How to Sell Crafts at a Bazaar

Whether you are a seasoned veteran of selling at bazaars or you are just starting out, there are some things you can do to improve the look of your product or its display, and you can increase sales. These few steps will help you get started.

Things You'll Need

• Table
• White lights or flood lights
• Table cloth

Instructions

How Bazaar!

1. Look at all the bazaars available for you to show at. There will be hundreds, so choose them wisely, especially if you only have the time and energy for one. Selling at craft shows can be exhausting!

2. Do a search on the internet for bazaars in your local area; email your local city administration; or contact your paper. Most cities and craft organizations keep a list of the bazaars and their dates.

3. Decide how much you want to spend to get into a bazaar. Some shows are free, others may charge the public to attend. The free shows will draw more traffic, but the people who pay admission tend to be more serious about buying. You make the call depending on your product, its pricing, and the customer demographic you are trying to reach.

4. Find out how may vendors will be there and the size of the crowd it draws and make your decision based on that. If you cannot find this information in the bazaar listing, then email or call the specified contact person. They will be able to tell you; for instace, there may be 100 vendors and last year it drew in about 2,000 people.

5. Start this process early. Many of the big bazaars start filling up the January after the holiday season.

6. Set out a nice table cloth. Presentation is key and a simple cloth covering the old table will go a long way to saying you are a quality seller with quality products.

7. Spice up your product; make it stand out. Perhaps a fancy label will do the trick. Sometimes, especially if its food, a sample will go a long ways to securing a customer.

8. Print out business cards. Often times in a bazaar you will have repeat customers or people who say they wished they had been able to get in touch with you months ago because they needed some of exactly what you have. Handing out business cards with a sample, or just with a logo that will remind them of what you sold, will surely bring business throughout the year.

9. Make your booth stand out by adding lights (white christmas lights or flood lights at the base), and signs that spotlight your product. Make sure to clear this with the bazaar hosts, however, as there are usually rules that have to be adhered to when using electricity.

10. Play music that fits the tone of your product or that just catches the ear. Don't make it loud so it interferes with others.

11. Make your booth tall or display your product high. When people come in all they see is a sea of booths and people looking for a place to start. If they come in and see a tall booth with lights, they will naturally choose your booth to start. And, better yet, their eyes, feet, and wallets are fresh.

12. Have someone or a few people walk around the bazaar with your product. This will catch people's eyes and often they will ask as to the booth number where purchased.

13. Make your prices easy to remember and pay for. If you are a business and need to pay tax, back it out after the fact, so your customer does not have to dig for change.

14. Offer deals such as buy one, get one free. At bazaars, people are looking for deals!

15. Interact with the people. Don't just sit there on a chair reading a book or chatting with your friends or neighboring booth. You have to be a salesman, not pushy, just friendly.

Tips & Warnings

• Have fun. People will buy from those that come off as relaxed and proud of their product. For added benefit, if you have an organization that you feel is important set it up ahead of time so a percentage of proceeds goes it, say a shelter for feeding the homeless during the holidays. It will increase your sales and your ability to donate and help.

• Be aware of the other booths. While you want to sell your product, you do not want to steal people from other booths. Let them come to you.