One year and a pandemic later I am looking at my first anniversary for selling in person at a fair. One year ago to this day I stood in front of a table where all of my books and journals lay, ready to take on my very first face-to-face selling. I signed up for a table at a local music festival and was excited to see what would happen. I had order about 100 of each of my books and had high hopes for what the day would bring.
My sister in law helped me set everything up. Being an artist and having done a few festivals and craft fairs herself, she was able to advise me on the pricing and also write out some beautiful signs in her artistic way.
The day got underfoot with a coffee in hand and some chatter with the other vendors. My family joined us after karate and dance was finished and spent the day selling with me in between running about the festival to see what they could find as far as free marketing items went.
There were a few lessons I learned during that day that I revisited today when my phone reminded me of the memory.
(Scroll all the way down if you don’t care to learn but just want the anniversary codes)
It’s fun to interact with buyers.
Even if they don’t end up buying your stuff, it’s fun to talk to people about what they like to read, why they do or don’t journal and what gets them excited. I had a few very interesting interacts (“I’ll review the sh*t out of the f**ker” said one man who bought a book. I wasn’t sure what to say so I laughed.) and made a friend who I still talk with today.
Music Festivals might not be the best place to sell books.
I didn’t sell hundreds of books that day. By 4pm most people were coming in to watch the concerts and I had quite a few tell me they just didn’t want to carry books around with them. Even though I gave them a card and a chance to sign up for my email, it would have been nicer to be able to sell them a book. Perhaps a Christmas fair or craft fair or small business fair would be best. I had hoped to be able to try one this year but we all know why that didn’t happen…
It’s a lot of work
Setting up, taking down, packing some food, being on the lookout for customers to talk to, etc. It’s a lot of work. Valuable work that teaches you a lot but work none the less.
Going to a few fairs throughout the year might make the work worth it.
It takes quite a bit to get everything put together. The signs, the decoration, the little Square to pass through credit cards, pricing, etc. Doing it for just one fair makes you wonder if it’s worth it. I think doing it possibly once a quarter would not only teach me more about direct sales, but be worth all the set up.
Marketing in person in different than online.
Direct sales is about talking to people. Asking them why they have empty journals. Telling them why that’s a reason you created an interactive one. Listening to them talk about their aspirations to write a book, telling them more about your own books when the back copy isn’t enough for them. You can’t just create something in Canva and walk away. You have to be very present for the conversation.
Don’t expect your friends to come.
This is just good to remember as a small business owner. Just don’t expect them. They have lives and won’t always be interested in coming out to your stand. It’s okay. Don’t take offense.
It’s worth it to try direct sales for the learning experience, certainly. Did I over buy on the books? Perhaps. I think it’s better to have too many than to sell out. Or at least that’s what I liked telling myself! Plus, having extra books helps me put on a one-year anniversary sale!
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