The Craft of a Craft Fair

A couple weekends ago I had the opportunity to participate in a local craft fair in Avondale, Arizona. Hosted by a wonderful lady, Akeara Kitts, owner of ReVamped Designs, it turned out to be such a wonderful opportunity to meet a myriad of different crafters with a wide range of craft.

ReVamped Designs

 

Although the craft fair was not as lucrative as might have been hoped for (this in no way reflects the efforts of Akeara she did a GREAT job!) it proved to be an amazing experience for me as I am still new in the area and still getting used to the craft fair experience.

The Natural Way

Since this was my second craft fair in the six months that I have developed Victorian Swag I've compiled a list of tips to help those who might be endeavoring on their first (or second....)
1. Do some real research as to where the venue is and how likely it is to be successful before you put any money towards it. Don't hesitate to email the Host/Hostess about the event and who is expected to be there. This way you can make an educated decision on whether or not the event is worth your time and money.

ragz2rugs

2. Get a number as to how much you'll have to make before you break even. Realize the amount of money invested in gas, food while there and or traveling, any extra materials you may require for setup (I had to buy a folding chair this time because I realized last minute I didn't own one), and any materials needed for decorating displays. This will help you to gauge the price range of your products.

Victorian Swag

3. Display! Display! Display! Your Display is what brings your customers in! Go to a craft fair yourself and see which displays attract you the most. Even if the merchandise does not particularly interest you you can't see it until you get up close and people will want to get up close to check out the merchandise if the display is appealing right?! Make sure your display reflects the style of your merchandise as well as any online domain you may have. This is, again, all a part of branding.

PopArtPlates

 4. Don't forget your business cards! The biggest mistake I ever made at my first craft fair back in Idaho was that I didn't have any business cards. HUGE mistake! I ended up printing my etsy shop on an old receipt for one customer. Even if you print out something on your computer at home (which many fellow vendors did this time around Kudos to them!) even if it's not that professional looking it's better than not having anything at all and having to rummage for a piece of scrap paper at the bottom of your purse.

3 Crafty Chicks

5. Cha-Ching! Don't forget your change! I had about seventy dollars or so in cash for change. About 30 ones, two tens and four fives. I kept all of this in a coupon divider since I did not have one of those locked change drawers, which I highly recommend especially if the event is going to be heavily trafficked.

CurtsieBoutique

 6. Just Have fun while you're there! Even if as a vendor you're not doing as well as you had hoped financially keep a positive attitude! Your customers and your fellow vendors will take notice. Have fun with the people around you. Strike up conversations any way you can. This reflects on you and on your craft! You never know who you might meet there. Those business cards you pass out with a smile may result in a purchase months down the road because your customer remembered YOU!

Good Luck to all of you and let me know if you have anything to add to this post!