After I drop anything off in the booth at The Shag I tend to, if I have the time, mosey about the antique mall and check out the other vendors wares. Saturday I was surprised to find a new vendor in booth 27 with a style right up our alley.
Look at that, just a couple of days in and already they've figured out that using the space above the
booth is a good idea! Beyond that, they've got great wares and an excellent sense of style. I bet that
if you stop by tomorrow, at least a few of the items I took pictures of Saturday will be gone. I think
that Michele will be in here a lot bringing in new stock.
As you can see, they've got just about the right mix of smalls and furnishings for an 8 x 6 foot booth.
Figuring this out and maintaining that balance is always a challenge, no matter how much space you
have. It's like owning a boat. You get TwoFoot-Itus...if you have a 13 foot boat you'll want a 15
footer, get that 15 footer and you just can't live without that 17 foot. I'm already looking for more
space myself!
As you can see, M for Modern / Michele is no part-timer, selling on eBay, etsy and now at The Green
Shag Market. They've even got business card made up! This has been a matter of some contention
between many of my support system (The Girlfriend, Mom-tomic, staff at The Shag) and myself.
I'm of the opinion that business cards are quaint...a single page vanity press relic from the past, while
everybody else seems to think that having these available in the booth and to hand out would be
highly beneficial.
I just don't see it. I don't have any of the business cards I've ever been handed (well, maybe a few
stuffed in my wallet, but I don't even know what they'd be without looking) and I can't imagine why
anyone would keep one of mine. I might jot down the word "Modtomic" for them to look up later in
order for them to find the blog, but that's about it. What do you think?
Hard to feature a vendor in a blog post with no business card. If I were a blogger walking around the mall and I wanted to take photos and feature you in a post, how would I know you had a blog if you weren't there? When I did my DC Big Flea post, I skipped over vendors who didn't have cards and didn't have websites because what's the point if I can't link back to you? Also, I met a midmod dealer at a show one time and picked up his card. He had told me he had a ton of stock back at his shop in PA so when I knew another show was coming up and I needed dining chairs, I was able to call him up. It ended up being a nice sale for him that he wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't kept his card. If you start doing Chicago shows, business cards would probably be handy for repeat customers, especially if someone requests something that you know you have back at the shop or the house. Finally, when I tell people I'm a blogger, they often ask if I have a card. Who knows how many people check out the blog from my card, but I do get a lot of direct traffic. Just some thoughts in favor of business cards.
ReplyDeleteHi Alison.
DeleteWhat's the point? I feature vendors in booths here and in just about any antique mall that will let me and 99% of them don't have cards available. I don't recall seeing THAT many at the Flea in Chicago recently and of those who did I didn't really take notice, but I still like to show off their wares...and I KNOW it is appreciated because I hear back from some of them from time to time. It's not always about making a buck!
We're big believers in business cards. Joe gives out tons of them, and I do too. Every time I work at the store for him, people ask for a card, especially if they see something they like but can't afford it right then and want to come back. Like Allison, I get asked about business cards almost every time I tell someone I'm a blogger. The store also has Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest addresses (and I have personal Pinterest boards too) that are on our cards...way easier to hand someone a card than to jot all that down for someone.
ReplyDeleteI personally keep a notebook with plastic sleeves that hold business cards, some I've kept for years. I can't tell you how many carpenters, tree trimmers, plumbers and the like have received repeat business from me simply because I've filed their cards in that book. I never could have remembered who they were without the cards.
As for the new booth in the store...we've found that the more vintage modern dealers there are in one place, the more people will make the trek to that location. Most of the vintage modern dealers in Dallas have moved to the Design District recently, and it actually gets us all more customers, because when people come to the neighborhood, they have a tendency to hit all the stores. We don't even consider each other competition, because we rarely have the same pieces on the floor at the same time. If someone comes in looking for a specific piece and we don't have it but we know someone who does, we send them there. It builds a huge amount of goodwill.
Hi Dana.
DeleteFor the Mid2Mod shop et al, it makes more sense to have business cards I guess. I mean, it is a full on business! I'm just a lil part time hobbiest! The clientele that you have WOULD keep and refer back to cards as that is still a part of the business world...for the moment. But paper...it's going by way of the Do Do. I hate to say and or admit it as my real job is based around paper products...but it is going away, whether we like it or not.
1. You should do cards. I hand out a ton at the fleas and Mid Century sales.
ReplyDelete2. More the merrier! I'm the only dedicated mid century dealer at Heritage Sq which is reflected in my lack of sales (arrrrg).
Hi bopfish.
Delete1. I probably will, the Girlfriend REALLY wants to make some for me.
2. No DOUBT! One of my buddies, Jeff, is soon to be joining us at The Green Shag Market and he brings some real talent to the party! As soon as he gets in and settled I'll show ya'll.