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April 4-6, Craftsmens Classic Arts & Crafts Festival, Greensboro, NC

April 4-6, Craftsmen's Classic Arts & Crafts Festival, Greensboro. Contact: Gilmore Enterprises Inc., 3514-A Drawbridge Pkwy., Greensboro, NC 27410, phone 336-282-5550. E-mail: gilmoreshows@triad.rr.com. Web site: www.craftshow.com. Space fee: $325-$975. Space size: 8x10 to 8x30. 100% indoors. Exhibitors: 260. Hours: 10-8 Friday, 10-6 Saturday, 11-5 Sunday. Attendance: 25,000 (2007 gate). Admission: $6. 

By Shoshana Matthews

Maryland Reporter

E-mail: shoshana@handwovens.biz

Medium: Fiber 

   This was another show of haves and have-nots, although I must say there were more haves this time. The economy is making shows even more interesting than usual. The weekend before this was Craftsmen's Classic in Chantilly, Virginia. Most of us who do both shows figured Chantilly, with tons of government workers and an enormous median-income level, would be good, but we weren't expecting great things from Greensboro, a more working-class city. Well, we were all surprised. Greensboro turned out to be much better than Chantilly for a lot of us. One artist's comment said it all: "The only thing predictable about shows these days is that you can't predict."

   Crowds were good, as at most Gilmore shows, but this time there were more people actually carrying packages. Although there were quite a few artists who barely made expenses (or who didn't get that far), a large number (including me) did better than last year at this show. This seesaw existence is taking its emotional toll on many of us. We all start out on the first morning with great hopes of a good income and go from hour to hour wondering if this time it's our turn to do well. If we can all hang in there until November, we might just make it.

   Kudos is due to Clyde and Tami Gilmore, more so than usual. On Saturday morning, I learned that they'd asked a buy/sell artist to pack up and leave. They'd confirmed on Friday that most of the goods in the booth were buy/sell, curtained off the booth on Friday night and confronted the artist early Saturday morning. The Gilmores are among the few large promoters with whom I've worked over the years who have the integrity to stick to their rules and protect the quality of the shows for the rest of us. Thank you! The buzz among the artists for the rest of the weekend was nothing but praise for this move.

   As far as marketing, postcards, e-mails and letters do work. My own experience is that I have many more sales from my mailings to former customers. (Good customers come back to buy more and bring their friends.) I've spoken with many artists this year who say that their returning customers are what has saved them. I know mailings cost a lot, and I'm trying to send more e-mails and fewer postcards, but they are definitely worth the effort. So keep those cards going out. A good mailing list in this economy is worth its weight in gold.

   The other move that worked was the free patron return provided by the Gilmores for this show. We were given coupons to give out to those customers we thought might come back the next day and buy from us. These coupons entitled them to a free return ticket to either use themselves or give to a friend. This was just one more move to stimulate sales, and I think it worked.

   Hang in there. This year can only get better, right?!