HOW TO HANDLE TO CRAFT SHOW TALKER :D

Anyone who has done craft shows knows about "The Talker" ...you know that chit chatty person that comes by ask you a ton of questions and your products and life in general , but never buys. The one that won't take a hint when you are trying to sell your products or who doesn't understand that you this is not a social event but an actual money making event!
So I was sent an email with the Q & A about "The Talker" and I thought it was interesting advice that was given on how to handle them without being to much of an a-hole, lol

Q: I attend a lot of shows each year, and it never fails—I always have at least one person visit my booth who is there to simply visit. Meanwhile, I have many buyers coming in and out that I’m unable to talk to effectively, because the “talker” continues on...and on...and on! What are polite ways of breaking the conversation and concentrating on people who are there to do business?

A:There are always chatty people who seem to enjoy being with artists. Often they have no sense of the inappropriateness of engaging you in long conversations.

I believe they haven’t made the connection that although you are in a public place in a social situation, you are indeed working. I think the “talker” is hard to offend and urge you to excuse yourself to talk to other customers.

Alternately you could pick up your duster and excuse yourself saying, “I can’t believe how dusty it gets in here” and go to work. Or get the glass cleaner or reorganize your merchandise...you get the picture.

Soon the “talker” will be off to another booth, pleased with themselves for having talked to an artist.-Donald Clark
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Now, that is usually what I do, if they have been there for 30 minutes and are talking to me about the new episode of "Jersey Shore" (which I will only give 10 minutes of my time to Snooki & The Situation) I will start "Rearranging" and "Stocking". I have actually seen other vendors blatantly tell "The Talker" to exit the tent, but I am not a big fan of that, lol.
This is really because you never know who "The Talker" is or knows. There are instances where "The Talker" is actually beneficial, such as in this instant from Bob the Woodcarver.

I was doing a show in Memphis. I had a gal that looked like she had lived under a bridge someplace; dirty torn cloths and all. She hung around my booth all day. She would leave for an hour then be back to talk. She asked about a zillion questions about six foot tall cigar store female Indians and could I do one. Yes I could do one! This ran on all afternoon. Finally she asked how much and how long it would take. By now all I wanted to do is get rid of her. I said the price was $1000, 50% down and 50% on delivery. I thought this would shut her up. She thought for a moment, got her wallet out and laid five $100 bills on the table. She gave me a post office box number where to send the photos as I progressed. I finished it in a couple weeks and requested a land address where to deliver the piece. Using the directions I drove out this winding road and found the address except there was a large iron fence and a locked gate. In the wall of the gate post was a phone. I explained who I was and the gates opened silently. The driveway had to be a half mile long. I rounded the last turn and an old antibellum mansion stood there. I thought maybe she was a worker there. I rang the door bell and a gal in a maids uniform met me at the door. "Oh I'll get her for you." The same gal came down the stairs in almost the same outfit she wore when I talked to her originally. Turns out she was some country singer. She turned to the maid and told her to give me the final $500 an extra $200 for delivering it. Somewhere in Memphis is a six foot tall female cigar store Indian. Sometimes it pays to talk to these "talkers." -Bob the Woodcarver

So in essence, treat every "Talker" differently, because you really never know who you are "Talking " to.........