Preparing for the Craft fair, We packed the suburban full and arrived hours early, and in the heat of mid day, which was my downfall. Thinking ahead, and not wanting to spend too much money at the event itself, we had a cooler with Gatorade, water, and snacks. I had read other blogs and articles on what you should bring and even made a complete checklist, so I was ready!
Starting after 4pm, I had a LOT of lookers, and I also noticed less than half of the other vendors set up for the night before. I did sell a bit on that evening, and enjoyed the company of my family. Unfortunately, I got over heated and went home very sick at the end of the day. The good news is, after a cold washcloth and sleeping under a fan, I was fine the next morning, and ready to take on a new day. We tried to get there early, but had to wait in a tiny bit of traffic for the runners in the early morning race. There were many more vendors there already, and we set up quickly, having had a little bit of experience. I did take home just about everything I had brought except for my canopy and my Sock Monkey Stand since the table I brought on the first day was way too small, so we had to set everything back up all over again. Sock Monkeys are light, so that wasn't a big deal.
Most people came through after the parade at 10am. During the parade, no one walked around at all. The parade was the MAIN EVENT going on there. I wish I hadn't missed it, I saw a bit of it, but where the vendor booths were set up, we were behind buildings and had no view of the parade. There were a fair amount of people, but not as many as I had hoped. I was too shy, and it took a few hours for me to break out of my comfort zone to talk to more people. I did not want to seem too pushy, but I think I may have ended up seeming more unapproachable even though I said hello to everyone that stopped. At the end of the day, it was a success! I had made my vendor fee back and a bit more, but mostly I had accomplished my first event and learned a lot.
- Always make a checklist
- Set up your booth in your yard a few days before the event so spend less time setting up at the event and you know if you have everything you need.
- Bring a cooler with (at least) cold water if it is going to be hot.
- Have business cards/flyers ready ahead of time and a good place to display them.
- If you bring kids, give them money to spend BEFORE leaving the house (seriously)!
- Have a sign with your name, or product, made at least a week before, not the day before.
- Allow yourself to be seen, be friendly, and socialize.
- Hide your personal belongings under a table cloth or leave them in the car (it just looks neater).
- Don't let the lack of sales or interest hurt your feelings.
- Have enough variety in your inventory, and always have more than you will need.
Just a few of my personal tips, but there are lots more!!
I got a lot of helpful tips from the following links:
http://creativeincomeblog.com/crafters-etiquette-the-10-commandments-for-craft-shows/
http://creativeincomeblog.com/craft-fair-checklist-sales-tips/
http://creativeincomeblog.com/craft-show-conversation-starters/
http://creativeincomeblog.com/best-tips-for-selling-at-arts-and-craft-fairs-free-ebook/
I am looking forward to my next craft fair in about a month. It's time for me to take every spare moment I have to build up my inventory, especially now that I have my own desiccated sewing space!
If you can't wait for the next craft fair, there is always Etsy!
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Sock Monkeys By Cheryl
Sock Monkeys By Cheryl
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