Before we go any further let me say that being a vender is hard work. You drive long distances-set up in the cold/rain/heat and tear down in same, have slow show days/times. Loading and unloading ,depending on the amount of display/inventory you have takes time and is work especially if you are doing it alone. You also have the expense of travel-gas/food/lodging. You won't get paid for all the time you put in ( you also don't get paid to drive to your regular job and I know some of the nurses who work with me in er drive 45-60 min one way). After you get home you have to unload unless everything stays in a trailer until the next show but you still have to restock at the least. But if you are passionate about your product/business it can also be very rewarding. It is wonderful to get possitive feedback from customers/people even if they don't buy then, give them a business card to remember you and they may buy later. I often will write on the back of the card what item they were interested in or let them write on the card so they will not only have my business name but a written reminder of the item they especially liked. Meeting people and other venders is good for exchanging ideas and getting your creative juices flowing. It is wonderful to notice the things people are wearing that they haave made and you might get a new idea for combining colors that you might not thought of, etc. You can also share your knowledge with attendees, and they will remember that you were helpful and are more likely to buy from you, even if it is next year. You will have good and very good shows if you get the right product mix, the right shows but it may take time to get there. You will also have shows that are not worth going back to. It is hard to know what shows to do and sometimes it takes a few years for it to be profitable. If at the end of the day you ask yourself "why am I doing this?" and you asnswer because "I love it and I can't not do it and be fulfilled" you will find that it is worth it.
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