Maker Applications for Super Seconds Festival

MAKER APPLICATIONS!

Are you a maker who is interesting in joining in? You can find out more below! If you have any further questions, please get in touch with Sophie and Abby from Super Seconds Festival here.

HOW DO I APPLY?

The application form is available here*

Please note that you must have an online shop to sell through the Festival - e.g. Your own website, Etsy, Folksy, etc.

Super Seconds maker spots will be offered via an application process.

This is to ensure an even spread of types of makers to give buyers the widest variety to buy from and to ensure a stress free process for makers as you will have 3 weeks to apply.

If we get over 250 applications we won't be able to offer everyone a spot as there are 250 maker spots available - please don't be disheartened if you don't get in this time, there will be other opportunities to get involved in the future!

Libby Ballard Ceramics

Melissa Donne

Kay Carter

WHO CAN GET INVOLVED IN SUPER SECONDS?

Super Seconds Festival is for independent businesses who make/design their own work. This is the perfect opportunity to sell off seconds, samples, misprints and old stock - the only stipulation to get involved is that you're an indie business owner who designs/makes their own work and that you can offer discounts!

It's an online fair which is accessed through this website and makers will be listed by category; categories will include jewellery, ceramics & glass, prints, art & cards, kids stuff, Wellbeing, Health & Self Care, fabric goods, clothes, accessories, homeware and eco-friendly.

As a maker you'll be able to choose 3 categories to be part of.

Looking for Super Seconds Start Ups (especially for 16-25 year olds?) - check out more info here!

Klinck Inck

WHAT DO I GET AS A MAKER JOINING IN?

There is a £40 joining fee to get involved as a maker - for the joining fee you'll get LOADS of benefits: This £40 is only paid if you are one of the 250 makers taking part:

Featured as a maker on this website under categories (e.g. jewellery, ceramics, prints and cards, etc.). You will have your own page that buyers can click through to to see photos, website links and links to your social media accounts.

Access to a private Facebook group for makers to support each other in the run up to the event - this is a great peer to peer network! This private group will include top tip videos/info and a space to ask as many questions as you like about Super Seconds Festival!

Invited to group video panels/workshops in the run up to the event - these workshops/panels will cover topics such as preparing your Instagram and website for the event, how to best promote yourself and how to make the most of Super Seconds Festival. Makers have previously fed back that these panels are very useful! Recordings sent out afterwards for people who can't attend live.

Invited to a an expert workshop to help develop your business- included with your joining fee

Access to a back catalogue of Zoom panels - including tips on selling platforms, pricing tips, brand trends and Instagram advice.

Invited to weekly co-working sessions in the run up to Super Seconds Festival to connect you with other makers.

Promoted on the Super Seconds Festival Instagram

An opportunity to get involved in Instagram Lives in the run up to help promote your business - this will be done on a raffle basis if lots of people want to get involved!

The perfect opportunity to save on waste, sell off old stock and make some room. Makers also said it was the perfect testing bed for new ideas as they knew they had a space to sell testers! 81% of makers (from a survey makers involved in Super Seconds Festival in Oct 2023) said that they made more sales than they would normally make an at online marketplace event!

Learning opportunities - Access to feedback after the event about what worked and what could have been improved so you can learn for future events!

An opportunity to be involved with a wonderful, supportive group of indie makers! We collectively will use a hashtag to bring us together through an Instagram challenge in the run up, and then on the day so buyers have the website and Instagram as a way to find bargains!

There is an option to boost your application for an extra £25 - this includes access to an exclusive guided peer support group to help develop your business and get valuable feedback, the option to takeover The Super Seconds Festival stories for the day and be included on the printed flyer (5000 copies printed and distributed around the UK).

Layla Holzer

"Such a truly friendly and supportive community. The way Sophie led the whole event, along with the Festival champions, was massively inspiring and really lovely to be a part of."

@childstarsamantha

81% of makers made more sales than they would at an average online marketplace event

Lizzie Hillier Studio

"I loved the buzz around the event, it is a great space of makers supporting each other. Lovely to connect with new customers and new makers"

@irregular.thoughts

87% of makers had more website visits than they would at an average online marketplace event

Maggie Magoo

HOW DOES IT WORK AS A SELLER?

Once the Maker Line Up is created in August you'll be added to the Line Up with 4 photos and a link to your website/Etsy (wherever you'd like to direct people!)- buyers will buy from you direct via your preferred methods.

Once you're on this website, buyers will be able to find you from the Maker Line Up Catalogue - the best way to boost your sales is to promote your involvement beforehand via Instagram, Facebook, newsletters, etc. There will be a Facebook group for Sophie & Abby, and other makers, to support each other in coming up with ways to increase visibility. This is all about collaboration over competition and we'll be working together as a community of indie makers to help each other!

Olsten

Lyndsey Currie

Chris Williams Artist

TOP TIPS BEFORE YOU APPLY!

Please have 4 square photos ready to submit (Three of your products and one of yourself)- one of the product photos will be used for Instagram promotion. To see examples of good photos please see the examples of makers' product photos on this page. Please make sure the photos are bright and good quality - please make sure you submit a photo you're happy with as it will be tricky to change this later!

Know which website you'd like to send buyers to. Get your website address ready with where you'd like buyers to land. Last time makers really liked having a Super Seconds landing page (e.g. https://jenniesergeantdesigns.co.uk/pages/super-seconds-saturday) with more info on. If you'd like to do this please make sure you include the exact link you'd like to send people to. Please note that buyers will be accessing your site in the 2 weeks before Super Seconds Festival to plan their shopping list for the big day - so it makes sense to add info/sneak previews on a specific landing page so they know what to expect!

CAN I JOIN IN FROM OVERSEAS?
Of course, the more the merrier! But please be aware that the majority of the audience for Super Seconds are UK based so please consider postage and the impact of a UK audience prior to joining in.

Tiny Scenic

Mela Jewellery

Poppekins

CAN I USE THE HASHTAG EVEN IF I DON'T GET A SPOT OR APPLY?

As a small independent business we put a lot of work into Super Seconds and have limited the numbers of makers to 250 makers to make sure that the makers who are paying to be involved get lots of involvement, support from me, and interest from buyers. Please respect this and don't use the #supersecondsfestival or #supersecondssaturday hashtag if you aren't signed up as a maker.

Katrina Sophia