Retirement home show

[LynnK]

I was asked at a show last week to consider bringing my jewelry to a local retirement home.  The residents can't make it out to craft shows, and would really appreciate having someone come to them.

1)  Who else should I invite?  I would like to bring in a couple of other vendors..thinking Mary Kay/Avon, candles, some other hand made type crafters.

2)  The woman who approached me asked "what would you charge to do this?"  I was flabbergasted...usually I have to PAY to go to an event.  Am I considered a promoter if I ask for a fee?  And should I ask for a fee?  I think this is just for the residents only, so there are no advertising (other than some simple flyers) needs...I'm just not sure what to do here.  My first thought was to say "no fee, just what I can make from selling my product", but I'm considering if I should take some $$ for lining up other vendors, etc.,

Any other thoughts?  This would be the first time I've done anything outside of an already organized show, so I appreciate any input!

[marym]

this is just some brainstorming thoughts here:

In an organized show you pay to be a vendor- who do you pay?  Usually it's the organizers of the show itself.  If you are going to BE the show organizer, you should most definatly get paid.  Who pays you (and how much) is another issue altogether.

Will there be plenty of customers to encourage the vendors to pay a fee?
If yes- I would: find and charge your vendors and let the nursing home have the show for free.
If no- I would: Charge the nursing home and let the vendors show for free.
How much should you charge?  Start by giving yourself an hourly wage- estimate how many hours will go into organizing this show- and then multiply.  

Hope this helps you- again- these are just some thoughts- Hopefully a few other people will post more ideas on how to go about this- Good luck and let us know if you need anything else.  '>

-Mary
R&T staff

[Metalman]

Also make sure to check on the legalities and liabilities, etc.
Sorry to mention it, but these do become possible considerations as you start organizing, etc.
Want to go back to simple - give the organizing person at the home the names and suggestions you have for enlarging the event - let them decide and deal w/details

[Luann Udell]

When I've provided workshops or presentations for retirement homes, it's true they've paid me a professional fee for my services.  But I was teaching or speaking, not selling my work.

If I were there to sell my work, and the sole purpose of being there is to sell my work, then charging the retirement home for that would be like charging a hostess to have a home jewelry party.

Depending on the nature of the community and the demographics, sales could be wonderful or very low.  If you were to charge artists a fee to participate, and then sales were really bad, that might seem misleading, too.

IMHO, start small, keep it simple, and see how it goes.

I would charge the retirement home's going rate for a program (which could still be a couple hundred dollars) and keep the event SMALL and manageable.  

If the event is successful (the residents like it, the director likes it and your artists sell well), then decide if it can get bigger.  If it does, and more work is involved on your part, then it would be fair to either ask the home for more $$ or ask the artists for a fee to participate.

If it doesn't work too well, then you won't have spent too much time or energy on it without SOME compensation, but you won't feel like you took everyone's money and didn't provide a good opportunity for everyone in return.

Hope this helps,
Luann

[LynnK]

Thanks all for your suggestions.  I had thought about the liability issues, and charging other vendors (which I'm really not considering seriously...I'd feel terrible if I charged and they didn't make anything!).  At this point, I think I am going to just talk to a couple of other folks who might be interested, and do it as a freebee for the home if I can get some friends to come in with their products.  I think it's a nice thing to do, especially for the holidays, but the logistics have me a little aprehensive.

I'm no "promoter" - I'm an artist/seller and have little desire to go beyond that!

[Amylynn]

I would ask the nursing staff, depending on the level of "Retirement Home" it could be anywhere from assisted living ,where the occupants live pretty much on thier own in small apartments and cook for themselves to a full out nursing home with bedridden or mentally incapacitated residents.
My mother and my grandmother were both geriatric nurses and  there are varying levels of homes. Often the residents do not have cash for things like jewelry or any type of spending money. Thier families often control that for them. With enough advanced notice and things like pre purchased gift certificates it is possible to sell to any level of care home.
 Another thing that I would take or  sell would be kits to make something with large enough pieces and not a lot of equipment required. Residents love having hobbies like that to pass the time. They also enjoy being able to give presents to thier families or friends even when thier resources are restricted.
 Like I said I do not know what level of care the residents  are getting but I would find out ahead of time and make sure to give plenty of advanced advertising so that they can plan for it.
 The nurses are a great resource in knowing which  residents would really enjoy something like that and also don't forget them as clients -=)

Amy