Not what I was expecting!

So I've just finished what seemed to be the longest weekend in existence. I was really organised and managed to book myself into two markets. Yay! The Handyside Arcade Tradrers market at Newcastle City Library and The Darlington Arts Festival. Great, amazing, fabulous... Or so I thought.

On Saturday the market took place over four hours on the first floor of the Library. Not very long I thought- but you know what? It might be kinda short and sweet. I'm sure I'll get plenty of interest in that time. I envisioned having lovely conversations with like-minded business owners and people from the alternative community. Sadly this was not the case. The music was blasting some awesome 70's/80's rock, the sun was shining through the glass walled room (yes I was sweating myself silly!) but the footfall was just not there! Where was everyone I thought? On a lovely sunny Saturday such as this, why would you not want to be looking through vintage clothes, organic candles and amazing artworks, I mean you name it, it was there. That afternoon I returned with £2 more than I left with. Well, after the coffee I bought to keep myself going I guess I only really came home with 20p. Wow.

Oh well, just one of those things I thought. It's the risk you take when signing up for a market. You're betting on the fact that people will come to the market in the first place. Then you're waging that they'll head straight to your stall to buy all your products. Oh how naive I was!

We already had the car packed so all we needed to do was wake up, get ready and go! 'It's a new day' I thought. I'd heard that the festival had been really busy on the Saturday so I had high hopes for a good turn out. Sundays are market days after all! How wrong I would be for the second time that weekend. I set up once we got there. We had about an hour to kill before they opened the doors. I had a lil mooch around other peoples stalls. They were really hyping me up "yeah yesterday was amazing! I didn't even get to finish my breakfast it was so busy!" Great I thought, I should make my money back from yesterdays disaster at least.

Now don't get me wrong, it was busy. A lot busier than Saturday. The marquee was flowing with customers. Other business owners were even coming from their own stalls to see how I was getting on and giving me some verbal support. But still, no interest in my stuff. I don't know what it was. Did I not look welcoming enough? Did I have a sign over my head that said, 'Don't come near me, I bite' ?! Thats what it felt like. I came home that afternoon having not even made my money back for the table fee.

I am truly disheartened. What did I do wrong? I thought I was finally getting somewhere with my markets. Getting somewhere with my business. I thought my products were actually worth the time and effort to make and sell.

This is one of those occasions where you have to wipe it off, get up and move on. Tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully a better one.

Thank you for reading incessant ranting. Hopefully my next post will be a bit more uplifting.

Stay awesome x