The Wire Writer

Keeping It Simple

After selling at countless craft markets, fairs, festivals, car boot sales etc etc over the years, I’ve come to one conclusion about how to set up your stall – keep it simple !

I was usually always first out of the car park and on my way home with other stallholders staring at me with what I took to be envy as they continued to dis-assemble their complicated framework and packed endless items in newspaper back into boxes for transit.

Now, I know for a lot of businesses this simply isn’t possible, as they have lots of inventory and every market is like building a shop and taking it down again in the same day.

Well, as a Wire-Bender, Name-maker, Wire-Writer call us what you will, it is a much simpler process.

Polystyrene and an old t-shirt (not recommended)

There are no real hard and fast rules for setting up a stall but I came up with some important observations while studying how people sell their stuff over the years and here they are:

My Common Sense Rules to Selling (not just Wire Names but anything)

• Put your products at eye level. It’s always painful to bend down and look at something.

• Display your Prices ! In my experience, people hate to ask how much something is – it’s extra effort, then they will think you made the price up out of your head creating mistrust from the word go, not a good idea.

• If you are doing night markets, get good lighting. Make sure the lights display the products and not the customers face

• Don’t read a book or magazine while you are waiting for customers – this signifies you are as bored as hell and would sooner be at home in front of the telly.

• What I found works best when greeting the customer is a simple “hello” or “hi” and a smile. Don’t be over polite and say things like “what can I help you with Sir / Madam”? It has to be genuine. Just let them know you are there and ready and let them get on with browsing.

• If someone wants to start talking about their life story because you appear friendly – you have to be blunt. I always had queues at certain markets and you have a 4 or 5 hour period in which to sell as much as possible. You cannot afford to chat to people. Don’t be rude, just say “Sorry I have to make this name, I’m not ignoring you, i’m just a little busy” or something like that, most people will get the hint.

The Simpler and more Portable the better

For many years I used simply an artists easel and a fold up board I made from a couple of cork boards and hinges. All my Tools and stuff I needed were in a laptop bag that I opened up on a small table and I sat in one of those fold up camping chairs. Pretty much everything was fold up, so I could carry it in one trip.

Much Better - Fold up Easel, Board and Stool

Later on I got a little more complicated, I built a large drawer inside a cabinet, a bit like a low filing cabinet. This was to house all the stock of names that I had accumulated which made the selling process quicker. Everything then fitted on a trolley. Still one trip to the car though.

What’s a fair price to sell your product ?

Ok, first lesson, don’t be too cheap. I saw a lot of market sellers selling handmade stuff over the years that probably took them an hour to make and they sold them for Five bucks or something similar. If it’s cheap then it loses value in the eyes of the customer, so they probably won’t buy it because they think the eye will fall out of the pottery crocodile as soon as they get it home (Australian markets haha).

Exceptions to that rule is if you bulk bought 15,000 fluffy koala bears (Australian again) on your last trip through China and they are clogging up your garage. So $2 each is fine. Can’t leave your car parked on the lawn forever…

Too expensive and people just won’t buy. They know they can get something similar at Kmart for half the price. Unless your product is exclusive and of quality. Then you can charge more, but it depends on the market. You won’t sell a Louis VIII Chaise Longue at a car boot sale.

Slightly more complicated setup. An extra chair and a lovely assistant

As a general rule of thumb I would say make the price at least twice what it cost you to make. Try to make it 3 times. It’s all about what the value is perceived to be in the eyes of the buyer.  Packaging increases the value of something. It doesn’t have to be over the top, just something cute or nice – a nice touch like a ribbon or some nice paper or one of those little gift boxes. I personally am guilty of not doing this in the past, but I realise now that it does make a difference.

Feel free to comment on this post – I invite any differences of opinion !

Andy Turner.