What To Expect at your First Craft Show

I’ve sold at dozens of craft shows and learned from my mistakes. But I thought I’d put this article together for people getting ready for their first craft show, not knowing what to expect.

Your first craft show won’t be perfect, but neither will your hundredth. There’s always something new to learn or something to change so embrace the challenges and the imperfection of it all.

 

1) Get set up legally

It’s easy to jump into your first craft show without thinking through the logistics, but it’s important you take the necessary legal steps.

Craft shows are not only a way to sell your handmade products, but also to market your handmade business. 

Laws differ depending on your location, but it’s likely you’ll need to register your business’s name and ensure it’s not infringing on existing intellectual property. 

You don’t want to start getting your business’s name out there, only to learn after the fact that you can’t use that name because another business has already registered it (that actually happened to me).

Depending on what you’re selling and where you’re selling it, you may also require permits and licenses. 

Be sure to research your local laws and have all your legal ducks in a row before your first craft show.

>> You may find Laws for Selling Handmade helpful

 

2) Start prepping now

I underestimated how long it would take to build enough stock for my first craft show. Not to mention, I had no idea how much stock to make. I created until I ran out of time.

When you consider craft show factors (e.g. how many hours is the craft show? How many shoppers does the event typically attract? How many sales would you like to make per hour? How big is your display space? Etc.) you can estimate how many items to make (rather than “as many as I can”). 

Once you have an inventory goal, then you can create a schedule to ensure you’re making enough product each week. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you don’t have enough stock to fill your display and having to pull all-nighters leading up to the event.

>> Here’s how to estimate your inventory: How Much Inventory To Bring to a Craft Show (Simple Formulas)

>> Here’s a checklist for preparing for craft shows: Free Craft Show Checklist (& Preparation Steps)

>> And how to plan your calendar: How to Plan Inventory & Create a Production Schedule

 

3) Don’t make “all the things”

The closer I got to the craft show, the more ideas I had for products to make. Not only did this add more stress, it also made me less profitable, it made it harder to create a cohesive display, and it didn’t help my sales…it actually harmed them (here’s why).

Don’t use craft fairs to show off your multiple talents. Use them to show off your best talent.

What type of craftsperson are you? A soap maker? Seamstress? Jewelry maker? It should only be one.

And what type of product do you specialize in making? 

For example, a jewelry maker might specialize in creating healing crystal jewelry, or modern minimalistic gold jewelry, or classic pearl jewelry.

Focusing on one type of product or one style of product makes shoppers view you as an expert. When you’re an “expert” you can charge more and people feel more comfortable spending money with you.

You should also consider your display space. Use your dining room table or a space that’s similar to your booth/table size and try setting up your products. If it’s hard to create visually pleasing groups of products, it may be a sign that you have too much variety. 

>> Join the FREE email challenge 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT CRAFT SHOW DISPLAY if you need help refining your selection & designing your display.

 

4) Offer products at different price points

Although you don’t want to overdo it with too many types of products or product options, it is good to have products that fit within common budgets. 

Most craft show shoppers are prepared to spend between $20 – $50.

But it’s also great to have a few lower-priced items ($5 – $10) that people can add to their purchase or to buy if they love your work but aren’t able to spend as much as your “main” items cost.

 

5) Your display should get just as much thought as your products

I put very little thought into my display for my first craft show. It was a small event but everyone had creative setups and props. I had a wrinkly tablecloth, a flat display, no branding, and a hodgepodge of products. I immediately felt a little embarrassed about my setup, which wasn’t a great way to start the day.

You don’t need to perfect your display at your first craft show, but you will feel more confident if you put effort into it. 

If I were to offer 3 tips to a new vendor, who didn’t have a lot of time or money to spend on their display, it would be:

1. Choose a tablecloth that goes with your products – I used the only tablecloth I had, which was moss green and jacquard textured. It did not go with my colorful products. White is usually safe and go for polyester as it won’t hold wrinkles like a cotton one will.
2. Use fixtures that add height – your craft show display will have more interest to draw shoppers over, be easier to shop, and look more professional if you add dimension, height, and layers. 
3. Try to stick to one or two materials (e.g. wood or wicker crates and baskets) – when choosing fixtures, props, and signage, try to keep the colors and materials consistent. This will add cohesion to your display and make it look more professional. Spray paint can make a mixture of finishes come together.

Don’t overwhelm yourself by taking on too much with your display. But if and when you’re ready, you may find the following helpful:

>> Want to Stand Out at a Craft Show? Try These Display Tricks

>> 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT CRAFT SHOW DISPLAY

>> Craft Show Table Layout Tips

>> Craft Show Display 5-Minute Fix: Color Groupings

 

6) Set up takes longer than you think

It takes time to find the organizer so you know where to set up, unload your car, unpack products/props/fixtures, create your display, and get everything organized behind your table (e.g. cashbox, shopping bags, etc.)

I wasn’t completely ready by the time the doors opened at my first craft show. It only added to my nerves and started the day off on the wrong foot. It’s better to give yourself more time for setup and be done early than scrambling and sweating to get it all done.

Try to complete as much as you can before the day of the event:

• • • tag and price products
    • create and print signage
    • organize shopping bags and marketing material
    • print inventory sheets to track sales
    • etc.

You may even want to pre-stuff shopping bags with marketing material so it’s quick and easy to wrap purchases at a busy event. 

 

7) You DO need to sell

Trust me, I didn’t want “selling” to be necessary. I barely said “hello” to shoppers at my first craft show. I thought a smile and answering any questions they had was good enough.

But once I started putting an effort in, and eventually introduced selling techniques, my sales went up.

Think about the selling points of each product; what’s interesting or unique about them or how they’re made? Who are they great for and why?

You’ll feel a lot more comfortable if you have a line or two you can use while shoppers are at your table.

The first few craft shows always feel a little awkward; there isn’t room to give shoppers space while they browse your work. But the more you learn about selling and the more you practice it, the more comfortable you’ll become.

>> 3 Tips to Avoid Awkward Shopper Silence at a Craft Show

 

8) Track sales & shopper behaviour

At the very least, you should track what you sell. To make this easy, simply print a list of each item you’re bringing and check each off as they sell. This will help you spot patterns so you can improve your business. 

If you’re able to, you may also want to take notes about comments you hear, the feedback you get, which items shoppers are drawn to buy don’t buy, etc. 

The more events you sell at, the more information you’ll have to influence your product line and make more of what people like and less of what they don’t.

 

9) Not every shopper will be your customer

Don’t expect every shopper who stops by your table to buy. If you track stats, you’ll be able to get an idea of your average conversion rate (for example, if the organizer can share attendance numbers and you know your sales, you’ll know how many shoppers you converted into customers). 

How many shoppers will buy is a hard number to predict (as so many factors can influence the number).

The average conversion rate of a brick-and-mortar store is 20% – 40% (source).

That’s likely higher than craft show conversion rates because many shoppers visit a store knowing what they’ll find (e.g. they stop in a clothing store to buy a new outfit). But craft show shoppers don’t know what type of products they’ll discover, so fewer will be prepared to buy. 

Don’t be discouraged if it feels like more people are walking by your table or leaving your table without buying. That’s typical. 

As you refine your product line and choose events that are more specific to your target market, your conversion rates will go up.

 

10) Expect the unexpected

It can be the perfect venue, with perfect weather, and the event may have a rock star organizer…but that doesn’t mean you’re going to sell out of product.

Each event is different and each day of an event is different. Often the products you think will sell like hotcakes, don’t get picked up but the items you made a few to test out, will be flying off the table.

You can’t always make sense of it and you need to go into each event with an open mind. If you’ve done your research and feel you’ve picked a great first craft show to be a part of, relax, go with the flow, and trust you’re in the right place at the right time.

 

11) Vendors love trades(ies)…but you don’t have to say yes

Often, vendors participating in an event are your perfect customer; they love and appreciate handmade items. Instead of purchasing each other’s items, vendors may ask if you’re interested in a trade. You get one (or more) of their products in exchange for one (or more) of your products.

If you’re not interested, you can let them know how much you love their work but that you’re really looking to make some extra cash, so unfortunately, you’re not in a position to make a trade.

On the occasions I do want to make a trade, I prefer to leave trades until the end of the event to be sure I have as much stock as possible for shoppers.

 

12) It’s a tight-knit community

Everyone is connected in the craft community, regardless of how big or small your city or town is. It can feel intimidating walking into your first craft show feeling like everyone knows each other, but it’s one of the friendliest communities out there.

Be sure to take the time to walk around the event and introduce yourself. Be mindful of their setup time or customers. You don’t want to interrupt, but a quick “hi” goes a long way.

Everyone gets to know you quickly, so it’s also important to keep a good reputation.

If you have a bad experience at a craft show, remain professional; word will spread quickly if you’re difficult to work with.

You may also be interested in some of the unwritten “rules” fellow vendors and organizers expect you to follow:

>> Craft Show Etiquette; What other Vendors Expect

>> Craft Show Etiquette; What Organizers Expect

 

Please use the comment section to ask any questions you have about craft shows. Or to share lessons from your first event!