Made by hand: Ashley Owens weaves together business, pleasure, and community
When Ashley Owens, owner of Black Sheep Goods, sets up shop with her loom at any of the 10-ish festivals she attends as a vendor each year, people take notice.
April 2018 | Vendor Spotlight
When Ashley Owens, owner of Black Sheep Goods, sets up shop with her loom at any of the 10-ish festivals she attends as a vendor each year, people take notice.
Her 3-year-old company specializes in hand-woven tapestries, DIY Weaving Kits, fiber jewelry, and handspun yarn made with all reclaimed fibers. While events and festivals are a great way for her to promote her business and sell merchandise, Ashley loves the community-building aspects that festivals offer.
“Community is a big part of what I do,” Ashley said. “I like to educate people on this relaxing and meditative art of weaving. Seeing people try it out on my sample loom I have out at shows makes me so happy.”
Festivals also give her the opportunity to showcase her ever evolving product lineup. Her latest innovation? Black Sheep Goods now offers one-of-a-kind, ice-dyed clothing and accessories made with dyeing technique that uses melting ice to create a watercolor effect.
FAVORITE FESTIVAL MOMENT:
Narrowing down my favorite is hard, but the funniest has to be when a storm was coming in and tents starting blowing everywhere and people were helping out left and right trying to hang on to these tents so they wouldn’t blow over. It all happened so fast that we couldn't help but laugh at the situation.
TIPS FOR NEW VENDORS:
I would say bring lots of snacks, make friends with your neighbor vendors, and interact with your customers. Talk to them, connect with them. Just think that every person that walks into your booth is a potential sale so don't be afraid to go for the sale. And if they pass on a sale then at least hand them a business card.
How could spending a day at our next event boost your business?
You could spend another day hunkered over your desk or in the studio creating. Or you could step into the sunshine, energy, and excitement of one of our world-class events where thousands of potential customers will be gathered together to meet each other and support local businesses. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses increase their brand awareness and connect with new customers and collaborators. Contact us to find out which upcoming opportunities are the best fit for you and your company and start positioning your brand as part of the fabric of your neighborhood.
Beyond Tables & Tents: 6 Surefire Tips for Maximizing your Vendor Booth Opportunity
Whether you’re pushing merch, recruiting talent, or just trying to get your name out there - here are our top 6 tips for boosting your booth appeal!
April Feature
We’ve talked a lot recently about the benefits of sponsoring and vending at events and festivals. The exposure. The brand awareness. The sales. The networking… it’s good stuff.
NOW we want to share a few ideas for making the best use of your vendor booth space. Whether you’re pushing merch, recruiting talent, or just trying to get your name out there - here are our top 6 tips for boosting your booth appeal so you and your new customers (or friends. or future employees.) go home happy.
Bring a friend. Always work a booth with another person. Not only is this helpful during bathroom breaks, but having someone else by your side who can answer questions and use a Square reader is super handy during high-traffic times. They can also help you get unstuck from a conversation with a chatty Cathy when it’s time for you to move on. Just pick a code word in advance. Coo coo!
Let ‘em linger, even if they’re not buying anything. See, people are more likely to enter a booth when someone else is there ahead of them. Don’t lose patience with the person who spends a lot of time looking and then leaves without buying; they’re doing you a favor by helping you show how friendly and popular you are, and that sends a message to other passers-by that it’s safe for them to stop in, too.
Be cool, baby. Nobody likes a pushy salesperson, so let people browse and ask questions. Let ‘em tell you about their Yorkie’s dietary restrictions. Heck, even bid them a fond farewell as they leave with a handful of sweets from your candy bowl - which, btw, we recommend you display on your table as a friendly lure. Never let ‘em see you sweat and they’re likely to come back later to make a purchase.
Gamify. People love free stuff… but even more, people love to win free stuff. Make your booth space an interactive experience by giving people a chance to step inside and try their luck. Maybe they spin a wheel and - yippee! - win a prize. Or they guess how many Jelly Beans are in a jar and wait anxiously as you announce a new winner every hour. You get the idea. Find a way to create some high energy around your booth and attract a crowd on command.
Know your role. Actually, better yet, know the role the event producer is playing before you show up. At all of our events, we provide vendors with a 10’x10’ space. But other event producers may provide something else or have many levels of space for rent. If it’s not clear, then be sure to ask what will be provided so you can pack appropriately.
Create a selfie situation. Attract people to your booth by giving them something sensational to take a picture with, in front of, beside, inside, on top of… you get the picture. (You get the pun, too) ;) We recently featured one of our successful vendors whose “traveling booth” serves as a great photo backdrop. But you don’t have to go THAT big to make it work. Cut the center out of a posterboard and bedazzle it with your company name or logo and - voila - you’ve created a real life photo frame that people can pose behind. Say cheese!
How many potential customers do you talk to in a typical day?
If you’re like most business owners, you probably don’t even want to tell us the answer (because it’s 0) - and that’s okay. We get it! Most industries don’t allow you to get out and meet face-to-face with your customers on the regular, even though that is one of the best ways to promote your brand, make sales, and even find inspiration for how to improve your products and services to make even more money. That’s why we are so excited to be able to connect you with the thousands of people who attend each of our 15+ events throughout the year. And, for a small price, you get to make a huge investment in the success of your company.
Let’s talk about which of our upcoming opportunities sounds like the best fit for your goals. We’d love to introduce you to the neighbors… thousands of them.
How Anna B. Webb built a successful business leveraging Nashville events and a trailer named Ginger
Artist Anna B. Webb says festivals are a great way to make a profit without needing a brick-and-mortar location for her business.
March 2018 | Vendor Spotlight
She’s a designer and an artist in about as many ways as you can be. Over the past 9 years, Anna B. Webb has made a living designing dazzling aesthetics for home interiors and sets, then as a self-taught graphic designer, and as an artist with her business HeArt of Nashville, known for her popular paintings of the Nashville skyline.
If you string your show schedule together carefully, you can have a strong art presence without the bricks and mortar part....and what business doesn't love that?” Anna B. Webb
Her career path tells the story of a woman who knows how to reinvent herself, to stay relevant, and to say yes to a good opportunity when it presents itself…even if that means turning a trailer into a vendor booth on wheels.
“My art business was launched when I decided to stop publishing an annual Nashville event calendar,” Anna said. “Over the eight years of [the calendar’s] run, the same information eventually became easily accessible on the internet. Meanwhile, the demand for more of my Nashville skyline paintings that used to be on the cover had continued to grow. It's a classic, when one door closes.....another door opens story.”
She’s participated in more festivals than she can count. From well known venues including Centennial Park and Bicentennial Capitol Mall to small schools, churches and fields all over town. She’s had a presence at a slew of Nashville’s events, large and small. And now, she rolls into each venue every bit the true arts professional in her 1955 trailer retrofitted as her mobile art gallery, which she lovingly calls Ginger.
Why so many festivals?
“It's fabulous exposure!” Anna said. “Especially since Nashville has so many people moving here every day. They go looking for the interesting things to do in their new home and a festival is on that list every time. So you're immediately in the path of a lot of newcomers who couldn't possibly know about you any other way and it can be very lucrative both that day and down the road.”
Favorite festival moment:
I was at a large festival during the solar eclipse of 2017. People were there from all over the world to be in the path of it. Everyone was excited in anticipation. They were also in a mood to shop, so I found myself literally running into my trailer and back out again for a look. It was crazy. As it got dark, you could see the lights come up in the Nashville skyline in the middle of the day and it got really quiet. It was a fairly cloudy day but just moments before it was to become a full eclipse, a cluster of clouds parted and we could see it perfectly.
Thousands of people ‘ooohed’ and ‘aaahed’ together with our heads pointed to the sky and wearing our goofy looking glasses. My husband and some friends came to join in the experience. It was like a big global party and ended up being a really moving moment.
Advice for first time vendors:
1) Be patient and be kind. The shopper, their kids, their husband, their chatty sister....AND their dog are your friends, not your enemy, and they all have a story that you might actually want to hear.
2) Remember to enjoy yourself (festival fun really isn't just for the attendees) and they will naturally enjoy being in your booth. You're there for a reason. Pay attention and it will reveal itself. One night, besides it being a great sales day, I swear I was really there to give some gals working in the booth next door a safe ride to their car. To this day I get free ice cream when one of them is working. ;)
Interested in being a vendor? Contact us to chat about the possibilities.
Tips from seasoned vendor and awesome artist Kasey E Caldwell
Kasey E Caldwell has been creating one-of-a-king mixed media wall art full time for the past five years and attends around 20 festivals a year to sell her work and meet customers.
February 2018 | Vendor Spotlight
Now is the time for business owners to gear up for festival season!
Kasey E Caldwell has been creating one-of-a-king mixed media wall art full time for the past five years and loving every minute of it. Especially during festival season.
She creates her art out of her home workshop and office with her company KCdesignZ LLC, so when the first festival of the season rolls around in March, she’s more than ready to get out and meet new friends and potential customers. Each year she participates in 15-20 events throughout the Nashville region
“These events are where I get my inspiration and get to actually interact with the customer,” Kasey said. “That's what it's all about! During January and February, I find myself slowing losing my inspiration and as soon as March comes around and I get to do my first show of the year all my excitement and purpose comes flooding back!”
She said festivals and events drive the majority of her income as an artist.
What was your favorite festival moment?
Gosh there are so many. However, I'll never forget the feel and energy surrounding Nashville Pride Fest the year the the Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriage equality. It was so amazing to be a part of that and share in everyone’s happiness!
What advice do you have for first time vendors?
1. Weights, weights, weights.
2. Be patient, especially when it is time to load out.
3. Show up on time when time to set up.
4. Always load in a day early if that’s an option.
5. Bring a partner to help you if you can.
6. Never pack up early.
7. Bring plenty of back up.
8. Design your set up prior to the show.