OK, I just got my applications for some craft shows (2-hour drives from where I live, darnit! might as well have tried Peterborough, and had lunch with Loamy!), and was wondering if anyone here as some advice to give.

I'm a craft show virgin -- as exhibitor -- and not particularly savante as a shopper, either.

I'm NOT asking for comparisons on the vendor booth prices.

How much stock should I prepare for one weekend event in a rather craft-y part of the province? My business revolves around quilted satin gift bags, velvet gift bags, fabric gift boxes, those fortune cookies I sent to Daisy Dew (improved), and washable mommy pads (and the purse envelopes to bring them home from work after use).

What sort of booth type area should I set up? Can I get away with a three-panel hinged backdrop? I'm getting the smallest space possible (I have to make some money so I can fork out the money for the booth!), and paying extra for the folding table -- I don't think I'll be able to bring my own in the Civic. I'll be bringing some large plastic totes, too, to hold the stuff (I saw the way Loamy took down her set at the farmer's market) after the day is done -- not allowed to remove anything from the site until it's time to strike on Sunday evening.

Thoughts? Advice? Anecdotes?

My daughter used to make wreathes and other arrangements and take them to craft shows to sell.

I helped her occasionally and really did not enjoy the experience. It would seem that people are looking for something for nothing and consequently the whole event ended up hardly being profitable. I'm really rootin' for you, so I think that the best way you'll find out "how much stock" is by doing a few weekends such as this.

You said this event is in a rather craft-y part of the province, so perhaps the way to go is...not too much and not too little. It's always good to have a friend help you carry things and set up, not to mention keeping an eye on everything in general when you're dealing with potential customers.

I just did three holiday shows -- not entirely for the crafty set, but there were a lot of crafty booths. (Sponsored by the ND Department of Agriculture, so there were lots of food booths, too.)

A couple of ideas:

1. Craft shoppers will go to these same shows over and over again every year. That means that a new vendor coming has one big advantage -- potentially something different to offer than they've seen before. And one big disadvantage -- no "following." My friends who have done well have gone to the same shows year after year and tried to get the same spot, once they found a place they liked. One friend kept meticulous records of her buyers' names and addresses and sent them postcards before the next show.

2. Have a product list available for people to take home and order from. I just got a $90-ish order last week from a show I did a month ago (where I didn't do too well at the show, but that $90 sure helped make up the difference). Make sure your phone number and website both are on the form.

3. Try to think of something practical and cheap to hand out for free. In my case, since one of my main products is a book, I finally settled on colorful bookmarks with a holiday tip on them (and my website address, where they could find more tips plus a subscription box for my "Healthy Living Update"). If you think of something they may want to use in some way, they're more likely to hang on to it. You don't have to hand this stuff out to everyone who walks past the booth, but it's nice to have on hand for someone who actually looks interested.

4. Think vertical. Use vertical space as much as possible. One cool trick I just picked up this past time is to raise your table height. If you're using those banquet tables, you can cut lengths of 1-1/2 inch PVC pipe (I think 8-12 inches worked best) and stick the table legs in them before you drape the table. Make sure your table drape (hunk of fabric, but make it a nice one) is long enough to reach the floor, because otherwise the PVC will look tacky. It is pretty stable, surprisingly.

5. See if you can encorporate something that moves to get people's attention. I made a sign holder that positions the sign about 3 feet above the table (vertical space) and then has a hook to hang the sign from. For the sign, I printed a simple message in Publisher & positioned it inside one of their arrow shapes. Then printed it on card stock. Made another one in the reverse direction & glued them back-to-back. Then hung it from the sign holder with yarn. It swings a bit when people walk by. Maybe I can post a picture.



(Notice the table is as high as the side drapes -- that's because it's raised up by the PVC. Normally, the person walking by doesn't get the full effect of the table because it's lower than the side drape.)

6. You will probably think of a million little tweaks while you're actually there at the show. I kept a piece of paper and just jotted them down. 3 shows in a month was a lot, but my booth looked a lot better by the 3rd one than it did on the first.

7. Lights. Think about some little clip lights to focus on your stuff. Or rope lights. Something to focus the person on the stuff.

8. See if you can predict which way the traffic will flow. That will help you lay out your merchandise, figure where to stand, etc. For me, it worked best to hand out the bookmark at the beginning of the booth and then let them browse through the stuff. Otherwise, they were rushing through my products to see what the freebie was.

9. Remember you'll need change.

Good luck! Take the mindset of being in this for the long term...

P.S. I'm looking forward to others' tips. This girl's project is far from over!

I'm sorry, Elfie, I can't offer you any advice. Only my offer of good wishes and luck with your venture.

I really just wanted to say how impressive Liz's advice was! Honestly, Liz, I think you could/should consider preparing another exhibit...but for a new book entitled: "How To Exhibit"! Sounds redundant, but I'm serious. What excellent and helpful hints and information. Even an experienced exhibitor could learn a lot from what you said. Thanks for sharing it here.

Elfie, been there and plan to get back into it again.

First measure off an area inside your house or garage to the same size as your booth is going to be and set the booth up in that area, tweeking as you go. This helps you decide what is the best way to get what you want to in the booth, both for good displaying of your work and for traffic flow into and out of your booth. People tend to not walk into your booth if the opening feels too closed in. A U-shaped booth is best.

It is best to have your work at eye level instead of on tables unless it is something that has in inside to look at such as a bowl or something of that nature. If your gift bags have something different on the insides this would be good on a table. Use all of the wall space you can come up with, and put things that are related in the same area... either in color or types of work.

Good idea is to put up signs that say Touch Me if your work can be handled, people tend to buy more when they pick it up.

Lights are a must, use lights that you can direct the light onto your work. First sale I did I didn't use lights, it didn't work too well. Day after the sale went and bought some of those clip on lights, huge difference.

Okay, I could go on all night... here's some help;

http://www.craftsreport.com/commonfiles/faq-industry.html

This is from the Craft's Report magazine,

http://www.craftsreport.com/

This forum is much better, you do have to register but there is no spam with it. These are people who have been selling their art work for years. The archives are a treasure.

http://www.americancraftforum.com/

Good luck on your sale, and remember to pay attention, every sale you learn something new. Take a small notebook with so you can write down things that are important.

Do you have any friends to go with you? I woman at work takes friends who crowd around her booth, makes it look like there is really something exciting to see. She says customers tend to flock to a busy booth.

Sounds sneaky, doesn't it, but what the heck, if it works, guess it doesn't matter how you get the sale.

I agree with Liz's advice whole heartedly. I've been in a few crafts shows and know the lights really help. I've heard people say, "Hey, what's over there by the lights?" I've also had friends come at different times and just hang around. Definitely draws people over. Just be organized and friendly, saying hello to people walking by instead of just sitting behind the table reading a book...which I see many people do. Obviously, they don't get many sales. Good luck. I'm sure you'll do fine and have fun.

Sorry Elfie, last time I tried the archives of the articles at Crafts Report worked, now I see that they want you to buy their magazine, bummer, it was a change of owners. This use to be a treasure trove.

Some other important things, if you can put up something that blocks the veiw to other peoples booths while they are in your booth helps, you don't want people looking past your work and at the stuff in the booth next to you.

Yep, it helps if there are people standing in your booth, don't over do it tho, too many people will keep new ones from coming in, so if you have friends stopping by, not too many at one time.

Wow... thanks for more help than I expected! I'm printing out Liz1's and Lisaann's and Pinky's advice for future reference. The first show is in May; I just got the applications for the three shows on Friday. I've got time to mull this over and figure this out.

I don't really have any friends who could come to the show with me... they're all busy with their kids on the weekends. I'd ask Loamy to share the table with her stuff, but she's 2 hours away in the OTHER direction, and she's got lots on her plate right now without having to deal with another craft show. Guess I'll bring along some Depenz.

In other news: I've got one of my webstores up and running -- http://www.elvenhands.etsy.com Yay! I'll be moving to my domain www.elvenhands.com when I have a little bit of cash flow to sign up for another webstore hosting service. Signing up is free -- and each listing costs $0.20 U.S. with a 3.5% successful transaction fee (steep, but that's how the venue makes its money). The next step is signing up with ProStores.com for a real webstorefront that's all my own. But that's $30/month, and with the cell phone... I'd have to clear $90/month just to pay THOSE bills! I don't think I'm going to start making money, really, until June.

Cash-flow related: I'm waiting until my Janome comes home from its scheduled maintenance before I put my new draw-prize Bernette machine on eBay. Not really mourning, here: when I first brought it home, I was wondering what the hell I could do with it that I couldn't already do with the Janome, and figured it was a good way to get a quick lump of cash for the business. Then I tried to talk myself into keeping it... then I used it for a couple of days and discovered that I can do everything with the Janome except for two more decorative stitches, and I rather dislike the drop-in bobbin of the Bernette. I never felt like the Bernette was mine to keep.

Anyway, there's nothing to buy in the etsy store yet, I'm still futzing around and trying to figure out how to get the PayPal button on there. Etsy is an online selling venue like eBay, except friendlier, fixed prices only, and is limited to all things handmade. This goes from painting, to soap, to clothes. Some of you people here may be interested in selling your stuff online (ChrisJ?). It's all U.S. currency based -- I got myself a US dollar credit card just to be able to use it without incurring any exchange fees! (The annual membership fee for the credit card is more than compensated for by not paying currency exchange fees for every 20-cent transaction.)

So. There we go. Getting going. Yup. Putt-putt...

This is all very useful information for me, too, as I would love to at least try and sell some kind of art or craft item (even if I never sell plants or plant products, I can sell a horticulturally-themed craft ). --J--

quote:

(even if I never sell plants or plant products, I can sell a horticulturally-themed craft ). --J--

That's where I'm headed next! Scheming away in North Dakota...

Elizabeth

Etsy's a good place to get your feet wet if you're going to sell stuff online.

Elfie, when you do the practice booth set up at home before the show and get it set up the way you want it, take pictures of the booth. Take the pictures of the booth with you when it's time to set up the booth at the sale, this is so much easier to set up when you know where everything is going to go... the first morning of your first sale is somewhat of a panic unless you have nerves of steel!

I'm guessing this is an indoor sale, be glad, at one of the outdoor sales my booth space turned out to have a flower bed through part of it!

No recent advice, but in college I made hand-tooled leather items, mostly belts and handbags and sold them at craft fairs. I had only a small table for display since I never really had too much inventory at any given time.

My only other fixtures were a short stool and a low wooden sawhorse with a long, flat top which worked well for tooling belts. I kept a belt in-progress the whole day and tried to look busy when folks passed by. I think that went a long way to adding to the "handmade" value.

I also brought a tooled leather guitar case that I made for myself that I kept propped up behind me as an example of the custom work that I could do.

I did pretty well since I usually got an order or two for custom stuff, which usually exceeded the day's take and kept me out of the bars and off the streets for a few days.

Good luck!

Wayne

I'm thinking, when I go to craft shows I'd like to see the tables draped with something that matches/echoes the merchandise being offered for sale. I think that from a distance, a stilish looking booth would have a much greater appeal, and after a while your business would be immediately recognizable by your patrons.