How Working Together Multiplies Your Craft Show Sales

June 20th, 2009

by Shasta McLaughlin
The Extravaganza Craft Productions
copyright 2009

One day I was riding in my sisters car. The roads were slick and the car slid off the road into a deep snowbank. The car was very stuck and trying to drive it out did no good. Along came a car with 5 guys in it. They couldn’t pull the car out using their car. They all got out and stood at different points around my sisters car then lifted up her car and put it back on the road.

One guy couldn’t have lifted the car alone, but together the 5 of them easily moved it.

Business is like lifting heavy objects. Doing it alone it’s too heavy but with many people working toward the same goal it becomes light.

Craft businesses often go out of business before they even get a good start when business owners try to do it all alone. There is just too much work to do and too many things to learn for one person.

Have you noticed that KFC and A&W teamed up? Have you thought about why they would do that? I have.

KFC and A&W are in direct competition with each other.

They chose to work together because they share costs and reach a wider customer base.

They rent/own one building instead of two as well as sharing equipment.
KFC and A&W share advertising costs. They put out one ad with both chains specials mentioned.
They both use one set of employees rather than each company having to hire their own.
KFC and A&W foods compliment each other. You might want rootbeer and ice cream with your fried chicken and mashed potatoes. You might want fried chicken and mashed potatoes while your friend wants a coney dog and tator tots, and everyone wants a rootbeer float. Both companies get more sales by working together.

In the business world working together is called a Joint Venture (JV for short). Jeff Dedrick says doing a joint venture isn’t like if I would make $1000 selling jewelry and my friend would make $1000 selling hair bows that we would make $2000 together. He says that if I would make a $1000 working alone and she would make $1000 working alone it’s possible that we would make $5000 working together.

So how do you make joint ventures work for your art or craft show business?

Choose someone with similar products but not exactly the same.

Jewelry-Handbags-Accessories-Clothes-Other Types or styles of Jewelry-Makeup

Woodworking-Furniture-Home Decor-Pillows-Curtains-Florals-Pictures-Light Plate Covers-Wood Carvings

Pottery-Table cloths and place mats-Furniture-Florals

Body Care-Embroidered Towels-Bath Fixtures

Rugs-Furniture-Lamps-Curtains

Choose someone with a different style than yours if you choose a product that is very similar to yours. For instance two Asian jewelry artists can work together if one does very elaborate work and the other does only very fancy work. They would be able to offer products that closely match their target audience but would be able to offer a wider variety of price ranges, making more sales. Both jewelry artists would be experts in the same field and able to share information on the use and care of Asian jewelry.
Ask show promoters if it’s okay to share a booth or rent two booths next to each other and mix products.
Make an agreement to know each others products and to offer them equally if someone is looking for that item. Offer each others product as an upsell or downsell.
No one likes to work for nothing. Be honest with your partner and keep good records making sure they get paid for their items that sold.
Evaluate partnerships and adjust or discontinue as necessary