How to Sell Jewelry at a Craft Fair

Craft Fairs Can Draw Big Crowds for Big Sales.

If you have a creative side, you can make a good little side business for yourself by selling your jewelry creations at local craft fairs and art shows. It's a trial-and-error process sometimes to determine what will sell where and what will not, but there are some basics to getting started and making the most out of your craft fair experiences.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Jewelry
• Booth/Table
• Sign advertising your business
• Business cards
• Bags

1. Find a craft fair in your area. Check newspaper listings and public bulletin boards for announcements about upcoming fairs. These events are generally held at churches and schools, so you can also check with those in your area. Before you can sell at a craft fair, you will have to register and possibly even get a business license to sell items in that city. Check the registration fee and make sure you can afford that cost up front. You hope to make it back in your sales from the fair, but don't count on that. In addition, you will need to find out what kind of structures the event organizers will provide (booths, tables, displays) and what you will need to bring with you (besides your jewelry, of course).

2. Get the word out. You want to draw business to your store and a great way to do that is to start a word-of-mouth campaign before the craft fair starts. Tell your friends and neighbors where you'll be set up at the show, and ask them to tell their friends and neighbors. Drumming up business before the show will help you ensure a profit on the day of the fair.

3. Gather your materials. If you are going to sell at a craft fair, the best thing you can do is bring a great deal of product with you. Make as many jewelry items as you can before the event because you never know what people will want to buy when they arrive. Make the same bracelet in a selection of colors, or offer a variety of styles; do both if you can. It would also be a good idea to put together a photo album of pieces you have made in the past. This way, customers can see other options they have if they want to place a custom order. Speaking of custom orders, decide in advance if you want to take them. If you do, it can be a great way to spread out your profit, because people can contact you after the fair is over and purchase more of your jewelry. If they see something they like at your table, but it isn't exactly what they're looking for, they can ask you to make something one-of-a-kind, and you will have a loyal new customer. The photo album can help to show the variety of pieces you're capable of making, even if you don't have time to re-create all those pieces before the fair.

4. Get your promotional items together. You'll need more than just jewelry and a card table the day of the craft fair to make some sales. Have business cards made before the event so people will remember you the next time they want jewelry. Buy bags you can use to put purchases in; it can be as simple as decorating some paper lunch sacks with a few rubber stamps, or adding stickers to small zippered plastic bags. Keep your up-front costs low by using creative and simple solutions like these.

5. Set up your booth. It might be a tent, a table or a booth; whatever your space, make it your own. Arrive at the craft fair at least 1 hour early to get everything in place before the customers arrive. Put your jewelry in an organized and neat display pattern (arrange by matching sets or jewelry type) so your customers will easily be able to browse your selection when they approach your table. Add a large sign with your "store" name and a creative tag line (such as: "Jessica's Jewels -- Original Designs for You). It would also be a good idea to keep business cards on your table so that customers can take 1 and contact you later. If you are willing to offer custom orders, make a sign to that effect and place it next to your business cards. That way, your customers can reach you and patronize your business even after the fair has ended.

Tips & Warnings

• Make your display as different as possible by decorating it with a pretty tablecloth and a sign advertising your business. Try to pick a color scheme for all your promotional materials to make everything look more professional. When pricing your jewelry, add a little extra to cover the cost of renting your space at the fair.

• Be careful about accepting checks. If a check bounces, it will be difficult for you to recover the money, and you will have lost that jewelry item that sold. Do not leave your booth unattended. If you can bring a friend to the show with you (or enlist the help of a family member), he can watch the booth for you while you take a break to use the restroom or get something to eat.

References

• Sell at Craft Fairs
• Find Craft Fairs