15 Things to Look for as a Seller in an Art Fair: Marketing & Selling Your Handmade Crafts

Your friends have enthusiastically applauded your framed photography or your crochet doilies, or your home made jellies, jams and preserves. Or maybe you make jewelry out of paper beads, or embroider baby clothing, or knit lovely scarves and hats and mittens or mold your own spectacular aromatic candles. Or maybe you are a dynamo at crafting woodwork or creating stunning stained glass lamps. Whatever your creative talent and fancy you have been told people would buy that! Nearly everyone knows about places to sell your wares online from auctions to online boutiques, but some artists and craftspeople enjoy the experience of people to people live person interaction and the thrill and excitement of a trade show or local art fair. Before you plop down your hard earned dollars and lose money, follow these 10 tips to choosing the right art fair venue for you. This advice will not only keep you from losing money, but will result in a profitable and successful craft selling event!

1. If you see a listing on Craig's List advertising an art fair in search for vendors, ask some basic questions such as How Many vendors will there be? How will the event be promoted? Has the person hosting this event hosted previous similar events? What is the anticipated turn out? What other kinds of items will be sold at the fair? Are there any restrictions to the types of merchandise that will be sold? What fees, if any are involved for setting up a seller space? You probably do not want to participate in an art or craft or gift fair that is not really limited to hand made items. There is nothing more disappointing than attending a unique gift show that really is just a public garage sale or a bunch of multilevel marketers hawking commercial cosmetics, health products and food storage containers! You are in search of an art or craft fair that is limited to unique and hand made items and draws in a customer base seeking and shopping for such items! You want to participate in a venue that is geared toward and appreciates the labor and love and care you have invested in your hand made items.

2. Be aware that some people set up fairs simply to line their pockets with space rental fees. An event host may charge $60 or $100 per table space and book 100 vendors, yet only be paying $200 to rent the school cafeteria or church recreational facility. That means they are pocketing thousands of dollars for booking the event and they couldn't care less if you sold a nickle piece of bubble gum. This kind of host is only interested in turning a quick buck and not interested in the success of the show. Success to them means they walk away with all the vendor admission fees and now they can pay their mortgage. This is why you want to ask the suggested questions in Tip number 1 above. Asking these questions will clue you in to the experience and professionalism of the Event host. If the host is just looking to get money in their purse and doesn't care about the vendors getting great customer turn-out, don't be surprised if they don't even show up to the fair! They may pay some teenager to unlock the doors and direct you to your space and there is no real person in charge to ask questions or handle complaints. Avoid these types of fairs and you will avoid huge disappointment!

3. Find out the size of the booth space and what size table is required. Most fairs, from mall shows to gift fair events require you bring your own table. If you are attending the event alone, be sure you can carry your table from the parking lot to your inside designated space. You may need a table with carry handles, or a dolly to wheel in your merchandise. Figure out the logistics of making your show portable by asking as many questions as you can. Know how long you have to set up, and what time you disassemble your booth. If you have a family member or friend who can attend the event with you, it will make the experience a whole lot easier to coordinate multiple trips from your vehicle to inside the art fair.

4. Have cash in various denominations so you can give adequate change to your customers. Either use a cash box, or wear a fanny pack money belt to disperse coins and dollar bills.

5. Have an alternate method of payment such as the ability to accept and verify checks or the ability to accept credit cards. You can even accept Paypal as a method of payment if you have your laptop available and internet access for someone to send an online payment.

6. Make your table attractive. Have a solid colored table cloth that will contrast and show off your unique art and craft items. Use baskets with gift bows, clear containers and lovely display boxes to maximize your art fair table appeal. Perhaps line your table with some Hershey's Kisses or some silk flowers strewn randomly about. Little touches like this are inviting and eye catching, even from across the room.

7. Clearly label your prices. Not just on individual pieces, but have a general price list in a laminated or stand up picture frame indicating your payment methods and quantity discounts. If you do any kind of custom work, make that easily known on your sign also!

8. While you are at the Art Fair chat with the other sellers and glean what information you can about their selling experiences. Find out their favorite fairs and jot down the names or websites of any information they give you about other successful local art and craft fairs.

9. Have bags and wrapping materials so buyers can comfortably and safely carry the merchandise they have bought from you.

10. Have your business card readily available on your table. A person just window shopping may give your card to a friend who they know would love your product.

11. Have a notebook where a person can sign voluntarily up for your mailing list to be notified of any future specials or other selling events.

12. Have a written method where you can track your sales and inventory. Jot notes on the event and how many customers you had, or how many people passed through. This information will allow you to analyze this event in the future when deciding if you want to participate again, or determining which merchandise was your best seller.

13. Whenever you are out shopping, pay attention to flyers hanging in coffee shops and art stores advertising future art fairs and craft gift shows. This will give you a feel for all the opportunities in your area.

14. Looking for a church fundraiser? Suggest an art or craft fair where the church can get an admission fee or a percentage of the profits as a donation. having a church membership base is an instant customer base to come shopping at the fair!

15. Most importantly, enjoy the experience! Even if the art or craft fair wasn't what you had hoped for, there will be wonderful vendors to meet and you can see how other sellers decorate and display their tables. Sometimes vendors buy from each other because they love the merchandise so much! There is a lot to be learned at art and craft fairs! Some are more profitable than others, but sometimes we learn things that can't be measured with dollars and we carry these positive experiences with us throughout our lives!