Participating in a craft show for the first time ever is a huge experience. It’s courage, it’s hard work, it’s dedication. But selling at craft expos isn’t like any other day-to-day business. You could be overflowing with so much tension that you didn’t get to function as you normally would.
Worry less because I’m going to tell you the 7 things to avoid in your first craft show. So sit tight and read on. May your craft show become a success!
Crafts fair and craft exhibitions are booked weeks and months in advance. So, during that period you should try to finish preparing your items; from making until packaging.
That way prior to the big day you only need to pack up and bring the load to the craft festival’s site. Set a realistic daily target that you’re confident with. For big projects, we tend to rush right before the big day. Let’s avoid that as best as we can.
Having none of this worry is such a relief. You can instead focus on setting up and handling customers.
You may be tempted to think that opening up a 1-day store is just the same as a permanent store, but in different places. You need no theme; you don’t need to cater to people’s taste. That is amiss.
You should research everything you can about the event. Find out your potential market, are there going to be families, couples, single people, is the date related to a national holiday, will people from the same hobby gather. There’s no use selling cooking stuff to a pet-related event, right?
If this event is a repeat from last year, look up how last year went, how much is the same and how much will be different. It’s also reassuring to know the weather forecast.
Open hours will also be different from one craft expo to another. For longer hours, make sure you have a plan for your meals and when to rest so you have the energy to keep going.
Do invest in quality materials from the start. Now, if you’re doing your very first pop up, we all know it’s expensive. You’re going to have to invest in a whole bunch of new things. Including your tent (if it’s an outdoor event), your display rack, folding table, and anything related to packaging be it for individual items or the bulk. So it’s definitely going to be a little bit expensive.
And it might be easier in the beginning to cut corners, get lower quality materials. But you do not want to do that. You want to research and find the best quality materials you can possibly find, because the last thing you want to worry about is having your folding table fall down or your packaging look like they’re going to tear any time.
Try to aim to participate in future craft festivals. Build a great expectation for your customers starting from this first one.
Among the items you sell, you might be applying SVG. Like HTV on drinking glass, pouches, hats, bags, and more. If you can’t make your designs and are still relying on SVG providers on the internet, you should be smart about it.
SVG along with illustrations for sublimations are considered intellectual property. So, SVG does have licenses and it needs to be acquired before being used and sold, especially at a setting where a lot of people can interact with your items such as craft festivals.
Of course the same applies to character designs like Mickey Mouse, Barbie, Spider Man, and others. It’s true a lot of people will like these and will buy these from you. But if you don’t have the permit to reproduce the characters, you can get tangled up in a lawsuit and lose big money.
I know this warning is repeated over and over again on many different platforms. But still some people refuse to believe that it’s true, because people they know that blatantly do this practice have yet to be arrested.
Well, for one, nobody will want to proudly announce that they got under arrest by using illegal SVG.
For prominent companies that have their name on so many creative designs like Disney, Marvel, Warner Brothers, there is actually a way for this. You can ask them how to get permission to use their characters and they will tell you in detail the steps that you should do (yes, sometimes it involves money).
For SVG providers like us Drizy Studio, you simply have to read the licensing information displayed on each product item. Choose and pay as needed. Pay attention to whether free SVGs are open to be commercially used or not.
If you lack knowledge about your products, customers at crafts fair will notice and might leave your site. It’s important that you have a good understanding of what you’re selling and how the product works so that if someone asks a question, you can answer confidently.
If there is something specific they want to know about the product or how to use it, make sure to have samples or demos on hand so that they can see for themselves what makes your product unique.
This is especially true for products that get ingested, inhaled, or applied on the body. Like perfume, bar soap, lotion, and also scented candles. There are also issues with allergy with certain components.
So, study your materials comprehensively so you can answer with certainty. It’s reassuring to know if your products won’t harm the user’s health. In addition, when you’re using beneficial components, they could be your selling points.
You want to make sure that you’re choosing a booth size that fits your needs and selecting appropriate displays for your products. You also want to ensure that your booth is inviting, easy to navigate, and clearly labeled with pricing information or other details about each item.
This will help customers feel comfortable browsing through the items in your booth without feeling overwhelmed by too much clutter or confusion about where things are located within it.
Also, find a way to stand out among other stands. It’s a plus point if you can book a spot that’s well noticed by festival goers. You can use a standing banner or wide banner that show your name/shop’s name clearly.
Oftentimes it’s seen as boastful to brag about the things you do or your accomplishments. But in this case, it’s a way to attract your buyers.
You can brag about how much time you spend handcrafting your items, how much research went into it, and how much better the materials you’re using compared to other sellers. And if you have your own mission, such as using more environmentally-friendly components, or if you will donate the income, you can talk about those proudly.
Even if you don’t manage to sell your products, make sure the people who come to your booth walk away knowing and remembering what you are.
Apply these useful steps when your planning your first or next craft show! Good luck!
