Craft Show Tips
Craft shows are popular events in many areas and serve as an affordable alternative to a brick and mortar shop. In addition to being a cost effective way to sell your wonderful creations, craft shows also provide a great opportunity for you to promote your Zibbet shop and Zibbet as a whole. Although I’m far from being considered a craft show ‘veteran’, I have participated in multiple shows over the last couple of years. At each event, I’ve learned a lot and continue to learn from each new experience. I’d like to share a few tips gleaned from the experiences of others as well as my own.
- Expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to outside shows.
- Carefully consider the cost, which involves more than just the booth fee.
- Arrange for someone to be there to help you.
- Offer a variety of items at several price points.
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
- Pack something to eat and drink.
- Lighting is critical, especially for jewelry and other small items, regardless of location and time of day.
- Take plenty of change for cash transactions.
- Consider taking credit card payments if possible. Square seems to be the most cost effective option available if you have a tablet computer or other compatible device.
- Accept checks with proper ID and phone number.
- Understand that ‘first time’ shows are a greater risk than established ones, especially in small towns. Ask the show organizers how they are promoting the show.
- Have plenty of business cards available and encourage browsers to take one. You may see an online sale later as a result.
Please leave a comment sharing your best craft show tip! For a detailed craft show discussion, please be sure to check out Craft Show Tips in Zibbet’s Community Hub.
Best wishes for much success on Zibbet!
Vicki is committed to assisting her fellow Zibbeters improve their shops for successful online selling. She is the owner of five Zibbet shops: LOC Design Studio, Denim and Pearls, A Stitch and a Prayer, Black Creek Crossing and Think Like a Fish. You can follow Vicki on Twitter and through her LOC Design Studio blog.
Tags: Craft Fair, Craft Show Tips, Offline Promotion, promote your shop, promote Zibbet, Success on Zibbet
Wear an apron with very deep pockets for money.
Never use a cash box that can be grabbed.
This article should get lots of comments, Vicki, as many people probably have tons of advice. I’ll probably add more later.
Judy
Always have enough ‘weights’ to add to items (and tent legs) to keep them from flying away. If you think 7 pounds is enough- double it for sure. (1 milk jug of water is 7 pounds)
Vicki,
I do NOT take credit cards and in 29 years of doing craft shows, I can honestly say I have only lost 1 sale because of it. I just say I take Cash or Check and they always come through.
I use a cash register but I am always sitting by it or the person with me is. I am not the type of person who pushes my sales. I sit by the register and let them shop. I do get up and open up afghans if they want to see how large they are. But my product sells itself and return customers telling about them create new sales for me.
Good Luck with craft shows all. If I can be of help with what I do, just ask.
Nice, Vicki - you really hit the high spots! Samples are a good idea if you offer custom-made items………..for me, it is a doll in a Baby Bunting - I can let people handle the Bunting, hold, touch, squeeze and let the customer choose their own color/theme for the expected bundle of joy, giving me their “due date” - I then go to work in a clean (almost sterile) environment to make their Bunting as fresh and new as the baby who receives it! I’ve yet to participate in a Craft Show that I didn’t learn something new
Grandmother Carolyn
Oh, I just loved this article since I am an aspiring craft addict, I appreciate the great tips. I did my first show ever last Saturday and a friend suggested I use “bed risers” to raise my table. I did this and honestly it gave my table a very professional appearance and it made it easier for the shoppers to see my items without having to bend so far. Thanks again
Great points! There’s an on going discussion in the forums for further ideas and info: http://community.zibbet.com/forum/topics/craft-show-tips
I use the Square and it is the best invention. Super easy to use and the cash is in my bank the very next day with a small percentage taken out. I have had many sales where the customer did not have a check book and with limited cash would have bought much less.
Only problem is keeping my cell phone charged to keep using it all day at the long shows.
http://www.square.com
Stop by my website to visit; http://www.LilMissSweetPeaBoutique.com
Merry Christmas.
Gail
I agree w/Grandmother Carolyn — I learn something new at each show! Would like to hear, though, if others have the same problem that I do, which is that there doesn’t seem to be any organized way to FIND THE SHOWS to do. Have tried the internet, & it’s not really helpful. Maybe I’m using the wrong key words. Have had my best success in locating shows by talking to other crafters. One MAJOR thing that I’ve learned, though is to find out WHAT is being sold at the show by others. My prices don’t go that low, and if you go where everyone is having “flea market” or $5 & $10 specials, the people attracted to that are not prepared to pay $50 or more for something.
Fantastic advise! Square works perfectly for my use. Thanks!