20 Tips for Craft Show Success

So, you are ready to take your artistic skills to the next level and start selling your creations. There are several possibilities on how you can go about achieving this. Many people today sell directly from a Facebook page with great success. Others look to online shops such as Etsy to sell their wares. If you love interacting with your customers as much as I do, the best alternative for you may be setting up a booth at craft shows. What we are going to focus on today is how best to prepare for in-person shows, and mistakes to avoid.

I have put together a list of 20 tips for craft show success. This list is compiled of things that I have learned in my 30 years of experience at craft shows. Believe me, I made a lot of mistakes along the way.  Hopefully, my list will provide you with useful information that will pave your road into vendor selling and make the way a bit smoother.

1. Make a List, and Check it Twice

Though I only do a couple of shows a year, it takes a lot of planning, commitment, and work to prepare for setting up a vendor’s booth for an event. When I first started out, I would pack for a show in advance, and still end up forgetting needed tools or staging supplies. I soon learned that there are some things that I always end up needing. I started creating a checklist. This helped me to be prepared and to get to the show with everything I need.

2. Make a Tool Kit

Put together a tool kit that contains any necessary items that you may need. I sell handmade home decor, wreaths, and burlap door hangers. My kit contains the supplies that I use if there is damage during transport, supplies to re-price if needed, and emergency canopy and display repairs. I always take a tube of crazy glue, extra price tags, pens, a sharpie, duct tape, plyers, floral wire, zip ties, a calculator, a flashlight, extra batteries, safety pins, and scotch tape. Being prepared for emergencies can make the difference between a stressful show and a successful one.

3. Visit the Bank Before Hand

Take extra change with you. It is usually next to impossible to leave a show to get change. I avoid taking large bills and stick to ones, fives, tens, and a few twenties. If you have twenty dollar bills you can usually buy a drink from a vendor and get change in return to add to your change box.

I try my best to avoid breaking hundred-dollar bills for customers. I have learned that if you say no to a hundred-dollar bill, the customer will usually bring out smaller bills.

Take a test pen with you to check for counterfeit bills.

4. Check for Cell Service Before Show

 If you are using PayPal or other online transaction sources, test before your customers arrive to ensure that you have a connection. Have the information on hand for easy transactions.

5. Make Sure the Show is a Good Fit

Do your research before you commit to a show. Decide if your products fit into the show’s overall theme, or aesthetic. Each show has a unique vibe and audience.

6. Plan Ahead

Make sure you have enough inventory to fulfil the commitments at all the shows you have booked. Decide how much inventory you will need to take with you to each show. I have a small SUV, so I have learned that I can only take what will fit into my vehicle (this includes all my tables, supplies, and inventory).

You only want to take what you need. Remember that you will have limited time to unpack, set up your booth, and get ready to greet your customers. Worse still, at the end of a long day will you too pack it all up for transport home.   

7. Think of Your Booth as a Traveling Attraction

Your booth has to have appeal before customers stop. I like to do a mock set-up of my booth before my first show of the season. This allows me to get a visual plan on how I will set the booth up at the event. If you have been to the show before this is easier to do because you will know the shape and orientation of your booth space.

Most booth spaces that I have encountered are 10 feet by 10 feet, but size can vary. Read your booth rental contract carefully as they generally provide you with booth space sizes and any restrictions or requirements that you will need to know for setup. If you need to know the orientation of your booth layout, and it is not provided, contact the organizer and they should be able to provide you with that information.

8. Pack Your Own Snacks

If allowed, bring your own snacks and drinks. There have been times when I wasn’t able to leave my booth to get food. Last year food vendors ran out of food. Having the snacks on hand can replace a meal if the case arises.

9. Show Them That They Are Important

Remember not to eat when you have customers. You always want the visitors to your booth to feel like welcome guests.

Avoid being distracted by your phone when you have customers. They need to know that they are important to you and that you are there to answer any questions. I have walked into booths that have lovely things, only to be ignored by the seller. Not wanting to appear rude by interrupting them, I walked away.

10. Don’t Assume That They Will Ask

Price everything in advance. It will save you valuable time the day of sat up. Make sure every item is priced and that the tag is easy to see. If items are not priced, people will walk away. They need to be able to decide for themselves if your product is worth the asking price.

11. Neatness Matters

Keep your booth neat and inviting. If your booth is not neat and orderly all that people focus on is the mess and overlook your products. You want your customers to see you as a trustworthy individual who offers a quality product.

You have to earn their trust. Appearance matters. To do this, avoid clutter. Keep all boxes and inventory out of sight. If you store those items under your tables, make sure to keep them tucked away behind a tablecloth.

14. Dress for Success

Dress nicely, but don’t overdress. You want to appear neat, but approachable. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. If you are at an outside show, you may want to consider taking an extra pair of shoes just in case of rain.

13. Choosing The Right Canopy

If you are intending to do outside shows, a canopy is a must. Most booth spaces are 10 x 10 and canopies larger than that will be charged for two spaces. Another thing to consider is that some shows will only allow white canopies. Invest in a quality canopy. I bought one that I thought was good only to find out that it was not built as strongly as I had hoped. It also collects moisture inside the canopy ceiling on cool nights. Lesson learned. Next time, I will do more research before I buy. 

14. Manners Matter

When you have good manners, you become more preferred as a vendor. Be nice to everyone that is helping to run the craft show. I oversaw a local craft show for several years. It is a full-time, year-round job trying to organize a large show. Trying to help vendors sign into the show, and problem solving all the issues that arise is exhausting. Show that you appreciate their time and effort. If you are rude to those helping run the show, you may not be asked back.

15. Don’t Dismiss the Power of Social Media

Advertise on your social media sites. Provide information on where and when you will be set up. Selling the show as an interesting and fun event not only helps get people to visit the show but may help draw visitors to your booth. Post photos of some of the items from your inventory.

16. Post Photos of Your Booth

Take photos of your booth once you have it set up. Use them to post a second time on your social media sites. Also, save the photos for future use for blog posts, advertising, etc.

17. Everyone Loves a Bargain

Upsell your items. Have a set price for individual items, then offer a discount when buying two, or more, of that same type of item. Offering a saving as an incentive can boost sales tremendously. Just make sure that your discount does not cut into your profit margin.

18. Booth Information Folder

Keep an information folder for the show you are attending. Keep booth rental confirmation, receipts, directions to the site, etc. close at hand. Also, when applying for a booth space at shows make sure that you are truly in contact with an actual representative of the show. Sadly, there a now scammers who will run false ads with their contact information listed. I have heard of several people showing up to a show thinking that they had paid in advance for a booth rental only to learn that they were never registered with the show.

19. Make or Break Your Booth Appeal

Make sure that your table clothes get to your show in as neat a condition as possible. Press the clothes ahead of time and transport them in a bin to prevent them being crushed. Again, neatness matters in the overall aesthetic of your display.

When choosing table cloths, avoid patterns that compete for your customer’s attention. You want their eyes to automatically make contact with your products as they walk by. A busy table covering distracts the viewer. If they are visually overwhelmed, they will move on to something more appealing.

20. Ignore Negative Energy

Almost every vendor that I know has experienced the same issue: people will stop at a booth and make rude comments about products or prices. This sort of visitor can make you feel belittled, and sometimes insulted. Try to remember that not everyone has the same taste. A masterpiece to one person is junk to another. Try not to take it personally. Just smile and reply, “oh I am so sorry that my product doesn’t meet your needs, maybe you will find a better fit at the next booth. If there is anything I can help you with, just let me know.” Smile politely and walk away to focus your attention on greeting another guest. I have learned that there are some people who are just not happy individuals. Sadly, there is nothing you could say to justify work and or pricing to them.

Wrapping it All Up

 Each year I get so excited when fall craft show season rolls around. I often tell others to be confident in their products, but even after all the years of setting up booths, I still get nervous before a show. I always worry that my items will not sell, or that I have the pricing off. So far, I have only attended a couple of shows a year. Now that I am retired, I hope to take my crafting from being a hobby to starting a small craft business. This is going to intel me to create even more inventory and attend more shows each year.

Best of Luck

I learn something new at every show that I attend. I hope that sharing this list helps you avoid some of the mistakes that I made along the way. But remember, everyone makes mistakes. Try not to get discouraged. You can do this!

If you are new to being a vendor at craft shows, please drop a comment, and let us know how your first show went. If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to subscribe to my blog and share.

Come back soon,

Happy Crafting,

Vikki