Some ideas to get the best from craft fairs

[lyn]

In response to Zed's blog question, here's a list of ideas:

Some ideas to help improve your sales at a craft fair

Spend time on preparation – if your table is not attractive, customers won’t look. And you only have to work hard once – these preps are re-usable.

Lighting is important because if you're in a dark corner, your stall will look unattractive. If you have halogen lamps or fairy lights, pack some with you but check beforehand that you can have access to power – you might need to take an extension lead.

Make sure the cover for your table is clean, pressed, a colour that enhances your items and long enough to reach the floor.

Take acrylic stands or other props to elevate items on your table – a ‘flat’ display is not inviting.

Make business cards – quick and easy to do with a computer – giving your blog/shop name and contact details. Perhaps add a little image of your primary item. Display these cards in a small basket at the front of your table – you might get an order at a later date from one of these.

Make bunting to pin to the front of your table – perhaps you could spell out your shop name, one a letter at a time, on each pennant. Bunting gives a ‘come and have a look’ signal.

Price tags can be attractive. Make them large enough to be read, but small enough to be unobtrusive. Handmade tags are worth the effort and can be re-used.

Invest in paper carrier bags and tissue paper to wrap your customers purchases in.

If you are able to do your craft at the fair it can attract interest so take along some ‘work in progress’.

Be friendly and approachable, but leave your customers to browse in peace. They will ask for your opinion if they want it. It’s off-putting to be caught in a long conversation with a stall holder desperately trying to sell you something.

Make sure you are well-groomed as a scruffy stall holder is a big turn-off!

Take a ‘float’ of money for change, paper and pens, sticky tape, small scissors, tape measure and safety pins.
Get to the venue as early as possible – setting up takes longer than you think!

You don't want to spend all your profit on refreshments, so take a packed lunch and some drinks.

Top Tip: Keep your eye on your money – theft happens – a good way to do this is to keep your money on your person (you could use a ‘bumbag’).

[Pandagirl]

Great advice Lyn!

[zed]

Thanks for that, Lyn.
I might struggle with 'well groomed' but the rest sounds do-able

[lyn]

Fair enough Zed. Perhaps for ordinary folk like us, 'scrubbed up' is a better phrase.

'Well groomed' conjures up a picture in the mind of polished court shoes, tailored dress and jacket, simple but expensive jewellery, a neat hat.....oh, and unchipped nail varnish.

[Shepherdess]

arg! I responded to this and it disappeared. Mostly I just agreed with Lyn. Except I use reusable clear bags so other people can see what's inside as people walk around. I have had people come to my booth after asking someone where they got something. Here theses days most people do not want a bag at all. They bring there own or they put it in a bag they got somewhere else.
Zed don't be to nervous jut remember people are there because they are looking to buy things. They are not there to criticise or give you a grade.

[zed]

That's a good idea about a clear bag, Ann. I'm against plastic bags if I can help it though. I ordered some brown paper bags to put things in and I do have some bags I could re-use if no one brings their own. I'm sure it will be a great experience and nice to meet new people.

[MTRuth]

Many people here bring their own bags now. I always ask when I'm checking people out whether they want a bag or not.

[amanda99]

Cellophane bags work well with most items and can be bought in different sizes. I customise mine with a small sticker on the base, saying handmade by (your name/company name) plus website address, include a business card in with purchase and seal with a custom sticker from moo.com Instant gift packaging!

[zed]

I did give in and buy cellophane bags, mainly for cards, but they would be great for other things too now I think about it, thanks, Amanda

I'll have to look into stickers, I don't have much luck printing my own things

[Pandagirl]

Good luck with the sale Zed!

[zed]

Thanks Marilyn
Thanks for all the ideas and advice from everyone. I took far too much stuff, and I wasn't feeling too well, and the nerves didn't help! But it was a great experience and I got lots of nice comments, sold a notebook, a diary, two coin purses, a flat piece of felt and about 8 or 9 bookmarks. I sold more in one hour than 9 months on etsy

[lyn]

Better to take too much than not enough! With luck you may get some sales later from the craft fair exposure. Christmas fairs have a lovely atmosphere and I'm glad you found it enjoyable.

Now that you're confident, have you booked a spring/Easter fair?

[MTRuth]

That sounds like you did really well Zed - since it was only one hour, that was quite a lot of sales. Great job

[Pandagirl]

Zed, it sounds like you did very well for an hour. I hope you passed out a lot of cards. Hopefully, you'll get some additional sales from the exposure. Perhaps next time you will have someone there to help you. As far as bringing too much, better to give people a lot of choices so they can find the special thing that suits them or the person they buy for. Great job! A good rest will be well deserved.

[Shepherdess]

Sounds like you did really well for such a short time to sell. I am told etsy can be a real slog. you need to post something everyday or better yet schedule for several times a day so people will see your stuff. Perhaps as you pass out cards people will go to your etsy shop to buy things. I agree its better to have to much than not enough. You can always keep some under the counter if the table looks to crowded.