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I've been reading up on craft fairs, and I want to do my first one in the beginning of December. I want to start preparing now so that I'm not scrambling in the end. Here's my list of what I want to make, based mostly on what I have read on here that might be successful: cards, coasters, altered journals w/ matching beaded pens, totes w/ matching cards, tile magnets, clothespins, acrylic post it note holders, and Christmas fudge.
My question to you fabulous ladies are: what are your tips to have a successful craft fair? What little tips and tricks or just plain common sense things have you learned from your craft fairs? Or, if you weren't happy with your craft fair experience, what would you have done differently that in retrospect you think would have helped?
1. Place your tables so that people come into your booth space. That allows you to talk to them more casually. If they are on one side of the table and you on the other then it is more difficult to talk with them. Chatting with people and showing them what you sell many times leads to more sales.
2. Your table shouldn't be over croweded with stuff. Keep extra inventory in boxes underneath the table and replinsh the table when needed.
3. Bring water to drink.
4. Check with the craft fair - do they allow you to bring in homemade food? Most craft fairs in my area don't allow that.
5. Check the stamps you plan on using for your cards,etc. Does the company who makes them have an Angel Policy that allows you to do that?
6. Drape your tables - I find black or white are the most attractive.
7. Decide if you are going to accept checks or credit cards. If you are only going to accept cash have a couple of signs displayed stating that.
8. Wear comfortable shoes. Dress nicely but remember comfortable shoes.
Another tip: keep everything out until the very end. Last year I did a show and several people started boxing things up about 30 minutes before it was scheduled to end. I kept everyything out and ended up selling about $50 worth in just that last half hour.
Another tip, which it sounds like you will already be doing, is lots of inexpensive things and things that appeal to kids.(there were lots of kids and their parents were pretty willing to spend a dollar or two). I sold out of my Holiday s'more kits ( Holiday peep, mini hershey bar and two graham cracker halves in a little bag with a cute topper). Put boxes under your tablecloths so you can display things at different heights. It's visually interesting and will enable you to display more. I set up my display the night before to make sure I like the way it looks. Also, maybe find interesting display containers. I use baskets, etc. because I like the rustic/country look.
If you love doing them, don't give up if it doesn't quite go the way you hope. I did two last year...one was so-so and the other was awesome, so you never know. Anyway, lots of luck to you!
I am new to stamping and want to participate in our church's craft show in the fall and I want to make sure I cover all of my bases...can you give me more information on Angel Policies and how they work. I will be using Stampin' Up stamps and some store bought stamps.
__________________ To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Leila. Stampin' Up has stamps that should be stamped on the stamped creation that you are selling. They are specifically to fulfill the angel policy. You can find Stampin' Up's angel policy regarding selling items with their stamped images : here.
However, for your store bought stamps you will need to look up each company and their angel policy. HTH
These are great tips ladies!! I have a little notebook and I'm writing them down so that I don't forget. Keep them coming, I'm trying to take in the knowledge of your experience. ;)
Thank you so much! I have not participated in shows in the past because I wanted to make sure I was doing everything legal and by the book. Thank you for the information. If there are any other tips you would like to share.....I'm listening!
__________________ To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Place things at various levels. I use milk crates with a wooden board on top, drape an extra tablecloth over that and voila, you have some nice levels. If everything is at one level, it's not very interesting.
I did some research on color and the most popular color in the US is blue so I use a nice deep blue tablecloth to cover the table and it seems to match well with all my items.
Have everything labeled. I usally put little price tents in front of the various items. This way if you are talking with one customer others will be able to see prices. Many people won't wait around waiting for you to finish.
If you do decide to do fairs on a regular basis, I would suggest investing in a card rack spinner. It made a HUGE difference after I got one. People can see my cards at a glance, more than one person can look at a time and they are not trying to thumb through duplicates. The spinner has caught people's eyes in the past and drawn them to my table where they might not have come over otherwise.
And don't get discouraged. I have had some really good shows and some really bad shows. I never know what is going to be the popular item (seems to change constantly) and I go in with no expectations because I just don't know what the crowd will be looking for that day.
Another tip: keep everything out until the very end. Last year I did a show and several people started boxing things up about 30 minutes before it was scheduled to end. I kept everyything out and ended up selling about $50 worth in just that last half hour.
That is my biggest pet peeve with craft shows. If I commit to do a show from 9 to 3 and they advertise that time, people should be able to come at 2:45 and still buy. I always stay to the end, even if it's not a great sale day. I hate when crafters start packing up early (sometimes 2 hours early!), and they are walking out with their totes of crafts as potential buyers are coming in. I have asked show organizers to make an announcement early in the afternoon to remind crafters to please stay till the closing time.
My advise to you, on top of all the other good tips above, is to smile, say hello to people (even if they are walking right by your table), and wear something colorful and pretty with those comfy shoes. I really believe if you yourself look more friendly and approachable, your buyers will come check out what you have to offer. Good luck.
I've been reading up on craft fairs, and I want to do my first one in the beginning of December. I want to start preparing now so that I'm not scrambling in the end. Here's my list of what I want to make, based mostly on what I have read on here that might be successful: cards, coasters, altered journals w/ matching beaded pens, totes w/ matching cards, tile magnets, clothespins, acrylic post it note holders, and Christmas fudge.
My question to you fabulous ladies are: what are your tips to have a successful craft fair? What little tips and tricks or just plain common sense things have you learned from your craft fairs? Or, if you weren't happy with your craft fair experience, what would you have done differently that in retrospect you think would have helped?
Thanks ladies!
I saw a cute idea for selling fudge. Make the fudge and pour it into a holiday cookie cutter. Put it in a cello bag with some kind of stamped tag.
I haven't tried this yet, so I would be interested to hear if anyone else has.
I saw a cute idea for selling fudge. Make the fudge and pour it into a holiday cookie cutter. Put it in a cello bag with some kind of stamped tag.
I haven't tried this yet, so I would be interested to hear if anyone else has.
Lisa
So - the fudge is inside the cookie cutter? That's interesting.
Thanks for all the tips. They're fabulous. I'm actually doing a smaller show in October and a much larger show in the beginning of December. This has been great for helping me understand what I'll need to do.
mpchipmunk,
do you mind if I ask how much the craft fair is charging you? I've looked into doing this, but it has been between $300-$500 and I'm just not sure if I can make that back in sales. I'm wondering if it is just my area (DC metro) or if I'm looking at the wrong type of fairs.
__________________ ~*~ Clara ~*~ If you can think it, you can ink it!
I've actually found a lot of the larger fairs charge around $300 for a space, but that's too much money for me. So I looked into cities around me.
I found a few cities that have craft fairs, some really small and some fairly well known for the area. The smaller one that I want to do charges $25, and the larger one - that is actually run every Friday and is well-attended - charges $50.
My first step was checking out city web sites to see if they had any special events coming up. And I kept looking up information from there. Good luck with your craft fair search!
Where do you find out about craft fairs that are going to be held??
Doxiegal,
I looked on city websites and actually found several craft fairs that way. I looked up on google cities in my area, checked out the upcoming events on their website, then looked up vendor information - which was on the same pages for most of the websites. They don't always say "craft fair," but may be an event that has craft vendors. For example, some of the ones I found were called "family festival" and "summer jubilee" but they both had different kinds of craft vendors at their events.
I'm not sure how others have found craft fairs - that's just how I found the ones I'll be doing.
I have heard that churches and schools also have craft fairs, but I wouldn't know how to find those.
I used to sell photography at the craft fairs and am building inventory to do some other stuff in the future. Here's what i learned:
1. Humidity stinks. Always have lots of cold water in a cooler in the summertime and don't expect many customers when it's really hot out.
2. Invest in a pop up tent. Folds up nicely, but absolutely needed in case it starts raining or gets really sunny.
3. Brand yourself. Make a monogram or logo that you will use on all your tags and packaging and make them as professional looking as possible. Image really does make a difference.
4. Don't be afraid to "decorate" your space. When we would do fall shows we would put little pumpkins and gourds on the table, and at one show even put a haybale to the side of one table. Everyone loved it. Also, use seasonal table covers...as easy as buying a few yards of fabric and hemming the ends.
5. Have lots of business cards ready to hand out in case someone wants a custom piece done.
6. Include sales tax (if you're required to collect it) in the price so that it's easier to make change and what not. Plus then there are no surprises when you give people the total. (Like someone's got a five dollar bill ready to pay, not a five and thirty cents!)
All in all, it's a really fun experience and you meet so many interesting people. Good luck to you and let us know how you make out! I think the products you're preparing will sell really well. They're basically the same things i'm working on too!
HTH!
jen
__________________ Jen Z. in Elysburg, PA...not quite stampin' in Atlas anymore!
4. Don't be afraid to "decorate" your space. When we would do fall shows we would put little pumpkins and gourds on the table, and at one show even put a haybale to the side of one table. Everyone loved it. Also, use seasonal table covers...as easy as buying a few yards of fabric and hemming the ends.
Aw! You have no idea!! I love to throw parties (love Martha Stewart!), and I love to decorate for them. This will be right up my alley. Thanks.
Don't get discouraged,have done a few sales and over all had a great time. The most fun I had was the year my neice and I did it together,she beades,her mom made jellies. The sales I did were Holiday sales in November and I used Christmas tablecloths. I have picked up a variety of baskets at garage sales to put my things in,you can get some real nice ones CHEAP, then you can set up in the baskets ahead of time and getting situated and packed when your done is a snap.I also store a lot of things in shoe boxes then use those boxes to elevate the boxes. Usually table space is a premium, so a variety of sizes is good both in height and size of containers to put your wares in. Take notes of what sells and what you would do differant. Bring LOTS of ones and change,decide on check status. My first sale I made $14 after the cost of the table,but I had a great time and it was a good experiance. The weather was so bad and the sale was at a seinior hi rise on the second floor,the elevator went out and did not restart until the sale was almost over. But all the ladies stopped to chat and it was fun.
I sold American Girl doll clothes many years ago -- these are tips that I lived by: (I know that many of them have already been given)
1. Stand in front of your booth and have people walk into. You will interact with people better. Say and point to "look at this" -- you will be suprised at the interest it brings -- remember that the shoppers have been to many, many other booths
2. Have many different levels to your booth, so it can be seen from a distance.
3. Have "cheap" items for a $1 or $2. They will easily pay for your booth. They can be geared to kids or anyone.
4. If this is a pre-holiday sale, think packages of items that will make a great gift == basket, boxes, etc... Have a variety of price ranges -- people are often looking for a $20, $25 gift for someone special.
5. Have a card for easy reference -- I would make it a gift tag -- so people can use it and come back for more.....
6. Have a price list of items that you sell, custom items, etc. just run it off on the computer....I always had many orders after the sale and then when they would come and pick up the items, they often bought my leftovers.
7. Smile, eat a good breakfast. Have plenty of change. Take inventory before and keep track of your sales. That way you will know how much people are spending and what items they were buying (for next years sale).
8. Often larger items sell prior to the show.....ex: a basket of cards and packaging to another vendor. Ask if you can keep it until after the show for display reasons.
1. Stand in front of your booth and have people walk into. You will interact with people better. Say and point to "look at this" -- you will be suprised at the interest it brings -- remember that the shoppers have been to many, many other booths
3. Have "cheap" items for a $1 or $2. They will easily pay for your booth. They can be geared to kids or anyone.
4. If this is a pre-holiday sale, think packages of items that will make a great gift == basket, boxes, etc... Have a variety of price ranges -- people are often looking for a $20, $25 gift for someone special.
6. Have a price list of items that you sell, custom items, etc. just run it off on the computer....I always had many orders after the sale and then when they would come and pick up the items, they often bought my leftovers.
7. Smile, eat a good breakfast. Have plenty of change. Take inventory before and keep track of your sales. That way you will know how much people are spending and what items they were buying (for next years sale).
8. Often larger items sell prior to the show.....ex: a basket of cards and packaging to another vendor. Ask if you can keep it until after the show for display reasons.
These are things i forgot to mention but are very important...
The $1 or $2 items will usually sell better than the higher priced ones. Bring extra of those!
One time we did a show at a lighthouse in NJ and packaged some photo cards in a cello bag and put a really neat label on it. They were five cards with photos of NJ lighthouses and we sold them for $12. They were gone (all ten of them) in the first hour. What i learned from that is this: gear at least some of your stuff to the location or theme of your show if you can. Like, if the show is at a lighthouse, bring some stuff with lighthouses on it. If it's a wine festival, wine stuff. Strawberry festival...well, you get the idea!
Having something printed up with your prices is nice, and if you put it in a basket where people can just take it, it could drive sales after the festival for custom orders. Good idea!
I really like the gift basket idea too, especially around the holidays.
Again, best of luck, and have fun!!
jen (again!)
__________________ Jen Z. in Elysburg, PA...not quite stampin' in Atlas anymore!
no matter what, Do not be reading a book or chatting on your cell phone (or doing your nails) behind the booth while the sale is going on... If you are *really* anxious, you could bring a few prestamped images to color so people could see how the magic happens..
If you are selling any wearable art or have made any boxes or any covered notebooks, make sure you are USING those items.. I used to do stained glass and was admiring a vendor who used a glass jewelry box as her cash box. "Oh yes, I traded for that at another show" *My cashbox was a tupperware box, brilliant. I was always stunned by the jewelry artisans wearing commercial pieces and not their own stuff.. If you are logging in your sales, do it in a notebook you have covered yourself!!
If sales are slow(or even not) some vendors will ask to trade (or you can ask to barter with other vendors). This is a good way to stock up on Christmas presents that are not all Handstamped.... If , on the off chance, you are approached to trade by a vendor who doesnt have items that appeal to you. we decided on the answer " I have already traded my show allowance, but I appreciate the offer." Or my accountant only allows me to trade up to twenty (or make up a number) dollars in one transaction or one show. (you might run in to the person making beer can airplanes at your next show too!)
You ladies are so great. I woke up this morning to lots of craft tips! ;)
They're all great ideas, a lot of which I couldn't have gotten without having done a fair already. This has definitely been a learning experience.
Jen - I like the idea of making a price card for people to take for future orders.
designing sharon and ndeelou - Oh! I have been there. When I want to buy something at someone's booth and they're just sitting there not paying attention to me! I have walked away from those so I will definitely make sure not to do that.
mpchipmunk,
I have another question for you, if you don't mind!
I was wondering if any of these fairs require you to have a retail sales license?
I have to have a temporary business license that is free through their city. I just have to apply for one and that's it. It will count only for the craft fair.
In reading the above it was suggested about not reading,good idea,yes have a project to work on though,...you want your coustomers to be able to brouse rather than feel your all over them. From personal experiance from all aspects of sales I have been to I do not feel comfortable if I'm being watched,I love to look and if I need to ask questions that you are there and receptive to questions asked is good. I have only done small sales but the lg sales I have attended I feel the same way about. Again Good Luch and enjoy !!!!
In reading the above it was suggested about not reading,good idea,yes have a project to work on though,...you want your coustomers to be able to brouse rather than feel your all over them. From personal experiance from all aspects of sales I have been to I do not feel comfortable if I'm being watched,I love to look and if I need to ask questions that you are there and receptive to questions asked is good. I have only done small sales but the lg sales I have attended I feel the same way about. Again Good Luch and enjoy !!!!
I'm the same way! I hate it when the seller is right on top of you. I think I will greet everyone who walks into my booth so they know I'm there and that I "see" them so they know they can talk to me, but I will try to have a project to work on so I'm not breathing down their neck. I think I will also thank them all for looking even if they don't buy, just in case they are thinking of coming back - I do that sometimes, look first at all the booths, then go back to the ones I really liked. :mrgreen:
__________________ ~*~ Clara ~*~ If you can think it, you can ink it!
Sometimes the venues you think will be the big ones are actually little, and the ones you think will be a waste of your time will be the best show you've ever done. We did shows in the Philadelphia area, and some of them were bombs. We did a show (for fun, really) closer to my husband's hometown which is a small area, and figured we wouldn't make anything and it was the best show we ever did, raking in about $400 profit. So, never expect anything one way or another...the point is more to have fun than to make a living i guess!
Hope you don't mind my scatterbrain posts (i just keep remembering things to share!)
__________________ Jen Z. in Elysburg, PA...not quite stampin' in Atlas anymore!
How do you decide how much you price things for? For instance, single cards and sets of cards (nicely packaged in plastic bags and boxes).
Thanks!
You basically have to break down the costs and figure out how much you want to make above and beyond what it cost you to make something. For instance...i used to sell photography. I would figure a 8x10 enlargement was $3.50, the matte board we cut ourselves and could get 8 mattes out of one $8 piece, so then figure $1 for that, plus the packaging which was like 3 cents or something silly like that, and the label which was like 10 cents. Add all that, and then figure how much you wanna make above and beyond that...So our cost was $4.63, and we sold a 8x10 matted photo for $8.00.
I was trying to figure out what to charge for a cello bag today and was laughing at the incredible amount of "stuff" that goes into a stamping project. The most important part about pricing your stuff is that you charge enough to cover your costs and then add some money so you actually turn a profit.
It's also handy to make special offers for quantitys. Like, if something is $3.00, figure out if you can offer that 2 for $5.00 and still make money. This encourages people to buy more than one. When you're packaging cards in quantity (like five to a package) make this deal as well. If a single card costs $3.00, make the five-card package $12.50 or so. Your profit margin won't be as high, but you might sell more that way.
Hope this helps and wasn't too technical!
jen
__________________ Jen Z. in Elysburg, PA...not quite stampin' in Atlas anymore!
I am doing a show much larger than the ones that I usually do. I have no idea how many of anything to make. I have heard that this show brings in around 5000 in attendance over 2 days. Does anyone have experience with a show of that size...and could you tell me how many of a few different items I should make.
Craft Fair Tips, Please!
