How to Do Well at Craft Shows (Beginner)
Artists exhibit their works in craft shows for the increased exposure and the opportunity to boost sales in a short period. Business planning for craft shows involves an assortment of considerations, from selecting the proper mix of inventory to preparing vendor booth designs. The physical demands of setting up and coordinating sales for a craft show booth are best managed by a project team, but this depends on the type of crafts you make and the hours of the show.
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Things You'll Need
- Tent
- Booth fixtures
- Credit card machine
- Cash register
- Receipt book
- Brochures
- Business cards
Instructions
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Manage craft inventory. Inventory considerations primarily relate to variety and quantity. Bring too little inventory and you might run out of items to sell. Craft selections depend greatly on your specific crafts. Jewelry makers can take a large inventory selection, while potters have to be more selective. Additionally, choose inventory with an assortment of price ranges for customers. Develop an inventory list that includes all of the items that will be included at the show.
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Attend the most appropriate craft shows for your artwork. Aim to stand out from other craft vendors. There are thousands of craft shows, and each has a distinct focus. For example, some shows focus on handmade crafts only or highlight arts from certain mediums, such as Oregon's annual Clay Fest, which is limited to ceramic art and handmade pottery. Ask organizers about the typical vendor mix if the show's printed material does not specifically set out this information.
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Build an eye-catching booth display. The quality of your booth display design has an impact on your sales. Potential customers should be able to browse with ease. Visual merchandising displays do not have to be fancy to be effective. A tent, tables and quality cloths can serve as a great backdrop for crafts. Signage and special lighting add dimension to displays. Also, hide boxes and other "back office" items from customer views.
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Market your attendance at show dates. Send out a postcard to friends, family and past customers. If you have a website, advertise your participation in the craft show on the site.
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Prepare for direct customer sales and staffing needs. The craft show is a crowded marketplace. The number of attendees is frequently projected based on past years' attendance counts. Prepare for crowds with additional booth helpers. Staff should be prepared to answer questions and interact with craft show booth browsers. Also, people like to hear the stories behind displayed artwork.
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Plan for money matters. Prepare to accept credit cards and debit-card transactions. For money handling, use a small cash register or cash apron. If you do not use a cash register, take a receipt book. Additionally, take sufficient change because you do not want to put a customer on hold while you search for change to complete a transaction. Take 10-, five- and one-dollar bills. Prepare to have an assortment of coins if taxes are calculated on top of the listed prices for crafts.
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Tips & Warnings
Have business cards and other promotional material at the booth to market your crafts.
Take a chair, water and light snacks.
You might need a seller's permit. Check with show organizers and local business registration offices.
Thoroughly read through craft show material for vendor rules and other important information.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit NA/Photos.com/Getty Images
