So I have lots of friends that come and visit faire and every year they have the same complaint (other then the high prices and the dust). They HATE all the pushy people trying to make them interact. Especially in the morning at front gate, it's like running a gauntlet to get through all the vendors, gigging and other patrons. Between pushy theme characters, sales people and people hawking their shows it is very intimidating and sometimes downright uncomfortable for the average American these days. We are so used to being disconnected it can sometimes leave people with a bad taste in their mouths to have that much thrust upon them at once.
How do you avoid putting too much pressure on the customer? What situations do you find yourself interacting with patrons the most? Do you initiate contact or do you let them come to you?
How do you avoid putting too much pressure on the customer? What situations do you find yourself interacting with patrons the most? Do you initiate contact or do you let them come to you?
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Los Angeles
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 1:24 AMInitiate contact in the right context.
For instance, at the end of the day, from 5:30-6:30, I'll take a friend and gig from front gate to middle fair, against the exiting hordes. This is useful because there's few or no other people gigging there (just boothies trying to sell stuff), and I'll initiate "how was your day" conversations, maybe more. I oft quiz people about their purchases. Just... conversation. Sometimes they'll stop. Usually no one is in a hurry at the end of the day to get to a show, so there's no competition, just gentle gigs.
The front gate horde gig is an exercise in patience; much stepping on other people going on. And it's a little intense sometimes.
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 6:00 AMI try to greet those coming in with a smile and a simple "Welcome to Deptford." If they seem responsive, I may greet them further.
Since near front gate is where I am for most of the day, I can see how dead it can get after the early crush - customers are still coming in, just not as many, and there are often very few people there to greet them. The people with schedules are elsewhere, taking care of business. Which is why I really appreciate groups that take the time, even with their busy schedules, to come over in the afternoon and sing and otherwise engage people (gently, of course) who would otherwise have a blah welcome to faire. -
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 7:48 AMI believe it takes some time for many of them to get used to the interactive environment wherein their entertainment speaks to them. They panic without a remote to turn us off. Getting in their faces right off the bat may not be the best way to go about things.
It also helps to develop a sense of who's "ripe" and who isn't. Learning how to spot those subtle physical cues helps as well as developing a sort of sixth sense about it. I scan a crowd for those who seem like they might be open and then strike. Some can handle an "in your face" approach, others require more subtlety. I'm afraid it's a skill I can't teach. It takes experience and much practice at watching and interacting with people, at faire and elsewhere.
Very often those who are at first timid and standoffish are, by the time you see them again, acclimated and ready to play.
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 8:23 AMIt took about 5 minutes this run to see that "the gauntlet" inside the gates is in overkill, and to move most of our interactions back deeper in, starting at the Food Court all the way to beyond the Reefe.
And also, the gaunlet performs one valuable function: after that, anything else that happens is generally considered by visitors to be a more subtle interaction.
Since a lot of what I/my group does is "ambush" gigs, it helps if the visitor has room for an out if they're too cool to play, or just not interested. People who aren't cornered thus have a graceful way to opt out. -
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 9:34 AMBob, what is it you and your group do in ambush style. It sounds very much like J. Paul's "guerilla theater" style. Is that accurate?
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 8:28 AMI tend to be more low-key since I'm not in a heavy improv guild, but rather a dance troupe. I'll smile, bid patrons a good day, answer questions as succinctly as possible and send them on their way hopefully with a smile.
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 9:36 AMIndeed, St. Ives gets the Patron off to a fine start with a wide variety of interaction and passive visuals. For the rest of us to pile on in that area does raise the experience to the borders of overkill. Once the guest has traversed up and around past the first turn (round Hat Man Dieux) the rest of us come in to play. I am particularly fond of the "single shot, one-liners, aimed at getting a quick rise out of the traveller. Will Wood is quite the expert in this technique. A quick shot across the bow and move on. Sometimes this opens up further play, sometimes not. At any rate, each little interplay creates the overall ambiance.
As does Pasha, I like working against the grain at the end of the day, moving from Front Gate back into the body of Faire. Lots of rich loam here. Empty baby strollers ( Sold the Brat, eh) or sleeping babies.(I see you bought one of the cute ones) .. Huge cameras with long lenses. (My God Sir, If I had a Canon like that I could take Cadiz) A loving couple...(So! You come in, find a pretty one and leave, is that it?) Also general Faire thee well, Safe Home.)
No single shot completes the overal picture. It is the cumulative effect that does the trick.
Of course there will always be a few of the "terminally hip" who just can not be bothered. They are easy to recognize & perhaps they will come around as the day progresses. If they are just put off by the whole experience, perhaps they are at the wrong Faire. Surely, if you are getting the cold shoulder....move on.
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Re: Engaging vs. Pushy
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 9:33 AMFor our morning poetry contest, we have only one person "pulling", Lady Bacon. She accepts "no" gracefully and doesn't intimidate anyone into participating.
We also tend to do it rather far back from the entrance (in front of the wedding garden)
