The waiting line the morning of January 16 at the Boston Antiques & Design Show & Sale at the Shriners Auditorium was a good indicator of things to come. According to veteran show producer Marvin Getman, he had the largest first-hour attendance for the Wilmington show since starting it ten years ago, with more than 1,200 attendees through the gate between 10 and 11 am.
Two weeks before the show, Getman sent each dealer 15 complimentary passes with a note suggesting that that they send them to their best customers. “At my new December holiday show at the Concord Armory, I saw positive energy among buyers that I have not seen in recent years. I knew that the passes, if used by dealers, could jump start the January show and that’s exactly what happened,” Getman said. “Almost half of the first-hour attendees had ‘comp’ passes. It was evident that the early crowd was there to buy as sold tags appeared at a brisk pace. Dealers were seeing activity that they had not seen in some time.”
Show regular Roger Pheulpin reported 69 items leaving his booth over the two days. Richard Thorner, another regular, had more than 35 sales, including a customer who had approached Getman looking for the dealer who owned a watercolor he had seen on the show website from a prior show. Getman’s memory served him well, the introduction was made and the sale quickly followed. Thorner said he believes that all dealers should adjust their pricing strategy in order to maximize sales and cash flow.
Getman’s new ad campaign incorporating a rebranding of the show †now known as the Boston Antiques and Design Show †and use of television and full color ads in the Boston Globe undoubtedly contributed to the show’s success. Getman’s efforts to reach a new audience seemed to be successful as dealers indicated seeing many customers they had never seen before at the Wilmington show.
“My shows are attracting dealers who traditionally do the higher-end shows and who travel to other states. Word is spreading among better dealers that this is a show that is easy and inexpensive to do and one where you can make substantial sales,” stated Getman. “This encourages me to try alternative methods to find new customers for the shows. I have a very large mailing and email list, which I use extensively. The regulars already know about the show. It’s the new customers that add the extra excitement.”
According to Getman, there were many happy dealers at this show. An after-show survey showed 76 percent of the dealers either met or exceeded their expectations for the show.
Comments excerpted from the survey included this one from John Maggs: “As usual, Marvin drew a large, varied group of shoppers. We sold several pieces of furniture, as well as period jewelry and paintings. It was our best ‘away-from-home’ show since May 2008.”
Kim Kassner of the Brewster Shop wrote, “I think the quality of dealers has gone way up in the last couple of years. This, in turn, has helped attract more ‘quality’ buyers. In the type of market that we have had for two years, I think it is remarkable that the show has improved to the extent that it has. Marvin is doing a great job.”
Sandra Willson of Churchville, N.Y., stated, “After 25 years in the business, the January Wilmington show is my top show. It is invariably worth the seven-hour drive for me to participate.”
Sue Mesick of Quirky Antiques added, “I must say, the Wilmington is the only show for me that has remained recession-proof.”
Getman often looks for ways to improve the show experience for buyers and sellers. At this show, regular attendees noticed something different about the way it looked as Getman had the show decorator place black drape behind all the nonwalled booths, thereby giving all dealers a backdrop to showcase their wares. “Many customers and dealers approached the show office to comment positively on the change. I had a good feeling that this would be a positive move and a worthwhile investment.
Getman’s next show is a new one that he is calling “Spring Fever Antiques and Design Show.” It will be conducted at the Concord, Mass., armory April 24 and 25. He is actively looking for dealers who will fit in with the theme. For information, 781-862-0439 or www.neantiqueshows.com .
