X

Craft Fair Tips and Experience

Attending craft shows can always be a little intimidating, but it’s worth it if you want to get yourself out there, make some sales, and spread the word about your brand. You never know how much you are going to sell or who is going to be there. While it can be intimidating, it can also be exciting. I attended a craft show yesterday at a local library. I attended this craft show for the first time last year after hearing about it from a former co-worker. They had a craft fair this past spring as well, so I was happy to see that they included a fall craft fair this time. I’m always looking to branch out and discover new craft shows, so I was excited to be back again at this location.

I thought I would share with you some of my craft show tips as well as my experience attending them. These tips are in no order, and I hope you find them useful if you are planning on attending a craft show in the future.

I decided it was time to come up with a new logo for my business. I never really had a logo before, so it was nice to finally get one made. Having a new logo helps me stand out and make me look professional, which is always a goal of mine. For my previous business cards, I was using a basic, simple design that I created using WordArt. Nothing fancy, but at the time it worked. However, I wanted an upgrade, and since I’m not a graphic artist, I asked for help. One of my friends is a graphic artist and came up with the design. I came up with a few colors I wanted to use and he added them into the logo. The overall result is amazing. I love it so much!

I also had a new banner made for the front of my table. For my banner, I wanted something that would stand out, but also went with the theme of my business. My sister helped me out with this, and I couldn’t be happier.

Choosing a target audience is essential when making and selling your craft items. Most people think they’ll just make a few things so everyone has something to choose from. However, this just makes your table, and you, look a little unorganized as you don’t have a main focus. Since I love making blankets, I decided to focus on making baby and child items such as baby blankets, newborn-child hats, and baby sweaters. I know I’m going back on what I just said, but I do have some dishcloths, mug cozies, scarves, and a few teen/adult sized hats leftover from previous craft fairs. These were included on my table just to see if they would sell. I crochet A LOT and sometimes people might not always be looking for baby items or I have items left over I’m interested in getting rid of at the moment.

Setting up your table or booth area is probably the most important part of any craft fair as this is how you are going to draw people over to your table to buy your items. While I’m not completely sold on my set up, I feel like I’m trying to improve each craft fair I attend. First and foremost, you want a tablecloth that will cover your table as well as the sides of your table. Underneath your table is where you’ll keep your bins and extra supplies, so you want to keep all that hidden so your table doesn’t look messy.

You want a banner or sign in the front of your table that is big enough and clear enough for people to read. You want people to remember your business name, even if they are not purchasing something. There is a chance they might not have the moment at the moment or the interest at that time, but down the line, they will remember you.

In past shows, I’ve used baskets to hold some of my items, which I used again at this craft fair. I find that it’s better to have your items displayed at various levels rather than having everything lie flat on the table. You want the customer’s eyes to travel up and down your table as they’re more likely to buy something if something catches their eye. I used a collapsible storage bin to display one of my hats. I also used some items I had around the house to display my sports hats and minion hats as well as my blankets. If you have the space, you might as well make the most use out of it.

You also want to make sure you display the prices so people can easily see them. A lot of people are shy and they hate having to ask how much something is. I placed a sticker on each of my items. I also included little easels, which I found for less than a dollar at Walmart. These were used to display my prices a little better. This seemed to work out great.

Another thing I incorporated this time that I haven’t in past is that I purchased a credit card reader. I purchased the Square Reader off Amazon for around $5. You can purchase this reader for free on the SquareUp website, but it wasn’t going to come in time for my craft fair. However, I was able to get a $10 rebate by entering the code included with my reader. This helped me get a few sales, so I was happy I had this with me. Not too many people carry cash around these days, and they usually have their debit cards. You don’t want to lose a sale because of this. There are various credit card readers out there that you can choose from. I chose this particular one because it was easy to use. You can also customize this reader to include a receipt for your customers, which they’ll receive via text message/email once the transaction is complete.

Another tip I find extremely helpful is having a buddy with you. They can help keep you company and look over your table when you want to get up to use the bathroom or walk around to see what other people are selling. I’m lucky that my boyfriend was happy to attend this craft show with me as he kept me company and helped a lot. Don’t forget to bring a snack and some water, too!

As far as the sales went, I had my very first sale even before the craft fair officially opened up. A lady ended up buying a baby blanket for her soon-to-be-born daughter. The minion hats still seemed popular, so almost all of them went. Dishcloths, hot pads, and coffee mug cozies also seemed to be hot sellers this time around. I felt like this craft fair was busier than the one I attended in the spring, which helped out my sales a ton. A couple of people also requested custom orders, so I’m excited about that.

This has been my most successful craft show yet! I’m always learning what works best and what I need to change up for next time. I’m excited to attend more craft fairs in the future.

Have you ever attended a craft fair? What was your experience like? Do you have any tips you would like to share? Please leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you!

Have you always thought about opening up an Etsy Shop? Now you can! Click here where you will earn 40 free listings when you open up your Etsy Shop.

Be sure to check out and subscribe to my blog for all future projects, hauls, and much more. As always, thanks for stopping by!

This post might contain affiliate links, view my disclosure policy for details.

Amanda Farinella:

View Comments (6)

  • This was super helpful since I'll be attending my first craft show in November and have no idea what to expect. Thanks for sharing.

    • I'm so happy you found this helpful! With the holidays coming up, I expect you to do great! Good luck!!

  • This was awesome! :D I've never attended a craft fair, because I've always been unsure about how everything works. This was so helpful! :D Your booth looks awesome, and I LOVE your new logo!! :)

    • I'm glad you found this helpful! Thanks, I'm still looking to improve my setup but I really like what I did this time around. I really like my logo as well. You should consider attending a craft show in the future. They are a lot of fun!

    • You're very welcome, Margaret! I'm glad you found my tips helpful. Good luck at your upcoming craft fair! Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

Related Post