How to Plan a Trunk Show to Sell Your Crafts
Trunk shows were traditionally held by high-fashion clothing designers who carted their wares to boutiques in storage trunks. They would open those trunks to display their latest designs and accept wholesale or retail orders during the show. Today, crafters have embraced the trunk show as an effective way to sell in person. The idea of a trunk show may be daunting, but once you have a plan, you’ll find that it’s all very doable—and exciting! Here’s how to plan a great trunk show.
Where to Hold a Trunk Show
You may already know some business owners who’d be interested in sponsoring your trunk show. Where do you normally spend time outside home? Which of those places might best attract your target customers? In addition to retail shops, consider places such as these:
- Restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops
- Salons and spas
- Yoga, dance, and fitness studios
- Building lobbies
- Office conference rooms
- Music venues
Keep in mind that trunk shows are mutually beneficial for you and your sponsor, because the sponsor receives a cut of your sales and the show helps attract customers and positive media attention. Point out these benefits when you approach potential sponsors.
Approaching Sponsors
Introduce yourself to potential trunk show sponsors and explain that you’re looking for a trunk show venue. This is easiest when the business owner or employees already recognize you. In other situations, you may feel more comfortable contacting the business owner, building manager, or office manager first by mail or email. Send them a brief letter or message of introduction along with some photos of your crafts. Invite them to contact you to learn more about your idea.
Promoting a Trunk Show
Even if your show is public, you can still use invitations to help promote it. Send them by regular mail or email to friends, family, co-workers, past customers, and everyone on your mailing list. If you purchase advertising, try styling your ads as public invitations.
Your invitations should match your marketing color scheme and overall style. At a minimum, include the following information:
- Your seller name and email address or phone number
- The date, time, and location of the show
- A general description of the goods you’ll have available for purchase
- The payment methods you accept
- Any refreshments you or the sponsor will provide
- Any free gifts and who receives them (such as a raffle winner or the first five guests to arrive)
- Any special discounts available only at the show
Optionally, you can encourage invitees to bring along friends and family. An RSVP request can help you anticipate the total number of guests, especially for private shows. If you become a more active seller, you may choose to promote your shows more aggressively by sending out press releases or announcements to local media.
Your sponsor may also decide to include your show in their own promotional campaign, which they may need your assistance designing.
Negotiating Terms with Sponsors
Before agreeing to a show, you should sit down with the sponsor and discuss some important details. First, decide how to split proceeds. Sponsors typically ask for a commission of between 10 and 50 percent of a show’s gross sales. Make sure that the split you agree to is enough to at least cover your costs. If a sponsor cannot lower their cut to a level that works for you, courteously decline their offer and look for a sponsor who offers friendlier terms.
In addition to setting a commission, you and your sponsor need to decide on the basics of scheduling and show format, including date and time, duration, and whether the show will be public or private. For a private show, find out whether the sponsor has a guest list, and if so, whether you should also invite your own guests.
Here are some more topics to cover:
- How much inventory will you bring, and how much space will you need to display it? To help the sponsor know what to expect, explain how much inventory you plan to bring and its price range. Work out ahead of time where you’ll set up your table, keeping in mind its physical dimensions.
- Who will process payments? If the sponsor is a retailer with a cash register and merchant account, they might agree to process your customers’ payments and reimburse you for your percentage of sales after the show. The sponsor may or may not ask for separate compensation to cover the costs of processing payments, such as merchant account fees.
- Who will provide refreshments? Decide whether you or your sponsor will supply food or drinks as well as napkins, plates, and cups or glasses.
- How will your display be lighted? Find out whether the sponsor can accommodate your lighting needs. If not, plan to bring clip-on lights or lamps for your table. Check ahead of time for electrical outlets, and know whether you need extension cords.
- Will you sit down or stand and mingle? To make a trunk show feel more like an art exhibit or party, you can stand up and mingle with guests rather than sit behind your table. However, this may be feasible only if the sponsor or their employees can help keep an eye on your display and process payments.
- Who will pay for promotion? Occasionally, a sponsor requests extra compensation for their promotion efforts. Only agree to this if you think the terms are fair in light of the percentage split.
If you’re dealing with your sponsor pretty casually, you can simply talk these details over. Or, you can put them in writing if you or the sponsor feels it’s necessary. If a sponsor presents you with a premade contract, be sure to check it carefully for accuracy before signing.
Having a trunk show can not only boost sales, it can be a great tool for getting the message out there about your crafts. Good luck, and happy selling!
From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Selling Your Crafts by Chris Franchetti Michaels
