Why you HAVE to brand your Antique Booth | Inventory Mistakes in your Antique Booth Business
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- It's one of the most common mistakes I see when I'm out and about doing some antique mall shopping-- booth owners thinking that "more is always better," when it comes to their inventory.
But what if less inventory is sometimes the thing you need? Or at least inventory that all fits together and gives your booth a cohesive feel?
In this video I share why you HAVE to come up with a brand for your booth business. And it doesn't have to be as difficult as you may think! With some focus and planning, your booth can leave an impression on customers, instead of getting lost in endless rows of booths.
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Are you feeling stuck in your business? Maybe not seeing the profits or income you want, or struggling to even start?
What you may need is to talk it all out with someone who has been there and understands what you're trying to do.
I have spent 11 years successfully running my own small, home-based business and would love to help you with yours!
Whether you are . . .
Looking to get your furniture painting business up and running
Struggling to get the sales you want in your antique booth
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Trying to launch into online sales
Wanting to open that dream brick and mortar
I would be honored to help!
You would be surprised at what we could accomplish together in an hour one-on-one call. I will help you give focused attention to your business so you can walk away with an action plan or greater clarity on how to solve your problems and move forward.
My business is called Patina Sterne and people have nicknamed my booth the "Magpie booth", where you can find anything brass and silver. It's predominantly moody maximalist in style but each vignette is a bit different in style. Boho brass, cottage pewter, dark academia tarnished silver. I make sure to incorporate pottery, wood, greenery, books to style. Most importantly I stay heavy in metalwares and people know exactly where to go for metallic accents like lamps, candlesticks, vases.
That's awesome!! Sounds like you have found your niche and customers know exactly what they can find with you :)
There's so much value in every one of your videos. Thank you for sharing your expertise. ❤
You are so welcome!
It would really be amazing if you would show examples of what you think successful booths are (their branding, etc.). You talk a lot about what it is, but I think it would be great to show some examples, along with the malls you spoke of that didn't impress you at all. Thanks
Thanks for the feedback! And yes, I would love to do more tours and showing examples. I miss my amazing mall back in Texas (I no longer live there) but do have plans to try and find some good examples in the area to share. As far as sharing examples of poorly staged booths, I try to avoid doing that in case someone recognizes their space and feels embarrassed or unfairly criticized 😬 I’m not out to be a “bad guy”, and you never know who will find your content online. So that’s why more of those examples are not shared :) Have you watched the staging shelves video? I do have lots of photo examples from my own store I share in that one. Thanks for watching!
She has one I love, and probably more but this one is a great video of examples. th-cam.com/video/i-30jUpiXag/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for sharing!
Every booth that is cute and inviting is exactly what she is talking about. Booths with shelves with stuff on it isn't memorable or exciting to shop at.
This is exactly what I tell my vendors....I have shared your information to my 50+ vendors... and they are listening ❤️❤️❤️
Great! I am so glad it’s helpful! I hope you see lots of success in your mall 😊😊
Have you thought of going to the owner of the mall and for a fee, teaching this there? Great idea! Malls have been shutting down. And I live in a big city!
I would be happy to offer if anyone asks! I do have my online course I teach for individual vendors, but would be glad to offer whatever helpful info I can to mall owners also. I really do love this field and want to see antique malls and booth owners everywhere thrive!
I understand the value of branding. I also understand the value of visual merchandising. I have a degree in Interior Design and also am certified as a Visual Merchandiser. When I retired I volunteered one day a week for about a year at a really nice second-hand store downtown where I was given free rein to set up all of their displays in any way I saw fit. Within the first 30 days I was there their sales increased by 40%. Items that had been sitting out on the floor randomly for months were gone - poof! Magic? No. Many sellers don't see the value in branding or visual merchandising, which is a shame because they're literally shooting themselves in the foot by not taking the time to do it or learn how.
This was soooo helpful!
Great information! I have been through each of these phases of my booth. I tried to buy what I thought people wanted instead of what call my name. Once I started to buy what was my style, I started to find my followers. Be true to your brand and things will begin to change for you. Thank you!
Thanks Tina! Agreed - once you find what’s selling, then it always makes things better for you as a business owner.
I watched this a few months ago and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The things I’m putting in our booth now have been impacted by this as well as changes we’ve been making. TY ❤
Great!!
Thank you so much for this! New booth owner here..and I NEEDED to hear all of this. I'm looking at my booth and thinking it looks like a yard sale..so off to work I go!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Hi! Saw your interview with Cindy @ Reinvented Delaware. Thank you for sharing this video!
This video is a-ma-zing!! I am becoming a vendor in January. I can’t wait to stage my space. Your words are so on point with my vision ❤❤❤.
Great information! I found your channel a few days ago. I appreciate all of the helpful information you share to help other booth owners!
So glad it was helpful Susan :)
This is terrific info, I want to be that booth that people return to and tell their friends about. I need to be more selective in my choosing inventory. I have felt in the past I wanted to be all things to all people. I know when I see a booth that I like I take notes, so I can incorporate some of their ideas of staging. So glad I found you here and IG. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
You’re welcome Brenda, I’m glad you found it helpful :)
Thank you for the great advice 👍. I'm new to your channel & the Booth Business. I'm loving all your helpful truthful tips. I'm limited to space in my booth but I've noticed that the items in the small area I have reserved for staging & the vignettes I create within the existing shelves (that belong to the store & are built-in) tend to sell faster. I can't say I have a brand but I will after I brainstorm a bit. 😊 thank you again.
Don’t overthink it… it can be simple and also a bit fluid. The main idea is just to have some sort of hook for customers to attach to and remember. You’re doing great!!
Your example reminds me of antique malls from 20 years ago. Things have changed so much!
They have Melanie! Thanks for following along :)
Thank you for the great tips! It's very tempting to try to have something for everyone, but it ends up looking like a random, cluttered mess. You have to make a singular statement of some kind.
Yes… it is tempting! I’ve struggled with losing focus and wanting to continue to try new things and add extra stuff, but really success comes when you find your niche that works and keep doing it over and over again :)
You have great professional experience and ideas. WHY DON’T YOU OPEN A ANTIQUE MALL? You would be perfect.❤️
I think a lot of what you’re taking about could be solved by the owner of the antique mall. The owner where I use to have a space gave direction on inventory, of branding, trends, layout of the store, flow of traffic, quality of products, color trends, style etc. She chose vendors that would fit the aesthetic and location.
I hired a women to set my space every month. She was fabulous at styling my space, furniture, and making lots of smalls look curated, not like a garage sale. Due to her I had repeat customers. Quickly I became one of the top 10 in sales. This store had a long waitlist to be in this store and had to have a recommendation, because it was a million dollar store.
My husband and I have actually joked about doing that for several years now! I did have my own brick and mortar for 2 years, and we have decided that where we are at as a family right now, it's not the right fit. But I 100% agree with you, great direction from mall owners can make a huge difference!
Thank you Melanie for this video. You SPOKE to me and I realized the mistakes I've made and will change how I display my items. You're a blessing❤️.
You're welcome!
love antique malls as well ! great videos on tips and mistakes !
I am loving your videos; thank you for posting them! Can you do a video on how to start out reselling? Finding a booth or space (alternatives?) that doesn't break the bank, how much inventory you should have to start out with, etc.
Thanks for all this information!!!!
You are so welcome!
Excellent advice. Thank you!
Thanks for the great tips. Implementing them right now!
You are a wealth of information and so helpful. Thank you!!!!!
me too antique malls are my jam as well!!
A lot of food for thought. You have inspired me to up my game.
Awesome! You can do it 👊
You are such a blessing love thank you❤❤❤
Good stuff! Thanks again!!
I just found you! A happy subscriber/follower. : )
Hi Beth! Thanks so much :)
Great info
So make it cute! Got it.
This is so helpful thank you!!
You’re welcome!
I found this very helpful!! You explain things very clear! Thanks! Please talk about pricing the product from wholesale to retail. 😏
Sure thing! Have you checked out the video about your prices being too low? We discuss that some there :)
Great ideas.
TY❤M for sharing your expertise with us.
You’re so very welcome 🤗
Thank you that was really helpful! 😊❤😊
You're so welcome!
Thanks for sharing
Your videos are the Best!
Thanks so much! So glad they have been helpful to you :)
Thanks for the great advice!
You bet!
Good advice, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for making this video✌️wait there are booth groups 🤷 I didn't know that.
On Facebook there are a few!
My booth focus is toys and tea cups
Excellent business advice.
Amazing tips I don't have a booth but great tips for my home
Very good advice
Glad it was helpful Rachel!
Thank you for the information, always very useful! I am struggling with being a new booth owner that has a lot of inventory that needs to go but can afford only a very small space. I knew from the get go that I needed a cohesive look but its been difficult due to the variety of items that I currently have and continue to be drawn to. It’s very eclectic and ranges from midcentury, salvage, vintage kitchen and more male oriented things like vintage toolboxes, woodcraft and “weird” stuff. Can an eclectic inventory still be a draw?
I was in the same position when I started! And you can for sure still build a cohesive feel even with eclectic inventory. Focus on grouping certain colors together, or items that are like in purpose and use. If you find an item sells well, try to get more like it so you can be known as having that in your inventory. Creating individual vignettes, using what you have, and making sure to show your customers how to creatively use your awesome finds. You’ll do great!
Love this🎉🎉🎉
Hi Melanie, thank you and I always look forward to any new advice you have to offer us. I think I understand the branding part a little. I now have a booth in a small mall. I think my branding is vintage kitchen mostly unique MCM drink glassware and vintage cups or mugs, some pyrex, recipe boxes that I display together. Should I therefore not add anything that isn’t part of my vintage kitchen branding such as vintage throw blankets, old books, brass or vases? Does that confuse the branding you think?
Hi Grace! Great question! It sounds like you are pretty clear with what you consistently offer, which is awesome and will serve your customers so well! You can add other things in for sure, just ask the question first “Do I have a place in my booth for this right now?” All your stuff is vintage, so it still all fits together, just make sure there’s a way to display it cohesively.
I am looking for specific technical advise on creating a venue, having a cohesive look, stagging, placement of item etc.
Hi Karen :) Have you watched my Doing Displays Right video? I show some examples from a real mall 😊 I’ll link it here in case you haven’t seen it yet Antique Booth Display Ideas. Doing Display the Right Way
th-cam.com/video/i-30jUpiXag/w-d-xo.html
Thanks. Yes i saw that one. I got alot of information from the one about arranging a shelf. I am looking for step by step context on merchandising and arranging to increase sales. I have done this along time and have never mastered this area. Some of my fellow venders have a natural gift at it. I will keep watching. Thanks for your content
I getcha! To be honest, I’ve never considered myself “the best” at staging… there were always other vendors in my mall who did seem to have so much more natural talent. Thankfully, I’ve learned over the years it’s only one part of what makes a booth successful, and even with not the best displays I’ve still been able to do well :) I like to remind myself that when I feel like I still have so much to learn! I’ll try to do some more staging videos though in the new year
Another great video. I have a lot of different items but I try to do vignettes. I know what you are talking about a few booths at my store really stand out and then there are many that don't as much. I'm looking forward to redoing my booth for Spring. I took your advice about buying some of the cutest garlands from Hobby Lobby in October and those sold well and looked good. As I go forward I hope to get a better styled look just need to decide what look I'm going for.
Awesome! Glad the garlands sold well for you :)
Do you have any videos to show this visually?
Hi! Not specifically, but I do have other display videos and a whole playlist dedicated to antique booth tips :) th-cam.com/play/PLejL3DCrMgTZt6ahGCC5qa4ZNKL1u_pFW.html
Hey , so my booth is a starter 3 x 4 ft. I need help with how many vignettes can I do?
niche.stage.niche...
Repeat
Exactly!