Craft shows, vendor fairs, and pop-up shops alike are great ways for small businesses to get their products in front of potential customers, build their brand within their local community, and of course, make a profit.
But with so many aspects to think about, it can be difficult to determine how to get things started. Let me walk you through the process of finding shows, developing a compelling pitch, creating a successful booth display, and more!
How To find craft shows
Finding craft shows to participate in can be tasking but is the first thing we must do. Here are a few resources to help you find craft fairs and vendor opportunities.
Community Webpage/Community Board
Depending on how far you are willing to travel, search your town, county, or state's webpage for a calendar of events. The website should also have a search bar to search specific terms like: “craft fair”, “vendor”, “fair”, “vendors wanted”, and “market”.
Local Farmers Markets
Contact your local farmers and artesian markets or visit their website to see if they are looking for vendors. The “About” or “Contact” page should have some helpful information.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is an online event marketplace that allows you to browse, register, and buy tickets to various events. You can use the following search terms to help you find events: “craft fair”, “vendor event”, “market”, and “pop-up shop”
Local Festivals
Keep up to date on your town's happenings to see what festivals are coming up near you and if they are looking for vendors. If you do not see any information online, see if you can get in contact with the festival organizers and ask if they need any vendors. The worst they can tell you is “no”.
Schools
Check out the events that your local schools have. Many middle and high schools host craft fairs that are well attended to help with fundraising efforts. This is also a great way to connect with your community and make local business connections.
Research Craft Shows!
Now that we know how to find vendor shows, we need to understand what types of shows are out there.
There are a variety of craft shows to choose from. Some are held indoors, while others may be outdoors in a festival-like setting. Some are juried, while others are open to anyone who pays an entry fee. Some shows cater to a specific demographic and may have a theme, while others are more general.
Indoor vs Outdoor Shows
Indoor and outdoor craft shows come with their own challenges.
An indoor craft show will likely be in a setting with a consistent temperature and free of rain, wind, bugs, etc. Access to electricity and wifi is also probably easier
An outdoor craft show may garner a larger crowd and you may have a little more freedom when it comes to how much space is available.
Keep These Things in mind when looking for fairs
- Indoor or Outdoor? This will impact your ability to use electricity if needed.
- Requirements for selling. Make sure you are aware of any selling requirements. Some fairs may have a requirement for how the item is made such as: handmade only or eco-friendly only. While other shows may require that a certain percentage of sales goes to the organizer.
- WiFi Availability/Electricity. Will you need to utilize the internet or wifi? Is there an added cost for access to electricity?
- How many people are usually in attendance? You can reach out to those involved with the registration process for the fair to find out information like this. Knowing the annual attendance will give you an idea of what you can expect crowd-wise and help you plan your inventory.
Develop an Effective Pitch
When it comes to the show itself, remember that it’s not just about selling your products. It’s also about selling yourself, your business, and your brand.
Successful salespeople know how to pitch their products in a way that entices customers to purchase them. You need to do this as well at your show.
You don’t want to simply walk up to people and start shoving products at them. You want to engage with them, learn what they need and want, and then offer products and solutions that meet their needs. This is how you’ll turn one-time customers into lifelong customers.
To develop an effective pitch, you should do your research on who your target customers are and what they want and need.
Are they parents looking for new products for their kids? Are they crafters or artists who want new supplies? Alternatively, are they other business owners who are looking for wholesale products to resell?
Once you understand your target customers, you can then pitch your products in a way that resonates with them.
Price Your Products Appropriately
You should also give careful consideration to pricing your products. Pricing your products appropriately is an important part of maximizing sales at the show.
You don’t want to price your products so low that you’re actually losing money on every sale, but you also don’t want to price them so high that you’re preventing customers from purchasing them.
Pricing is a balancing act that involves many different factors like the cost of materials and supplies, how much labor was put in, and more.
Make Your Brand Memorable
You want to brand your business, create a consistent marketing message, and make your business stand out among the other vendors at the show. Start developing your branding and marketing plan well before the show.
You'll want to create or purchase marketing materials you can use at the show such as business cards, stickers, table covers, and packing materials. Be sure to include your business name, logo, website, and any other important information on all of your marketing materials.
You should also consider what type of marketing will help you stand out! Will you have a sign or banner that advertises your business? Maybe you will also wear t-shirts with your brand's name and logo? Here are a few tips to help your brand stand out!
- Consider providing a freebie of some sort. Customers love a good freebie and this will help bring customers to your booth. You can also consider doing a raffle for a free product in exchange for joining your mailing list or liking your social media page.
- Try to ensure your logo is in multiple places throughout your setup. This will help with preventing people from taking pictures of your booth to claim. This is also helpful for people who may take pictures of your work and forget the artist behind it.
- Consider creating a slideshow on your iPad or tablet that showcases customer reviews, product photos, or videos showing product usability.
- Thank visitors and customers. A simple and genuine, “Thanks for stopping by” goes a long way.
Create a Compelling Booth Display
Once you’ve selected the right show for you, you can begin planning your booth display. The display is what people will see first, and it’s the first aspect of your business that they’ll interact with. Therefore, it’s important to make a great first impression with a display that’s attractive, engaging, and conveys your brand image.
Treat your booth as if it is the storefront for your brand. Your customers will form their first impressions about your business based on the way your products are displayed and how you interact with them.
Here are a few things you can incorporate into your booth to make it stand out.
- Use a long tablecloth with an overhang. You can have your logo printed on it or just go with a design that matches your brand's colors. Not only will this display your brand's image more, but you can also utilize the space under the table for any storage you may need.
- Offer coupons for future purchases.
- Work on your craft during the show. If you have some downtime or slow periods at the fair and your products allow for it, you can use that time to work on your products. Some people like to see the method behind the magic.
- Bring cup spinners. Pick a few cups to display on a cup spinner. This will allow potential customers to get a full view of your work while in one spot.
- Utilize the aspect of height. Many shows offer a limited amount of space for your booth. To make use of your space, consider incorporating items like crates into your display.
- Stage your setup at home prior to your show and take a picture. You'll be able to refer back to the picture during the actual fair which will save time with setting up.
- Create QR Codes for your website and any social media you are on. This provides a quick and easy way for people to access your website and/or social media without needing to type anything in or hand over a business card. You might also consider buying an acrylic business sign that has all of your info engraved.
Bring Extra Inventory
Having some backup inventory will help you avoid disappointing customers who can’t make a purchase because you’re out of stock. The extra inventory can also be helpful if you were to break an item.
You can also consider taking orders for shipment, especially if you sell out of a popular item. Make sure this is within the guidelines of the fair you are participating in though.
Review and Improve
Finally, after the show ends, take some time to reflect on your experience and make improvements for your next show.
What went well? What could have gone better? What challenges did you face?
Keep a record of your show experiences and a list of issues that arose during the event. Then, when you’re preparing for your next show, refer back to this list so you can avoid repeating mistakes and make improvements.
If you are ready to make your next or 1st craft show a success then grab my FREE Craft Show Checklist that clearly outlines all the essential steps before, during, and after your craft show!