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 easier to sell to existing customers than acquire new ones so this first technique is to get your customers to promote your business to themselves.
A good way to subtly remind your customers of your business is to get your info onto their phones. People go through their photos more often than their business card Rolodex.
In this article, I discussed getting your business information onto people’s phones. Check it out for the full details but the gist of it is to set up an enlarged business card on your craft fair table and encourage people to take a picture of it instead of grabbing one of your cards.
Over 80% of people toss business cards shortly after receiving them and I’m sure the other percent misplace them or place them in a drawer or cabinet and forget about it. If you can get your info onto people’s phones, they’ll always have it at their fingertips and be constantly reminded of your business every time they’re looking through their camera roll.
2) Encouraging more shoppers to visit you at the event
What better way to get your business name out there, your products into people’s feeds and encourage more shoppers to head down to the show than to get the people who are there, to promote the event and your craft show booth or table.
Get shoppers who stop by your booth to enter a contest by taking a picture.
Turn your social media notifications on so your phone buzzes when someone tags you and get visitors to share a post or photo to their social media page.
Booth space may not permit all of these ideas but hopefully, they get the wheels turning on ways craft show shoppers can promote your products:
- Have shoppers hold up an empty frame (so it frames their faces) that has a speech bubble made out of foam core reading: “I’m checking out ______ (your business) at ______craft show!” (here’s a similar idea used for a restaurant)
- Have shoppers take a photo of their favorite product at your booth.
- Have shoppers take a photo of an item they hope Santa brings them so friends and family know what to get them and where to find it.
- Get a helper to dress up as Santa at Christmas time so people can get a photo with him on one side of your booth.
3) Show your product in action
Once someone purchases one of your products, encourage them to share a picture of it, in action, to help promote it.
Consider running a draw that people who share your products on social media will be entered into.
- If it’s something they wear, get them to share how they sport it.
- If it’s something that goes in their home, have them take a picture of it in its natural surroundings with other items.
- If they use it, they can show before and after results.
- If it’s something they eat, they can take a photo of themselves enjoying it or a photo of the meal they made from it.
- If it’s something they give, they can photograph the recipient receiving their gift.
Once they snap that photo, get them to share it on one of their social media platforms and tag your business to enter the contest.
- Accessories – “My new favorite Spring accessory by @_______ to wear with white jeans.” (photo of their outfit)
- Art – “Loving my new painting by @________. Fits perfectly in my dining room!” (photo of the painting on their wall)
- Bath & Body – “This is the most delicious smelling soap handmade by @______” (photo of your bar of soap in their soap dish) or “This face cream by @_______ is so moisturizing, my skin is glowing!” (photo of their glowing skin)
- Food – “About to enjoy some home-cooked pasta using @_______ homemade pesto sauce. Yummy!” (photo of their pasta)
- Gift – “Best baby shower! She loves her diaper cake made by @__________”
This way, people who see the photo of your product in action and want one for themselves can follow the link to your business page.
4) Shopping bags
For most craft show shoppers, shopping bags are an afterthought. Most of their time and money goes into their stock, then their display, and shopping bags are done as cheaply as possible.
But at a busy craft show, your shopping bag can become a walking billboard for your business.
Choose or create a shopping bag that stands out from the typical brown craft paper bags stamped with black ink.
Consider your craft business’s brand and choose something bold that aligns with that.
One may still go with a neutral bag but add colorful tissue paper and a ribbon.
Or, for a bolder brand, a brown paper bag may be used with a stencil and neon spray paint to make a statement.
It is important to keep the budget in mind, however, spending a little more to make a statement may help bring more sales.
Do you have any other fun ways you get your craft show shoppers to help promote your handmade products? Share in the comment section!
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Hey, I’m Erin 🙂 I write about small business and craft show techniques I’ve learned from being a small business owner for almost 2 decades, selling at dozens of craft shows, and earning a diploma in Visual Communication Design. I hope you find my advice helpful!
Hello, I come to say one thing: your blog is the more helpful ever! Thank u! I’m Brazilian and I will go to my first craft show in my life, and you is make it more easy to me! 🙂
Thank you Marjory! So happy to hear that 🙂
~Erin