. That is a very nice thing to do.

[TerryT]

It has been my experience that contacts made at shows, etc, will make purchases for up to a couple of months from the time of the show. I have heard from folks as long as a year after.
Nice work!

[lostparts]

Great Job on your first show!! My first one was a little scary! A lot of venders forget were they are selling, and thus don't understand there market! The networking is more important than a physical sale. A sale from a booth is normally a small item. When they call you looking for something custom that's were the money is!

Are you set up to take credit cards? I advertise that I do, the square reader has made a huge change in income potential.

Good luck to you, keep going! Try to have fun!

[LoafersCorner]

Just Curious, what was the other sign maker? Were they wood and carving as well?

[kennelmaster]

Just Curious, what was the other sign maker? Were they wood and carving as well? The other sign vendor was also a cnc carver using a "Shark" system. We swapped talk about techniques and stuff. He also was expanded into aidirondak style deck furniture and an ecclectic assortment of woodcrafts.

[kennelmaster]

Great Job on your first show!! My first one was a little scary! A lot of venders forget were they are selling, and thus don't understand there market! The networking is more important than a physical sale. A sale from a booth is normally a small item. When they call you looking for something custom that's were the money is!

Are you set up to take credit cards? I advertise that I do, the square reader has made a huge change in income potential.

Good luck to you, keep going! Try to have fun!
LOST,
I concur that market target is hugely important. Can't sell hamburgers at a PETA convention.
I don't use CC's in any of my businesses. Been giving some thought to it as of late but don't expect to be doing much in the show/flea market type of circuit. Main sales is golf course benches and signage that lead to additional custom work.