What do the color pink, dollar bills, and coffee beans have in common? Your chance of having great success at your next craft fair!
We're getting into outdoor craft fair season, and found a fabulous article by Christin Sander. We talked it through with lots of other crafters last week on The CraftStar LIVE (if you missed it, you can catch it here: https://goo.gl/4OklNX) and added some ideas of our own.
We're going to be giving away YOUR choice of a HUGE variety of craft fair displays from Boutique Intrigue on The CraftStar ... check that out later down the post!
Check out MANY more gorgeous displays here:
Top 10 Tips:
1. Your booth must be visually appealing from a distance and from within. It must welcome visitors and have enough to see to encourage them to stay, but not so much that it overwhelms and all things blend together. Your booth is the equivalent of a tiny retail shop – treat it as such.
2: Backgrounds and table coverings should be easy on the eyes and contrast nicely with what you are selling. If you are selling pastel colored items, put them against a dark or white background – not another pastel color. You want your items to be what “pops” not your signage or loud background “noise”. Color contrast provides visual interest. Contrast is also a good distance strategy – it makes your booth stand out in the crowd so use it to your advantage.
3. Lighting – lighting will make or break you. Consider the natural lighting for every place you sell on an individual basis. Adjust your lighting needs accordingly. Soft light tends to be alluring – run a strand of simple white Christmas lights along the back of your display table. Wrap it in greenery for an extra nice touch that goes well with most themes. This will not distract from, but enhance whatever other lighting techniques you use. It also adds visual depth to your display which encourages people to “come in”.
4. Use unusual displays – a coat rack, a set of shelves, stacking items, platforms – all of these create visual interest and get your products closer to eye level. Stair stepping items on tables is a great way to make booths visually interesting. Place one prominent item in the upper right back corner of your booth. It draws the eye in. Most people focus on “front and center” – don’t let that be your only focus. Eyes scan around the perimeter when deciding to go in.
5. For soap makers, artisans with scent: appeal to the sense of smell. Nothing is more alluring than a nice fragrance, but LESS is more. Customers are quickly turned off by competing scents and overpowering them with smelly things. Keep a stash of fresh coffee beans on hand and let your guests to “clear their noses”. It’s a great conversation piece and works like a charm. When you smell coffee it clears the sinuses and allows you to get a “true scent”. If you sell candles, soaps, or other smelly good items this is a great way to keep your customers smelling your goods without bowling them over.
6. If you can find a way to practice your craft in a way that is non-obtrusive to your sales area do that. Remember, people are visual and watching a crafter is fascinating. Listening to a crafter spin a story as they are doing their craft is even more fun. Engage people in a meaningful way that is memorable and not overly pushy. You can subtly highlight the benefits of your craft/product and what makes it special.
7. Dress nicely. Wear a nice outfit and be well groomed. Ladies, if you can - wear pink. Pink is a very inviting color. It softens your appearance and makes you naturally more approachable. I didn’t believe this when I first heard it either, but it works. Anytime I wore off white or pink I generated more sales and leads.
8. If you make something that you can wear – wear it. This is great for jewelry. You can often get other vendors who are not directly competing with you to also wear something you have made if you offer to promote their products in return.
9. Make sure you have spare change! Don't get stuck, and lose a sale, because you don't have change to give a customer. Make sure you're loaded up with dollar bills and loose coins.
10. Have fun!!! If you're not having fun, people aren't going to want to be around you! Even when traffic in your booth may be slow, create a sense of action by being in your space - changing displays around, tidying up. It's always easiest having a friend or family member helping you, so make sure you're both smiling and welcoming as possible.
Now for our GIVE AWAY!! From life size mannequins, to children's head forms ... Boutique Intrigue has a great display for everyone. Not only are these GREAT to use at craft fairs, but they make taking photographs of your creations SO much easier and they're really cute as home decor!
To win the display of your choice, enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Finally, here's a great check list that Christin put together. Print it out, add your own reminders, and you're sure to have a much more stress-free craft show!
A huge thank you to Christin Sander: http://hubpages.com/art/craft_fair_strategies
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