On being a vendor...

*Your booth is your store and you are the owner/manager/artist/ruler - so be professional.

*Open early and close late. (Even if you haven't seen a single human since 2pm...YOU NEVER EVER KNOW....)

*Follow every rule that the event has...to the letter. Have questions? Find the organizer.

*No complaining, bellyaching, or backbiting in your booth. AT ALL.

*No complaining, bellyaching, or backbiting in another vendor's booth. AT ALL.

*If you must vent then find a neutral space away from it all.

*If you are visiting with another vendor, be aware when potential customers walk into the space. Back off. The event is about connecting with customers and selling.

*Raise your tables. This isn't the 1960s and we are not hippies.

*Use lighting. Regardless of your product. Light it up.

*Smile.

*Laugh

*Ignore the strange comments that passers-by make. They aren't your customer anyway.

*Do you know who your customer is? Write a profile of your perfect customers. Review this profile when it's slow.

*Keep a mirror handy to make sure spinach isn't stuck in your teeth...or other such debris!

*Stay out of vendor gossip. Some of it can get so far off base it's ridiculous.

*Don't worry about that other jeweler, photographer, fabric artist in the show. You have your unique look and customer and s/he has their own.

*Stop talking about the horrible economy. There are individuals who WANT to spend money on original work. There is plenty of money.

*Make a quality product with a guarantee.

*Customer service is EVERYTHING...

*Smile (worth repeating)

*Laugh (ditto)

*Ditch the "victim/artist" mode.

*Artists are visionaries and innovators. That is a powerful position.

*Offer the world something irresistible.