Selling Your Handmade Items at a Craft Show

So you've been spending weekends at home crafting in your spare time. Your friends and family memebers often ask you to make them something, either for themselves or maybe as a gift for someone. You have probably even been told many times that you should consider selling your crafts on the internet or maybe even in a store. After hearing that a few times, you begin to wonder about doing just that... turning your hobby into a little part-time business.

Craft shows are the obvious choice to seeing if your handmade creations are commericially viable. Finding the proper show for your work is important. Preparing for a craft show is of ultimate importance.

Finding The Show

Many crafters have gone to craft shows before. They've been to both the good ones and the not so good ones. The key to selecting a show that is right for you is knowing the local shows in your area and knowing what the customer base is. For example, I do a annual holiday show at a local elementary school. The show is promoted heavily throughout the school district and it is geared towards selling items to children buying presents for friends and family. A vendor that makes elaborate wood carvings that often cost $100+ won't do very well at this show. They may make a sale or three, but for the most part their items cost well above the target audiences budget.

The two most important apsects of choosing a show are selecting a show that has been run before. I mentioned above that I do an annual holiday show. I already know that the show's organizers promote the shows in the media and in the school district. Find a show that has been run several times before. The organizers only get better at promoting the show and repeat customers always come back to successful shows.

The second key to selecting the proper venue is selecting a show where you stand to make a profit. Doing a juried show is not the best way to start off doing craft shows. Juried vendors have been doing shows for quite some time. Their show displays are often impeccable and their creations have already been deemed worthy of such a show. Start off doing a local show, maybe at the local firehouse or school. A show that has been run several years prior, with a built-in customer base that regularly supports the shows in the community. These shows are often in the $10-$40 range for a spot and give you the best chance to turn a profit, while gaining valuable craft show experience.

Preparing for the Show

Now that you've selected the location of your first show, it's time to plan your display. This is the most critical aspect of doing a show, as you need to draw attention to your display. It's important for potential customers to see you from 8 to 10 feet away and to be drawn to your location. You want to look as professional as possible without looking cluttered at the same time. Here are a few tips I found to be the most helpful in selecting "props" for my table displays and preparing for the show.

I'm a handmade jewelry maker. For my table I needed to be able to draw customers from a distance, but selling small earrings make that a bit difficult. I found by adding risers to my table, in the form of simple wooden crates, raised my display into the viewing level of many customers. My risers enabled people to see over other tables to my table and even though the customer wasn't exactly sure what I sold, they were now intrigued. My displays were in their line of vision and the interest was piqued. The first key to attracting customers was accomplished.

As a jewelry maker, I searched the internet to find displays for my earrings, bracelets and necklaces and I began purchasing items as they were needed. In my first show, I hammered small nails into those wooden crates, punched holes into business cards and placed a pair of earrings in a card. The card then hung on a nail in the crate. The cards gave my table a look of consistensy that again, attracted buyers to my table.

Once you have everything you believe you need for your display, it's time to do a mock set-up of your table. Doing a practice run of setting up your show display accomplishes two things. It allows you to see if you have the look you want for your table at home, a few days before the show and more importantly, it allows you to know where everything will go before the show. A mock set-up in your home a few days before the show is of the utmost importance. The amount of pre-show stress is bad enough and knowing ahead of time where everything goes on your display will allow you the time to take care of the very small details and give you a chance to catch your breath (and maybe even take a quick stroll around the room) before the show begins.

One often overlooked item is business cards. Business cards add to your look as a professional vendor, while allowing potential customers to contact you about future shows or perhaps a future purchase. My business cards have my website address, an email address and I'm going to including my blog site address in my next batch of cards. Every little bit of info you offer may be the difference between a customer calling on you for their next purchase or choosing another vendor. Make business cards available on your table and be ready to offer a card to anyone who asks you specific questions about your work.

Other very important and often overlooked items that you must have for your craft shows are... a tax id. Tax IDs are often required in some states to be able to sell merchandise of any kind. Check with your state treasury or tax advisor.

Change is always a last second thought. Have plenty of $1 bills (I like to start with at least $50 in singles) a few $5s, $10s and a handful of silver coins also. A sales book is needed (see Tax Id) pens, markers, price tags (it's always best to have everything priced the night before the show) check with your show's promoters to see if they will provide tables and chairs, or if you need to bring them. I have found it's often best to bring a small cooler with a few snacks and a couple bottles of water. Tissues, asprins and maybe a magazine if it's slow. Having snacks and bottled water allows you stay at your table during the busiest parts of the day, while staying hydrated and able to snack until you can take a quick break.

Network with your neighbors at the show. They may have helpful hints to improve your display, or important info on upcoming shows in the area. I have always found other vendors to be the best references on other shows. Bring a camera with you and take a few pictures of your table set-up (you never know when a future show will ask for item/display images)

Smile and say hello to potential customers. Be ready to answer any of their questions. Crafting is something you enjoy and it's the easiest part of the craft show process. Selling and facing the public is the hard part and it can be tough if you allow it to be. Be proud of your work and that confidence will show through in your demeanor and knowledge of your craft.

It is an exhausting mental process to put together a craft show display and be ready to set-up and sell in less than an hour's time. Learn from the experience and try to improve your display with every show. Have fun with the show and be enthusiastic. The public is there to see you and your items... you never know, you may be the undiscovered artist/crafter that is the hit of show!