jaciqltznok

sorry it went badly...but it is the timing...graduations, summer vacations, or here it is harvest time...later in the summer, during festivals is better or definitely the fall shows! Keep trying and make sure TONS of publicity is being done!

dellareya

I have to agree with paulettepoe. Craft shows have been on the down slide around here for the last couple of years. The biggest portion of people who come to the shows are in fact crafters.

susie-susie-susie

My sister and I used to do craft shows several years ago. She made jewelry and I did sewn items. At first we did well, then it started to go down hill. The shows were before Christmas. One year there were 3 shows in my home town on the same weekend and the admission was very reasonable. We thought it would be a great weekend. Sold very little and there were tons of people going through. That was the last show I ever did. The booth next to us had hand made wooden toys, very reasonably priced and he sold NOTHING. We felt very bad for him. As it was we made only a little over the cost of the booth. Now if I go to a craft show, it is to see new things that I can copy.
Sue

Annaquilts

Yes, this!

cosyjo

I've been told not to even try spring time craft fairs. Also always check the foot traffic and the years the show has been established. Keep small inexpensive items as well as your large beautiful items so as to lure in the shoppers.
Sometimes Kids can be your best friend calling their mother over to look at a pot rag or bag.

BellaBoo

[QUOTE=cosyjo;5199501Sometimes Kids can be your best friend calling their mother over to look at a pot rag or bag.[/QUOTE]

Yes, always have something to catch the eye of a child and teen. I put a poster of Taylor Swift on a big baking sheet, sit it on an easel and put quilted magnets around it. I got every teen girl and her mom in the show to the guild sale table. You have to think outside the norm for marketing.

Tink's Mom

I"ve done craft shows for years....and yes, spring shows are always lower in income than the fall shows...but, if the promoter didn't do her/his job and do plenty of advertising, the show is doomed.
Take a photo of your display...Analyze your photo and be critical...BellaBoo is right...marketing is the key. Never have things just displayed flat on a table...an item has to catch the customer's eye as they are walking...they don't walk with their heads looking down on a table.
Try another show...this one could be a fluke.
Good luck...

CoyoteQuilts

I have found that the craft fairs in the beginning of the year are just for 'lookers', even the ones that have been around a long time. It is the fall fairs that everybody buys at. They have run out of time to get their projects done so grab some of yours..... If I do the spring fairs I usually only take things that you use everyday. I make hanging towels and they are my number 1 seller.

bearisgray

I would be willing to buy patterns or directions for some of the items I might see - rather than the item itself.

One thing I do buy - the crocheted pot scrubbers made of nylon (or polyester?) mesh.

sewmary

That's all I buy also. Think I would learn to make them myself!