Hindsight is a beautiful thing...

[mymiyel]

Hi everyone,

Since a lot of people here have experience in setting up businesses, setting up stalls at craft fairs and lots of other stuff, I was thinking we all must have lessons that we've picked up along the way.

So I was wondering what things have you had to learn the hard way or looking back would we have done differently?

I once did a summer fair which DID NOT go well at all. But, as my friend put it, I was next to a 2p lolly stand. At the time I wasn't doing much kid's stuff and there were lots of kids there who had spare pocket money but weren't that interested in the stuff I was selling because a) it was too grown up and b) it was too expensive for them. So now I try to include more stuff for kids at a more "pocket money friendly" price as well as my other stuff since you never know who will be there.

[Focus on Life]

I had a DOH moment at my first craft fair

I'd prepared these lovely A4 leaflets promoting my work which had tear off slips at the bottom for people to give me their details to enter my little competition...sounds good so far?

The idea was, we tore off the competition entry slip, put it in the box, the customer still had the top part of the leaflet to take home with them?...still sounds good?

....except I only realised 3/4 through the day that my address & tel number were only printed on the bottom of the sheet.....ie the bit they'd ripped off & given me back!

So they had no way of finding me afterwards, even if they wanted to!....but I saved the day and nonchalantly wrote to them all a few weeks later under the pretence of "thanking them for entering the competition" and offering a discount on their 1st purchase

So at least I knew the ones who'd entered my competition still got my details in the end

Shaz x