Maker 101: Getting into Juried Markets
Applying for markets can be a daunting task, especially when you’re facing a jury! It’s hard not to take a rejection personally, but there are so many factors that go into curating a handmade only event.
Here you will find the top reasons a maker may not be selected and some ways to help build a successful application in the future.
First let’s tackle the tough stuff. You didn’t get into a market you applied for and it feels awful. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience, way too much experience if we’re being honest. The first step is to remind yourself that a rejection is not a reflection of your value as a maker. There is space in this world for all kinds of makers, products and businesses and an audience out there that loves it!
There are a lot of reasons a maker may not have been selected for a show and having spoken to many jury members and market organizers in my day, here are a few of the top issues and what you can do to improve.
1. Poor Quality Photos
99% of the time this is the first thing an organizer will say when it comes to an unsuccessful application. Since the jury can’t touch, pick up or experience your product in person, your photo has to convey the fabulousness of your handmade goods visually. Your photo needs to be awesome not only to impress the jury. Organizers also use these photos in marketing leading up to the event.
Read on for the top issues in your photography that might be holding you back and a few tips and tricks on how to improve:
Busy, cluttered photos that make it difficult to discern which product you’re showcasing. Make sure the background and props don’t overpower your work. The star of the show is your product!
Out of focus, unclear and poorly lit photographs. Your best bet is to shoot photos during daylight hours in a clear space using props and colours that highlight your product. You can also invest in a ring light which is a simple, cost effective way to up your photography game.
Photo collages and photos with logos or watermarks. Since each photo ends up so small, it’s difficult to see your product and can not be used in marketing materials.
Photos that are over edited. For example, backgrounds removed poorly, oversaturated/over contrasted etc. A more natural photo will always be a winner!
Those are just a few tips, but there’s so much more to product photography and it doesn’t have to be complicated! You can always reach out to a friend who has a knack for photography and offer a trade or take an online course (or a workshop coming soon hint hint). Remember, spending the time to learn how to take great photos, shows your audience that you pay attention to quality and take pride in your work.
2. An abundance of the same type of work
Every year there is an influx of new handmade businesses and trends do come and go. This year I can easily say there has been a boom in woodworking, ceramics and jewelry small handmade businesses. If you want to come out on top, you need to find out how to make it your own. Finding your niche in an already saturated market can be hard, but you have a unique world view and are capable of finding your own way to stand out among the crowd. Get out there and research! As Stevie Nicks once said, “You can go your own way.”
Organizers also want to keep things fresh and try out new makers even though there are tried and true market veterans that make a similar product. There needs to be opportunity for all makers from those first starting out to the professionals. I know that is something we strive for at each market and always will.
3. You don’t have an online presence
I know, I know, social media is draining and growing an online audience is nowhere near as easy as it used to be! But don’t lose hope, because organizers do not expect you to have a million followers and a perfectly curated feed. That said, an online presence is still important. If, for example, your photos are not the best, then the jury can dig deeper into your social media or blog etc to get a feel for your product and overall vibe. Remember, you don’t have to dance on Tiktok or make perfectly timed reels on Instagram. Simply posting photos on a schedule that works for you is enough.
Even if you don’t have a large following you can also indicate in your application that you’re willing to help get the word out by delivering flyers, hanging posters and sharing any marketing materials the organizers provide. It’s always noticed and appreciated!
4. Lack of branding
In today’s market world, branding is incredibly important. Having strong branding, or any branding at all, gives your business an elevated level of professionalism that will show fabulously at a market. It creates cohesion between your display, packaging and product…it’s just, chef’s kiss!
Branding is also much more than just a logo. It creates an entire vibe for your business! For example, you are a maker who creates boho, neutral toned baby clothes. Your brand would NOT have a blood red skull logo with tattoo style black typography. It would more likely be neutral tones like peach or cream with a soft appearing logo like a sweet lamb face or florals.
Trust me, you don’t need to pay an expensive design firm to develop an entire brand package for you since there are so many ways to DIY it nowadays. For example, Canva is a great way for newbies to dip their toes into the world of branding.
5. An Incomplete/improperly filled Application
This one speaks for itself, follow the application directions! Put thought into what you write, keep it professional and concise. Be clear and honest about what you make and ALWAYS double check for typos, especially in your email address.
(PS. Organizers are people too and sometimes they forget to put in an email section and have to contact 90 people to find out their email address for the application. I mean, except for me…I would never forget something that obvious!)
6. Your work just isn’t the right vibe
The truth is, some markets just aren’t the right fit for every type of maker. Organizers and the jury will take into consideration the demographic of people who attend their events and caliber of past makers. Trust me, I learned this the very hard way.
Story time! About 3 years ago I applied and somehow was accepted into Fan Expo in Toronto. It was a 3 day event with long hours and thousands (10s of thousands) of people in attendance. That’s a recipe for success, right? WRONG. I was entirely out of my league and even though I invested at least $800 prepping for this event plus my partner taking days off work etc…I sold a whopping $100 in product over the course of 3 days. That didn’t even cover the gas to travel to Toronto. My takeaway: research the event and make sure you match the vibe!
The trick here is to do your research! Check out past makers, visit the market to see their displays and quality of their product. As a maker, we get to be entirely in charge of our work and that means life long learning and development. If you truly want to take part in a certain market, you’ll have to develop your work until it suits the event or design a new product line that works and showcase that in your application. But never mislead the organizers and sell something you didn’t showcase, that ain’t cool!
7. Unrelated to applying but still relevant…
Don’t be a jerk. Organizers know it’s hard not to take a rejection personally but that is no reason to lash out at them. Sometimes markets get 2-3x’s the number of applications as they have available space for. Remember, organizers are the people who may accept you to a future event and being professional is always a good idea. You can also reach out and kindly ask for feedback and remain patient. Leading up to events there are a million balls in the air, so feel free to email and ask them for a review when they have time to give feedback. Sending threatening emails is 100% the way to be banned from future events, just saying.
GOOD PEOPLE BRING OUT THE GOOD IN PEOPLE.
At the end of the day, when you are rejected from any market it sucks. Here is where you have a choice, you can take it personally and hold onto all those negative feelings OR you can see it as an opportunity to learn and grow your handmade business. Look over the criteria a market is seeking and compare it to your business. Does your branding need work (or not exist)? Are your photos in need of some love? Do your products match the vibe of their past makers? No application will ever get an A+ in every category, but putting in the work means you have the best chance at application success!
Don’t get discouraged, there are just some shows that have too many applications for the number of spots. The best thing you can do is accept the decision gracefully, look forward, head up and continue being the badass maker you are!
HAPPY MAKING!
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HAPPY MAKING! 〰️
Have you ever been rejected from a market? What did you learn from that experience? Any fab tips or tricks on success? Let us know in the comments!