when you start up a business, you have to offer customers something.
People need to be coaxed into purchasing things sometimes.
Now, Id think especially wood crafts are not items high on anyones list, even this time of year. Essentials are where the money is going to.
you want to get your stuff out there, put it there, and eat a little sawdust for a while, its better than eating dust and not putting it out there.
(this is all my opinion on startup, IM not looking to offend anyone who makes things for sale here, Im speaking from a business end, since Ive been in retail for 32 years, and then some)
I dont know what you charge for a cutting board, lets say 25 bucks.
Put a huge sign at the next show, BUY a cutting board today, get a free wine bottle holder! Give some products out. You will lose profit, ofcourse, but you will get some of your stuff out there. And out there is where the advertising is. In homes, in apts, where 100s of people will see them everyday and make sure a card goes with each one. And run the sale after the show. Tell the customers, each cutting board gets a free wine bottle holder from now till whenever you choose to stop it.
I sell alot of toys. When a toy like Tickle Me Elmo was taking the world by storm, or cabbage patch babies, even though I got my hands on a nice supply, I sold them at cost, didnt make a nickel, just to get people in and make them notice all the other stuff laying around. Compound sales. thats what its all about.
Half the people at these shows are just there to look, and even the buying half arent there to buy everything.
Its important to let your stuff be known and seen.
It doesnt matter to you if you give a free wine bottle holder to some lady who purchased a board and she mails it to her daughter in Texas who in turn says she loves it, mom, can you get me 6 more for gifts, or do you have the guys number anymore?
I say do whatever yo uhave to do to get your stuff out there, even if in the beginning you make no money, at least you wont lose any money, and open up your merchandise to an entire world of eyes to look at them and admire them.
Ok, sorry for the rant, back to regular programming.