10 Times a Vendor should say “No” to a Craft Show Shopper
This article outlines the requests I’ve received from craft show shoppers over the years. They’re ones I wish I hadn’t accommodated (or at least not with some serious thought first). Shoppers don’t head to a craft fair with the intention of insulting the vendor. They’re usually just asking a question they see no harm in…
7 Ways Handmade Businesses Lose Money (when trying to please customers)
At the beginning of every business I’ve started, I’ve bent over backward for my customers. There’s nothing wrong with caring about your customers and their happiness, however, it can’t be at the expense of your profits. These are 7 things small handmade business owners often do, thinking they’re helping them make sales, but they can…
10 Ways for Introverts to Speak Less But Sell More at a Craft Show
Not every introvert is the same, but this article is written from the perspective of an introvert who gets drained from talking and selling for hours. Whether you’re an introvert or not or love speaking or not, creating a display that helps sell is beneficial for everyone. Here are 10 elements to have in place…
How to Use Product Collections to Boost Sales
Imagine you’re heading to a craft fair and are looking for a knitted scarf to go with your new cream winter jacket. You spot two vendors selling knitted goods. One has scarves in a variety of colors, folded in rows on the table. You think you see a couple of colors you might like but…
How to Attract More Shoppers to your Outdoor Market Booth
These are simple ideas and can work regardless of what type of products you’re selling at an outdoor market. It should also only cost you a couple of pennies per customer. What you’ll gain are shoppers who are more enticed to come into your market booth and shop, stick around a little longer and be…
How to Display & Sell Customized Products at a Craft Show
Customized or personalized products are one of the benefits of selling handmade. Selling products that shoppers can put their own touch on isn’t something many big companies offer. If you sell customized products that take longer than a few seconds to customize, you may be wondering how you’d ever make it work at a craft…
10 Ways to Boost your Craft Business’s Sales in Slow Months
Regardless of what type of product you sell, every handmade business experiences a period of slow sales. These tips are here to help whenever that time strikes. You’re not alone if you feel your sales drop as the days get warmer and longer. Consumers are outside enjoying the nice weather and going on family vacations….
Top Product Photography Tips for Handmade Crafts
You’ve heard it before; product photography is important to your handmade craft business. But are you aware of how important? You quickly snap a photo with your camera phone and some decent lighting because it’s more important to get your handmade product posted with an average photo than to not post it at all. Those “quick pics”…
10 Tips to Prevent Theft at a Craft Show
You wouldn’t think people would steal from a small handmade business at a craft show, but it happens. You want to assume the majority of your shoppers are stopping by because they’re interested in supporting you, and we never want to deter them from shopping. But as a small business, you also have to protect…
How to (Easily) Start a Conversation with Craft Show Shoppers
Although I don’t love selling, I picked up a few tips while working for major retailers that are easy and effective. I’m not one for pushy sales tactics but you also don’t want to hear crickets when people are at your booth. Craft show shoppers want the experience of chatting with the maker; there’s a…
7 Ways to Make your Craft Business More Profitable
If you’ve started selling your crafts, it’s likely because you want to build a profitable business. Many makers realize, several months into running their business, they’re not profiting. Here are 7 ways you can squeeze more profits out of your craft business. 1 – Lower production costs To keep things simple, your craft business’s…
10 Tips to Prepare for a Craft Show when you’re Short On time
There’s often more to do before a craft fair than there is time to do it. If you’ve signed up for a craft fair last minute, or you’ve procrastinated a little too long and are scrambling to get ready for one, these tips will help get you focused and organized. 1) Look at your…
How to Make your Handmade Business Stand Out from Competitors
We’re taught from a very young age to follow rules and fall in line so it’s no wonder we’re a little timid when it comes to questioning the rules, stepping outside the box and wanting to stand out. My favorite story that teaches us the importance of thinking for ourselves is about a mother and a ham. Yes. A…
#1 Mistake that Gets Vendors Banned from Future Craft Fairs
Organizers put a ton of work into planning and executing a craft fair and are relying on their vendors to help make it great. You’ve helped spread the word, created tons of amazing stock, showed up on time and were a peach to deal with. But one big mistake at the end of the craft…
5 Things Craft Show Shoppers Shouldn’t See
When I first started selling at craft fairs, it was all about ME. >> The products I wanted to make >> The display that was easiest for me to create >> Letting people shop in silence because I didn’t feel comfortable selling But when I started putting the shopper/customer first, my business changed for the better. I…
How to Promote a Craft Show Last Minute
If you participate in enough craft shows, you’ll end up at a slow craft show that desperately needs to attract shoppers. It doesn’t matter how well the event organizer or you, the vendor, prepare, some things are out of everyone’s control. Whether the lack of attendance is due to poor marketing by the organizer or…
4 Ways Craft Show Shoppers can Help Promote your Business
The brands that grow the quickest are the ones that get people talking. When your shoppers and customers become raving fans, they help promote your products and your handmade business. Here are a few ways to get your customers to share your business and its products. 1) Capture your Business Card Information It’s much…
7 Reasons you’re Not Making More Money at Craft Fairs
We’ve all signed up for a craft show with high hopes, thinking the event’s proven track record or our products will bring tons of sales, but we end up walking away a little disappointed. So many factors can throw off craft show sales, but these are the most common reasons for low sales. REASON…
How to Make Jewelry that Stands Out & Sells Out
Handmade jewelry is a popular product to sell online and at craft shows. In fact, it’s probably safe to say, jewelry is the most saturated category in handmade products. It’s a great place to start because even if you’re a beginner, you can create beautiful pieces and the start-up costs can be kept relatively low….
How to Keep your Business Cards Out of the Trash
When you’re given a business card at a craft fair, what do you do with it? Over 80% of people toss the business cards they’ve been handed. And if that business card was found in a swag bag, it’s even more likely to end up in the trash. *I don’t suggest contributing business cards to craft…