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Flying Fur StudiosI would post this in the 'show and travel'section, but I know more people look here.
Ok, so lots of you know I'm planning the Calgary Bear Show. I love to hear feedback about what can make this a great show and I would like hear your opinions on the hours the show is open.
Do you prefer it to start at 9 or 10 am?
what time do you like your shows to end? 3pm 4pm?
There's nothing better than feedback from you guys....thanks :hug:
Little Bear GuyHi Heather,
I prefer a show opening at 10:00, this gives the artist lots of time to get their displays set up, usually set up starts around 7:00 or 7:30. I like a 4:00 closing but that's my preference.
We orangized a bear show in Kitchener a couple of yrs ago, it was a lot of hard work and a ton of planning. Doing lots of advertising is key, we weren't in it to make money we just wanted a bear show in the area. Any money that was made from show was donated to a local charity. Basically the table fee's covered the cost of the show, room rental , continental breakfast for the artist stuff like that. The proceeds from the entrance fee was all donated to a local charity. You can get a lot more free advertising if you involve a charity, TV, radio spots, are willing to advertise free because of what you are doing. We also provided free bottled water to all the artist, you have to treat your artist good as they are the ones that make the show. I do enjoy music at a show, nice soft background music not to loud but just enough so you can hear it.
Table set up is very important as well, ensure the tables are set up in such away that there is enough room in the ails and that everyone has comfortable room. Do as much for the artist that you can, if they are happy that's all that matters.
I am sure Daphne could jump in here and help out with some good suggestions, she is organizing another show I believe. She would have a lot more experience than I would about this, I have been to lots of shows and I know really good about a show when I'm treated well by the organizer.
big hugs and good luck
Shane
Hi Heather, 
I'm with Shane. 10-4 would rank highest with me too. The shows I've participated in have opened an hour earlier to allow conventioneers to purchase first. Shows I've gone to as a collector have opened their doors an hour earlier for "Early Buy-In". The 10am opening would be a lot easier on me as an artist if I know I have to be ready by 9am for the early birds. Am I making any sense at all?
:redface: :redface:
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Flying Fur StudiosThanks Aleta, that makes perfect sense!
Plus, I can't see a huge rush really early in the morning.
I like the 10am start time. Thanks.
Shane, I appreciate your advice, it's very helpful.it is alot of work, and you're right, advertising is everything! Plus, I do plan to take great care of the artists, because you're right, they are everything.
Back Road BearsHi! I'm here!
Heather and I are doing a lot of private conversing about her show so I didn't want to add my 2 cents in again here as she's already heard it! 
HOWEVER....
Shane makes some really great points about treating the artist well. Gotta remember... if it weren't for their participation there would be no show. Think of every way you possibly can to SHOW them your gratitude: free food/beverage during set up, lots of elbow room, communitcation with them ALL day - always make yourself available! As artists it's a great opportunity to have a booth at our own show but get someone else to 'man' it! You've got to be mobile the entire show! Have some one at the door when artists arrive to set up who can check them in, give them their welcome packet - or have it at their booth already (includes a show program, show guidelines, name badge, trash bag and anything else you want them to know... I include a questionare for them to complete after the show and info about my upcoming shows) and also point them to exactly where their booth/table is. I HATE getting to a show, coming to the door with a load of boxes and then having to wander all over creation to find my booth because no one is around to tell me where it is! A bottle of water at each booth is a nice 'extra' and greatly appreciated.
As for time: My shows are 9:30 - 3:00 because there is nothing worse than sitting around from about 2:00 on when shows start to get really quiet. Craft shows are no different. Those last couple of hours can be a killer if you don't like to sit/stand still and do nothing. I find artists start packing up before the show is over if it runs too late and that's a big no-no. So I avoided the whole thing! Shane is right about giving artists time to set up in the am. There is nothing worse than feeling totally rushed and there still be boxes in the aisles when collectors start coming in.
Anyone have any ideas for how to get collectors in after lunch? What special event or offering would get them to come in or come BACK or STAY that late???? I have yet to figure that one out but have two shows this year in which to do some experimenting. I'm open to suggestions!
(Don't mean to butt in on your thread here, Heather but this'll help you too!) :hug:
Little Bear GuyHmmmm Daphne, perhaps having a draw or something like that later in the afternoon like 2:00 or something but advising the collectors that they must be in attendance in order to win the draw. Sometimes having a special event in the early afternoon, some sort of seminar or perhaps even having some sort of show special, perhaps each artist could could come up with a show special but telling the collectors that won't unveil the show special until say 1:30 or something like that. This may keep collectors around if they are interested in purchasing a show special from the artist. Would entice them to stick around or to go and come back after lunch.
With the show special it could be a special bear at a special price or a reduced price from all their regular bears, perhaps it's a bear that they would normally sell for 150.00 but the show special could be 110.00 or something like that. You have to entice collectors and think how thrilled they would be if they could purchase a bear from their favourite artist at a discount.
Just a thought
Shane
Canna Bear PaintHi Heather,
If it is a show where you expect most of the artists to be driving home after the show instead of staying the night (so mostly locals... say a few hours' drive), letting them out earlier at 3pm will be much appreciated so they can get going. Also, I'm fine with 10am for a start time... but if you do start it earlier AND the room is in a secure location, consider giving artists the option of setting up their tables the night before.
Re: Daphne's question about keeping collectors into the afternoon hours... hmmm, that's one to think about!
- How about a public's choice competition, perhaps, with the results announced a few hours before the show ends?
- Or how about a drawing for a big gift certificate... say $100... but they have to be there in person to receive it AND it's only good at your show (or that day, whatever). The artists could contribute $5 each to the gift certificate.... and whoever's bear is purchased by that person, the artist would be given the $100 cash by the promoter.
- Alternately, but along those same lines... a "choose the bear of your choice!" drawing, where the winner gets to pick any bear for sale in the show that they want up to a certain value (again, artist is reimbursed).
- I like Shane's idea of show specials at a certain time. Usually this is strongly discouraged at show venues (the discounting of merchandise), however I think the chance at "bargains" could REALLY enthuse the customers! Perhaps at a given time, say 2:00 to 2:15, each artist could mark up to 3 bears on their table with a set discount, say 20%. Artist's choice on the bears and artists do not need to partipicate if they don't want to.
Edited to add:
You know, now that I think of that last idea a bit more, here's something that would catch people's attention from an advertising perspective...
20 for 20 from 2:00 to 2:20!
20% off select artist bears for twenty minutes ONLY from 2:00 to 2:20 this afternoon!
Ha! I can just hear that announced through-out the day by the promoter. I think people might get a kick out of it , and it's certainly something they'd remember!
Interesting questions!
Kelly
Flying Fur StudiosKelly, those are some GREAT ideas!
I love the 20 20 idea, and the idea of each artist donating $5 for a draw at the end towards a teddy. Fantastic ideas!
I also love the peoples choice at the end of the day, and discounts for the last say 30 mins of the show, artists permitting.
How about demo's and workshops later in the day? or at all for that matter.
You guys are great with your advice.
Back Road BearsAt the show I did last summer I had a collector's vote artist bear contest with entries on a display table for everyone to vote on. Awards were announced at 2:30... 1/2 hour before the end of the show. There were a few collectors there but I didn't find that it really encouraged them to stay. There was nothing in it for them.
Prizes or discounts are certainly the way to get them in or to stay. Great ideas you came up with Kelly!
Demos... That does interest many.... they need to be done by very outgoing artists with an interesting topic and engaging approach. I do them every hour all day. Perhaps if the last artist was a very well known artists more would stay but I found it was mostly the artists that were interested in the demos.
Collectors.... we need some collectors here who aren't artists too!!! Are they all hiding out on some 'bear collectors only' forum? Where are they???
Posts: 280We host 2 bear shows, as well as a 3-day bear retreat - all of which are quickly approaching. The bear show hours are from 9:30 - 3:30. We realized very quickly that those hours worked well for all involved. The artists still had plenty of time to set up and were still able to get on the road home if they had a longer distance to drive. Most of the collectors like these hours as well, as they can still do other things with their families after the show.
I personally don't like the idea of door prizes, as I feel like it detracts from the show. I can't begin to tell you how many times someone has been standing in front of an artist's table, trying to make a decision on a bear and the announcement comes over the intercom that "so and so" has won a prize and to come to the front to collect it. Off they go, and they somehow never make it back to the artist's table. Sadly, many times this results in a lost sale. We tried door prizes one time (and only once). We had people hang out and visit with each other, because they were willing to wait to see if they won anything. No bear purchases - just hoping for a door prize. In the "good old days", artists actually donated one of their bears as door prizes. Those days are long gone! I don't know if collectors will hang around for door prizes unless they know it is going to be a killer prize.
As for the certificates to be used toward a purchase at the show on that day - are we are really putting our customers on the spot? Sometimes, there just isn't anything they just "have" to have. Sadly, there are occasions when you attend a bear show and none of them "call" to you. Now, your winner has a prize that they really can't enjoy, but may feel obligated to use so that they don't lose it. It's a double-edged sword.
Our solution is to simply provide them with quality artists, who bring quality work. After all, we advertise it a a bear show where only artist bears will be available. What more can they ask for?
I really try to do everything I can to make my artists comfortable, happy, etc., but apparently "goody bags" are something that artists are beginning to get from promoters at shows. Can I be so bold as to ask what is in these?
I like the idea of the bottled water for the artists, but unfortunately, the hotels that we hold our shows at forbid food or drinks being brought in, including bottled water. This is due, largely in part, to the fact that they expect to make the money off of these items.
I hate to sound negative, but the discount offer can work if presented carefully. I got burned once when a discount was offered, and I never offered it again. I had sent postcards to collectors and offered them a discount if they purchased a bear at a show I was doing. A lady came in, talked me into giving her a better price on a bear, then ponied up the discount card, and then put it on a charge card! Tough lesson for me - but one I never forgot. When all was said and done, I should have just put the bear in a pretty bag and given it to her. I made several mistakes with that venture, but at least I learned from them.
Anyway...I guess the bottom line is - set up your show to make sure that everyone - artists and collectors alike have a good time. Sometimes, less is more.
Luann
Back Road BearsThe gift certificates as door prizes.... I have a big sign up at the door prize table that tells exactly what the door prizes are and the people I have taking admission also tell everyone about the door prizes up front. It's then up to the attendees if they want to register to win or not. Just knowing they MIGHT win a gift certificate had them on the hunt for that special bear they'd buy with it. AND it had them hanging around. Some waited to see if they'd won, having picked that very special bear out and I had reports that a few collectors ended up buying that special bear even though they didn't win. Every gift certificate handed out that day was used and used on big ticket bears so I think it worked very well for all. That was just one show of course. We'll see how the next goes.
Yeah, goody bags. That drives the booth price up doesn't it? Goody bags are a nice touch but they aren't free to anyone in the end. When I took over the show I did last year I carried on only one thing the former promoters did (everything else went out the window... it was time for changes!) and that was to offer something with the show name/logo on it that attendees could buy and each participating artist received as a thank you gift for participating. Last year I did large canvas tote bags.... big enough to carry newly adopted bears in. The profit from the sale of the bags to attendees covered the cost of those 'given' to artists so I lost nothing and didn't have to compensate for those 'goodies' by ultimately upping the booth fee. Again, just my experience. 
Posts: 280Hi Daphne. Please don't think I'm knocking your ideas. I'm all for whatever works. I think the door prize experience works differently at every show. At least at your show it was clear up front what they would possibly be winning. That was a good idea. It's reassuring to hear that people did stay around all day. That's rare these days - regardless of the show.
I had read several posts quite some time back about goody bags and from the comments written, I had envisioned these elaborate, gift-filled baskets that each artist had been given. I found myself wanting to go to those shows! Heck, it sounded great. The tote bags are a great idea, and you are right. They are a great gift and serve as a bit of memorabilia of the show.
To ask the artists to donate additional monies, however small the amount may be, is not something I'm comfortable with. I hear all the time that they think the promoters should cover all the expenses since they are the ones that have collected the table fees. I get asked every year if we are going to raise the table fees, and ours are among the most affordable being offered. Artists are wanting to share tables to cut back on their costs. That savings to them would add costs to me, but we tend not to think about the other guy's side. I have read countless posts from artists about the cost of shows, poor bear sales forcing them to have to seek full time employment, poor ebay sales, etc. The bear collectors seem to be more discriminating than ever, but sometimes it's just not our turn to sell. If taking on a job gets you through, the bears will always be there to return to. We do what we have to do. It's difficult at best, to figure out how to draw artists to participate in shows. It's a tough position for everyone. The promoters simply can't produce the top-notch shows with gang-busting crowds at a nice venue and charge $50 for table space. For some reason, however, the well-run, well attended, affordably priced shows seem to never garner any attention, yet the poorly run, poorly attended shows with their ever-increasing table fees seem to still get artists to keep coming back. Huh? Why is this? Are we such creatures of habit that we just keep signing up and going back hoping each time will be better? Do we seek out better shows? It seems to me that a lot of these shows just drone on and on until they simply disappear. The same fate may be in store for the better shows as well, as the promoters simply can't continue to "wait" until everyone tires of the poor shows and decide to move on to better ones.
Well, this could continue forever, so I'll step down before I scare everyone away.
Luann
Flying Fur StudiosLuann, great points you've offered. I'm going to be thinking about the prizes I offer differently now. I hadn't thought some of those things through and that's EXACTLY why I love this honest feedback.
I'm also not sure how I feel about asking artists to donate money.
Maybe we can get some artists feedback on that one?
wow, soo much to digest. Thanks.
So Daph, you say you had a demo every 30 mins? On average, how many people where there watching them?
