ctrysass2012

I have done 1 show for 8 years & every year can be different. This show runs with the Lions Club Chili fundraiser so both benefit. Weather can also play into the success of a craft show. I mainly have quilts, usually sofa or lap size. Another woman does baby size, wall hangings,10 min. table runners & the crayon aprons so I try to duplicate what she does. The organizers also need to advertise. This year we had great advertising & had a lot of traffic. Also think the chili sales were up. I have 2 more shows in Nov., both of those are 1st time shows so we will see what happens. The 1st Sat. in Dec. is the biggest show date. I think there are 6-7. Too many to get to in 1 day & I only covered booth charge when I did a show so decided that day was not worth the trouble.

Check out a few shows this year & see what seems to be a good fit & try it. You need enough items so you look like a serious seller but you don't need to stock a store.

moonrise

I've been doing craft fairs and festivals for 3 or 4 years now. The first year I did nine! (What was I thinking?!? LOL!) Those were hit-and-miss, both sales-wise and also discovering which event organizers were good to deal with.

The people who organize the event can make or break the whole thing. Some of the organizers knew exactly what they are doing, advertise like crazy, and have everything running like clockwork. They even go around several times a day offering the vendors a bottle of water, a potty break, etc. Other organizers were AWFUL, with no advertising, poor planning, and even promising vendors they'd have a 10'x10' space, then when the vendors got there to set up, they were only allowed an 8'x30" space. Yep, 30 inches. The woman denied ever promising me a 10'x10' space, even though I had it in writing, and she refused to refund my booth fee. She literally turned around when I was in mid-sentence and walked off. I tried to make the best of it, but my only sales were to other vendors. I did make my booth fee back, barely. Needless to say, I won't deal with that person again! There were a few other flops, but that one was, by far, the most memorable. That said, even at the less-successful events, you get the chance to talk to other vendors and get recommendations about which events are worth it and which aren't. I've also been invited to other events by "scouts" ... people with other organizations who visit fairs looking for vendors who will be a good fit with their group. Even if you don't sell much, the connections you make can be awesome!

The first year I did several events that were based around children ... Halloween, school talent shows, etc. Those, unfortunately, weren't all that great. People were there to watch little Jenny and Johnny sing their Christmas songs, which is fine, but they left afterwards without doing any shopping. Sales-wise, I didn't do bad, but those events really weren't worth the time.

The very best events have been at churches, VFWs, and city/county-run events. On those, I generally bring home $250-$400. At a city-run Christmas event last year, I sold almost $700.

As far as what sells, I'm sure it's going to vary by area, but my purses and zippered boxes/bags fly out the door. I also make potholders, placemats, and other small fabric items, which sell okay. Quilts barely move. With only a few exceptions, people only see the price on the quilt, not the quality.

Other thoughts: Take credit/debit cards! If you're not already set up to do so, check into PayPal's "PayPal Here" app. It works on your phone. They even give you a card scanner. I've been really happy with them (no affiliation). Also, I try to have merchandise in all price ranges, starting at $1.50. Have plenty of shopping bags on hand. People REALLY appreciate that, especially when they're juggling a funnel cake, a Coke, other shopping finds, and a 3-year-old. Have your business cards and a schedule of your craft fairs in a prominent area. Even if they can't buy something today, they can find you later on! Make your booth as attractive as possible, using both the horizontal and vertical space. And if you do outside fairs, buy the extra sidewalls for your canopy. If it's windy or rainy, the sidewalls help keep your stuff from blowing away and/or getting wet. Oh, and make sure you put weights on your canopy legs! I've seen more than one canopy get blown over and torn up. And take plenty of change! I keep some on my person, but I also keep extra change locked in the truck, in case it's needed. (You'd be surprised how often I've made change for other vendors! LOL!)