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Making money from Craft Show customer service!
By Natalie Goyette
Thrill of all thrills¡ªyou've got a potential buyer in your
booth! Now what? First smile, make eye contact, greet the
customer and start a simple conversation¡ªanything but, "Can I
help you?" Walk the fine line between being available and being
pushy. And definitely never sit in a corner reading a novel! Ask
questions to create a personal connection like, "Are you looking
for a gift or for yourself? "What colors do you enjoy best?"
"What are your favorite styles of crafts?"
Buyers often come to craft shows to see unusual objects and meet
the artists, so give them what they came for. Explain briefly
about your crafts and how you make them¡ªif it's a unique
process. Talk about a specific item they may be showing an
interest in¡ªstrictly from an informational standpoint. Listen,
answer any questions and take feedback openly.
Don't assume anything about a potential customer¡ªtreat everyone
with respect and attention. However, don't cater to extremely
difficult or rude visitors who have something negative to say
about everything: "I can make that myself!" "I saw one just like
that at another booth for half the price!" Just smile and say
okay. Or you can say something pleasant like, "You may have
difficulty finding everything you need to create something like
this" or, "All my items are original designs and I don't think
anyone has copied them!"
Don't take negativity or rejection personally¡ªeveryone will have
an opinion! As long as the majority of people don't feel that
way about your crafts, you'll do fine. You'll never please
everyone and not everyone will buy from you, but everyone's
comments can have some value. Learn from any comments that
may be helpful¡ªyou may get clues as to future modifications or
new items to create
If a customer seems prepared to buy and has some hesitation,
practice some sales techniques for overcoming objections. Find
out what the real problem is¡ªwhether a woman isn't sure her
husband will like it or if it will fit in her home¡ªand see how
you can solve it. Can you offer to make a custom item, ship it
later or call her husband on the phone? Offer cash, check or
credit card options to make buying an easy process.
When you find real fans of your work, do what you can to turn
them into collectors. Make sure they have your upcoming show
schedule and contact information and you have theirs. Tell them
you'll keep in touch and let them know when you produce new
items. Also, send every customer a thank you e-mail or card when
you return home. It's a very personal touch and only done by
high-end stores with exceptional customer service.
When concluding a sale, learn to be efficient in wrapping the
item, taking the payment, giving the customer a receipt, your
card or brochure and getting them to leave their contact
information. They can either sign your guest book or fill out a
form and drop it in a box for a drawing. Your expedience in
finishing a sale allows you to move on to other customers who
may be waiting for your attention. Have lots of pens, receipt
books, shopping bags and marketing materials. You may also
want to carry decorative gift boxes that would be easier to use for
gifts than wrapping paper.
As you do more and more shows, you will come to create a profile
of your ideal customer¡ªtheir age, income bracket, interests,
gender, how they dress, what they like, what they purchase most
often and other characteristics that will help you plan your
future craft items, pricing and display.
About the Author
Natalie Goyette shows you how to maximize your profit in her best-selling e-book on craft shows! http://www.craftshowsuccess.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/15714.html
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| Some other articles by Natalie Goyette | |
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