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Seller How-to: Craft Fair Tips


Story by katydiddy Published on September 29, 2008 in How-To	Photo by syko; all other photos by katydiddy

You have spent many frenzied hours preparing your art and craft items for the craft fair, but does that mean you are really ready to make as much money as you can at the event? Probably not. As creatives, we tend to focus on our art and forget about everything else. (My house could fall down around me while I'm in the zone and I wouldn't notice.) You went through all that time and trouble to participate in a craft show, and I want to make sure you get as much out of the experience as you can while you are there. It's not just about what you sell at the show, it's about the contacts you make and how you use them.

Craft shows are great place to network and market. Here are some easy tips to make your next craft fair/show pay-off for months after everyone goes home.

Display is important. Dedicate some creative energy to your display. You want to stand out in the crowd. This is especially important if your artwork is currently a popular trend and you have lots of competition. If you sell jewelry right now, you know what I mean. At the majority of the shows I have attended, I see the jewelry laid out flat-sometimes on black velvet or in white bins at almost every table. What if you bought cool, retro mannequin heads and used them to display your jewelry? I know I would make a beeline to a table full of faux heads to check out what's going on.

Have a free drawing. Ask people to drop their business cards into a hat and raffle off a prize. Instant list!

GET MARKETING MATERIALS! I can't tell you how many artists don't have any information about themselves out on their tables. What if I don't want to buy today, but really like your stuff? How will I ever find you again? You absolutely must put out business cards. Business cards don't have to be expensive. You can even print them out from your home computer; just make sure you give people the opportunity to find you again.

Make flyers about trunk shows or any other venue (such as Etsy) where people can buy from you in the future. If you have catalogs bring them. Create a portfolio of your work and have it out for people to look at. You might get some special orders. I download digital pictures onto my laptop of past work and have a slide show of the work running on it during the show.

More on marketing materials…Every product should have a tag on it with all your contact information. I just use my business card, hole-punched with a ribbon. This gives both the buyer and, if the item is being purchased as a gift, the recipient your contact information. The recipient may want to collect your work, but won't be able to if there isn't a tag.

Use "gift with purchase" promotions. Everyone loves to get gifts. For the holiday boutique I am participating in this year, I created special, creative gift tags. Each customer gets a free set with the purchase of any item. Of course, the back of the gift card has all my contact information.

Set-up future sales. Once you have attracted clients to you with a great display, you need to capture their information. Have a guest book out and invite people to sign it and tell you what they think about your art. Make sure you ask them to check a box saying they would like to receive mailings from you. The book will give you an idea of what people like about your art and you will have their contact information. Create a snail mail list and make sure that you send out cool invites every time you are going to be at a show. Include a discount coupon on the postcard; that way you can track how effective your mailing was. For an even nicer touch, make sure you send out a thank you note, right after the show, telling them how glad you are that they stopped by to look at your work.

Network with the other artists and crafters. Make friends. Even your "competitors" are potential clients. Gather the business cards of everyone who is participating at the show and send a friendly email to each one within a week of the show. Tell them how much you enjoyed seeing their work. If you remember something specific about them or their work, mention it. Tell them a bit about yourself and tell them to contact you if they ever need anything. This is also just plain nice!

If you follow these few simple steps, you should have a nice list of clients, potential clients, friends and business partners in your possession. Now you must use this list to make it pay. Set up a schedule to touch base with each person on a regular basis. Send them invitations to all your shows, send them your monthly newsletter or just drop them a line or a note telling them you are thinking about them. Have fun and be prosperous!

Further Resources
Katy offers The Craft Show Worksheet through her shop, and if you want more information about networking and marketing your arts & crafts business, sign-up for katydid designs free monthly ezine, The Well-Fed Artist, at www.katydid-designs.com.

See other posts by the katydiddy. And click here for some other how-tos about craft fairs. For the motherload see the Seller Handbook!

Tags	booths, craft fairs, craft shows, customers, display, HOW-TO, katydiddy, marketing, planning, Seller Handbook, selling, shows

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73 comments Login to add your own!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:01 p.m.

sillylittlelady

Oh I just need to get up the nerve to do a craft fair!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:06 p.m.

BululuStudio

Craft fairs are fun

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:09 p.m.

dogties

Awesome!
Good to know.

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:17 p.m.

adorkable1

I recently made a treasury for stuff to help with craft shows!! :) Looks like we are on the same page. Oh, instead of a slideshow on a laptop, I bring a digital picture frame :)

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:17 p.m.

wookwoodworking

Great points! Craft fairs are so much fun to do, but I always forget something! Thanks for the article!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:36 p.m.

paisleybaby

Great timing for this article - I have four craft shows coming up!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:39 p.m.

margarette

a lot of great tips! i am going to use them!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 1:48 p.m.

ElenaMary

I like the free drawing idea...will do this at the 2 fairs I am in soon...a great way to have a mailing list too!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 2:03 p.m.

OceanGrrl

thanks! i love all of etsy's useful information.

Sept. 29, 2008 at 2:08 p.m.

DinnerTimeChimes

Great ideas for fun business card holders included with this article, I agree that's a must have for every show!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 2:36 p.m.

FluteTeacher

This is helpful. Thanks!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 2:43 p.m.

KaleidoscopeKorner

so helpful and i just have to say..its lovely to see syg up there with her wonderful aprons!!!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.

cloud9designstudio

good advice....this new font is so hard to read.....

Sept. 29, 2008 at 3:08 p.m.

matilou

oh, i love syko !!! I bought a scarf from her and my son loves it !!!! beautiful display too :D

Sept. 29, 2008 at 4:20 p.m.

HomemadeZen

love the way the table is set up in the picture!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 4:49 p.m.

prittyaht

What great help! We are off to our first craft fair this october and can definately benefit from veteran tips like these. Thanks.

Sept. 29, 2008 at 5:23 p.m.

Morockincreations

Now if I can just find the craft fairs to go to!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 5:34 p.m.

art2theextreme

Thanks for the info! I have my first few real ones coming up!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 5:51 p.m.

GeneriOnline

Great tips, thanks for all of the information!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 5:55 p.m.

katydiddy

I'm so honored to have my article here. I just marked down my Craft Show Worksheet from $15 to $10 to celebrate. Thanks for reading my article and for all your kind words!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 7:35 p.m.

ClaudiaLord

The guest book and thank you notes are great ideas!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 7:54 p.m.

haycorns

what a great article, it's just what i needed to know! syko's display was darling, i loved it!

Sept. 29, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.

TheBloatedTick

I'm the only Alt. girl in an upcoming craft fair filled with traditional crafts so I have been focusing more on my display this show than at any other time. People who aren't familiar with Alt. Crafts sometimes can't see themselves purchasing bowls made from carnival tickets but a good display can encourage sales.

Thanks katydiddy for reminding us how important marketing ourselves is.

Sept. 29, 2008 at 10:03 p.m.

Studio618

Some wonderful and useful tips. It's so true about display. I learned the hard way. :(

Sept. 29, 2008 at 11:36 p.m.

InspirationPoint

Wow you have some great info here-thanks for sharing! This is especially great since I don't naturally tend to promote myself, but I need to-I'm going to be in three different sales this year!

Sept. 30, 2008 at 1:04 a.m.

LiSoCards

Great article... I had never considered doing a drawing@

Sept. 30, 2008 at 5:21 a.m.

JarcombeAndBam

thanks so much, some really usful advise

Sept. 30, 2008 at 11:08 a.m.

soulyyours

Thanks for this! Craft/Art Fairs are an amazing way to feel in your element among other artists, network, and meet absolutely amazing customers!!!!

Sept. 30, 2008 at 11:55 a.m.

ocbabyDestash

Fabulous article!! Doing your first (and second!!) Show can be so overwhelming and scary! These are some great creative tips to get you off to a great start!

Thanks so much, katydiddy!

Sept. 30, 2008 at 12:22 p.m.

sandicakes

Fantastic. Shows can be fun however you do need to generate interest. Great tips.

Sept. 30, 2008 at 2:54 p.m.

pillowtalkoptional

i saw a gorgeous jewelry display at a craft show last weekend — the seller used branches to display her necklaces. it was BREATHTAKING and so innovative.

Sept. 30, 2008 at 4:17 p.m.

cozyblue

love this article - thanks so much!

Sept. 30, 2008 at 4:58 p.m.

Pinka

Great article. Thanks!

Sept. 30, 2008 at 8:43 p.m.

UrbanAdornments

Shows are a great way for customers to connect a product with a friendly face! Booths allow customers to pick up business cards and flyers you wouldn't normally be able to distribute on such a vast level. Plus its alot of fun!

Oct. 1, 2008 at 5:27 a.m.

willowwalkerdesigns

Great article! A lot of neat ideas and must have practical items. My favorite's the portfolio.
In the summer I do up to two shows a week. Yes, my jewelry is (ack, gasp) in black trays with black velvet and velcro, BUT not all are flat. Unfortunately there are a lot of good reasons I do so. They don't blow over or take up a lot of space, ease of set-up and tear-down, safe transport and I don't need a U-Haul to get there. I also combine them with other displays too, so maybe I'm not quite so bad! Until I find MY perfect solution I'll stick with my black velvet. But I'll keep looking for a better way!

Oct. 1, 2008 at 1:59 p.m.

beadlady5

This was a really good article--I have a fair this weekend and will be using some of your ideas--thanks for the help--wish me luck--:o)

Oct. 1, 2008 at 2:01 p.m.

rquick

Wonderful article! I am just getting started but I appreciate all the good tips!

Oct. 1, 2008 at 3:52 p.m.

sassyteedesigns

Great information just in time for my first boutique. Thanks!!

Oct. 1, 2008 at 4:52 p.m.

pipapiep

Thanks for your good tips!

Oct. 2, 2008 at 8:54 a.m.

mrsmaddenmakes

Thanks for all the great ideas. They are really obvious things to do and ones that I know from my fashion background,but had mislaid!!!It's great to see them all written down like this. It really helps you to focus. Thanks again

Bev

Oct. 2, 2008 at 4:13 p.m.

thimbleworks

This is good to hear. My mom did a lot of craft fairs when I was little and I remember there was something magical about all that creativity in one place. My sisters and I are doing our first show this year. My mom's advice was to sell some little treat along with our craft items. Does anyone know if people still do that?

Oct. 3, 2008 at 4:05 p.m.

makemesmile

Great information. Thanks for the tips!

I only do 1 fair a year, it's not a craft fair but a fundraising fair. I find it helps to have a work in progress on site if your craft allows it. So I knit, in the more quiet moments of the fair. It always draws people to my table. =^x^=

Oct. 3, 2008 at 8:32 p.m.

KellysClayCreations

I think my favorite part is the thrill to have people tell you how great your stuff is. In a sad mood, do a craft fair. even if you don't make much money it is a great way to see your customers and get feedback. and to thimbleworks, i gave away cookies at a small fair and people loved it. my sister had the idea and made the cookies. sweetheart.

Oct. 5, 2008 at 10:03 a.m.

CoraMarieBoutique

Great adivce. I have a craft show coming up soon. I will definantly being using some of these great ideas. Thank you for posting this.

Oct. 7, 2008 at 3:01 a.m.

luludesign

Thanks for posting some great ideas! One other tip too - if it's a Christmas show make sure and have some Christmas items on hand, even if it's only some xmas cards!!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 3:11 a.m.

SomethingBlueGifts

Great ideas! I especially like the digital picture frame. I was going to use a portfolio but the frame is much more compact and modern. Plus, you can update your photos with ease.

Oct. 13, 2008 at 1:47 p.m.

CrowbirdieBeads

Fantastic article and perfect timing! I just did my first show and felt so unprepared with my display, though it had some good elements it just didn't draw people in. And beads are tiny! You have to draw people in to look at them! Now I have better ideas for the show next month, thanks to this :)

Oct. 15, 2008 at 12:27 p.m.

BeadsBySam

Thanks for great tips!!

Oct. 16, 2008 at 9:41 p.m.

DahliaHandbags

Great tips! I have a few fairs coming up and I will certainly take advantage of these tips. I particularly liked the slideshow tip! :)

Oct. 20, 2008 at 6:04 p.m.

DesignsbyChar

I've never had a craft fair, but I plan to try it this spring. Thanks for the helpful tips.

Oct. 20, 2008 at 11:52 p.m.

BirdWatching

This is a great article! I just recently did a couple craft markets and it was a blast!

Oct. 23, 2008 at 8:15 p.m.

Wampaku

I am totally book marking this page!!

Nov. 16, 2008 at 2:14 a.m.

syko

Thank you for using my picture! That was actually my best fair ever :) Thanks for the good tips too! I need to make flyers with my business information!

Feb. 12, 2009 at 1:06 a.m.

littlemoandfriends

thanks for this article! i can't wait to do my very first markets this year for little mo and friends!

March 30, 2009 at 5:51 p.m.

globalcoolo

Thank you so much for this info!!! I need it for my first craft fair!!!

April 28, 2009 at 3:24 p.m.

bellasparty

Thanks for the great tips!

May 15, 2009 at 2:16 p.m.

TanyaMac

Oh great article! Thanx for all the clever tips :)*

June 1, 2009 at 4:17 p.m.

celestialfoundations

Thanks for the tips. Craft fairs are fun! I learn something new everytime. It's always nice to hear experiences from other crafters.

July 9, 2009 at 5:40 p.m.

SmallPaintings

I'm definitely going to use some of your tips. Thanks!

July 9, 2009 at 7:31 p.m.

DanceInMyGarden

Brilliant advice, always room for improvement! Thank you.

July 9, 2009 at 7:37 p.m.

PawPawsWorkshop

Great Article

July 10, 2009 at 8:20 a.m.

lovelygifts

Good info.

July 10, 2009 at 9:01 a.m.

alasdelsur

Did you read my mind? I am about to have my first craft show this coming weekend @ the mccarren park in brooklyn, NY!

http://www.artistsandfleas.com/artist...

Thank you so much!

July 10, 2009 at 12:17 p.m.

ZuliDesigns

I'm currently preparing for a big show in December. I purchased a fitted table cloth online that are normally used for banquet tables at weddings, etc. They fit the dimentions of the table perfectly. I also created and uploaded a design for a banner at vistaprint.com. Both places had great prices and saved me a lot of time.

July 10, 2009 at 2:10 p.m.

woodponddesigns

Always good advice to get off the computer and make something! I have to get some craft fair applications complete - I'd love to do some for the fall and holiday season.

July 11, 2009 at 9:48 p.m.

mammysshop

Great article!!

July 12, 2009 at 3:14 p.m.

stonz

Great tips! Wish I had seen this before I did my first live show 2 days ago!
:>)
Though I did manage to do SOME of the things you mentioned...

July 14, 2009 at 1:09 p.m.

BLISSBABIES

I'm new to all this so you could tell me to stand on my head and I'd believe you. It's wonderful to be able to get articles like this to help me along. Thanks so much.

Aug. 26, 2009 at 11:07 p.m.

HeatherJaneDesign

I am considering doing my first craft show sometime this fall. I am so glad I found this article before then! The tips in here are great! I have lots of work to do, but at least now I have some direction.

Aug. 29, 2009 at 6:49 p.m.

dsenyo

I am headed to a show this week. Thanks for this article.

Sept. 13, 2009 at 10:49 p.m.

indigohempcompany

Wow. So glad I found this information. I have my first ever arts and craft fairs coming up (2 in October and 2 in November) and I'm SO nervous. Thanks for the insight. My big problem though...how in the heck do I know how much stock I need? I've been hesitant to add stock to my store so I can have enough for my shows. Really invaluable information here! Thank you so much!

Sept. 15, 2009 at 11:58 a.m.