5 Things to do When you’re at a Slow Craft Show

Slow craft shows can happen because of lack of marketing efforts or due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a snowstorm. 

If the possibility of shoppers showing up is looking bleak, here are 5 things you should consider doing to work on your business. 

 

1 – Stay open & positive

Slow craft shows are frustrating. And usually, all I can think about is how much time and money I wasted on the event and what I’m going to do with all the stock. That doesn’t leave me with a very welcoming vibe.

You don’t want to drive away the few customers that are there by looking unhappy. You also don’t want to give other vendors the wrong impression (people like being around others who make them feel better and lift them up), or burn your bridge with the organizer in the case that this slow show was just a fluke and they generally attract big crowds.

Try to be present and keep a positive attitude.

Even if you don’t believe that positive thoughts and feelings attract positive experiences, consider how you’d rather feel all day. If traffic is slow and there’s nothing you can do about it, do you want to have a slow day and feel crappy or have a slow day and feel good?

The mind mimics the body so fake a smile until you’re feeling better.

 

2 – Work on your selling skills

When you don’t have many shoppers, that means you have plenty of time for each one.

Take that extra time to work on your selling skills and point out the benefits of your products and product features.

At a slower craft show, you can give each shopper your undivided attention and tune into their reactions as they browse your products. Which selling techniques or sales pitches pique their interest?

Use this information to improve your product line and selling techniques.

Take the extra time to get to know your shoppers too (e.g. demographics, psychographics, etc.). Knowing who your typical customer is will help you build a better product line and business.

 

3 – Connect with vendors

You’ll have free time to walk around and chat with other sellers.

You can gather valuable information from vendors if you take the time to ask about their business, what type of craft shows they typically participate in, how they deal with slow shows, etc.

There may also be an opportunity to work/cross-promote with another vendor for a future project.

 

4 – Work on other areas of your business

If you’ve followed my Craft Show Checklist, you’ve packed something to do in case of slow times.

It may be an attraction that gets shoppers or vendors to stop and see what you’re making. Pull out your yarn and needles or jewelry supplies and work on a project to pass the time but be sure to stop when someone comes to your table.

If you can’t bring your craft to the show, consider working on an article for your blog, developing a marketing plan that helps you sell the stock you’re going to be left with, or download one of my ebooks and start learning! 😉

 

5 – Work on photography

If you’ve done the work to set up an effective craft show display, your products should be set up in a visually pleasing way that helps sell them (see 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT DISPLAY).

Often, at busy events, we forget to snap photos of our display before shoppers start filing in and while it’s full of our best pieces. 

Photos of your display are beneficial for social media content, website/blog content, and when applying to future craft shows. 

Those photos may even point out areas of weakness in your display.

As I mention in this article: 5 Odd Display Tricks I Always Use  I always snap a photo of my craft show setup as I find elements stand out differently in a photograph. 

After snapping a photo, play around with your setup until you’re happy with it. 

You can even ask another vendor to take a photo of you standing behind your table…or get a couple of vendors to pretend they’re shopping your table to portray how your booth typically attracts lots of shoppers. Organizers love to see that.

 

Learning Resources

If you’re at a slow craft show right now, you can sign up for my FREE email course: 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT DISPLAY and start thinking about how you’ll apply the first lesson to your next event (you’ll receive the first email immediately).

Or download MAKE MORE MONEY AT CRAFT FAIRS if you don’t want to wait for each lesson and want more details on every money-making aspect of selling at craft shows.

 

You may also be interested in:

• How to Promote a Craft Show Last Minute
• How Much Promotion Craft Show Organizers Expect from Vendors