My First Craft Show Ever - How did it go? Spoiler Alert: Not Good
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- I had my first craft show ever, selling my handmade bags on Dec 16, and it was SO quiet! Not a good way to start my new small business. How I plan to move forward.
Hey, we started doing crafts shows/markets in June of 2023 and have done about 9 since then. Each show/market is a learning experience.
We dont know each other, but let me give you a bit of advice that is from our lessons learned. DIVERSIFY! So many booths are featuring ONE thing.. we have many products and are expanding what we offer: Jellies, live plants in season, crochet items that range from beanies to blankets to small animal key chains, wood crafts that range from pens and wine bottle stoppers to cutting boards in the $100s, salves, too. Our prices start at $5 and go to $200. (we sold out twice and killed ourselves restocking for the next market, teaching us not to book consecutive Saturdays).
People like choices, they like diversity.
Also, we found that if we allowed airspace between products instead of crowding them together, it invited browsing. Having your things crammed together can cause buyer anxiety. Try a larger table or less product out at any given time. Have something you can hang those pretty bags on at the end of your display where people can TOUCH them..
Have more than ONE table. We started with one and shelving .. now we have three in a U shape and now are going vertical.
We started these fairs making about $400, now we're clearing $2000... oh, and things are seasonal. If you can find fabric that suits the upcoming holiday, whatever it is, so some holiday-specific totes. Hearts for Valentine's day, bunnies or flowers or easter eggs for Easter, also maybe some flag-themed bags? Look at the ethnic makeup of your area and then make some flag bags in the theme of the nations represented ... just some ideas for you.
I know you dont know us from adam, but I came across your video and decided to chime in. KEEP GOING!
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such wonderful feedback and advise. I'm happy your shows are such a success. I'll find my niche and look for ways I can expand and improve. Being so new to this I have much to learn and will improve upon it.
Do you make your item or purchase what you sell? I have thought of doing some craft shows. I make jams and quilts. O have people asking me to sell my jam. Do you need a food license to sell jellies?
I think you will find that every show will teach you something. At least that's what is happening with us@@totesbydesign . Good luck, and if i carried a bag i'd buy one from you :) Also, I find that fellow vendors are my best customers!
Everything we do is hand made by us, we purchase the raw materials we need to make what we sell @@Lakirk2023
your set up looks great! Your bags looks fantastic!So you are on the right track. We can learn from each show we do. Not all shows are great.Then some shows are awesome. A week before Christmas most people are done shopping. Look for earlier shows.Don't give up!
Thank you so much for your kind words and advise. I take it to heart.
You need customers that won't think I can sew or make this myself. Finding the right venue is key to success.
ALWAYS you will have potential customers that walk past, saying "I can make my own" or "omg, too expensive!". Not going to get away from that.
My first craft show sold nothing, and barely any looks. As far as the town was concerned, I was a total stranger.
20+ years later, I'm just strange, lol.
Get into summer farmers markets. Do spring shows. Advertise as beach bags.
Everyone wants at least one pocket in their bag.
Thank you so much.
Keep going. Sometimes it takes a while for a craft fair product to take off. Your stall set up looks great.
Thank you very much. I'll keep going and find my niche.
Your setup looks great. Don't give up. Every craft fair is different, and even the same craft fair will have different results at different times.
Thank you very much. I'm going to keep going.
I love your bags! So pretty and unique fabrics.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it!
I sell my knits on Etsy and at fairs in Nov/Dec each year, since 2016. Your booth looks great and your inventory looks nice and well crafted. Just keep plodding!
Something I always do is keep my ears open at fairs, a lot of times other vendors will talk about other events. I’ve got a couple vendor friends and we babble about events with each other, give feed back on others. I think I’ve made all those friends from being booth buddies or seeing them repeatedly at events. I also have looked on facebook events for fairs before.
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I've already found your experience to be true, about making connections at the event.
Will be rooting for you your bags are lovely!
Thank you for your encouraging words. I appreciate it very much.
The bags look cute!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Good attitude looking at it as a dress rehearsal.
Thank you!
Oh no. No customers? That makes me wonder if there was something else going on that weekend that enticed people more.
Thank you for commenting. I think that close to Christmas there was probably a lot going on. I just look at it as a learning experience.
That show was far too close to the holidays. Look for shows that have history as well.
Thank you so much for your insight. I appreciate the tips.
Are you selling your totes online? And where please?
Hello, and thank you for your interest in my bags. My webstore is under construction but will be going live sometime in the first quarter of 2024. www.totesbydesign.ca.
Yes, very disappointing for you. You can never be sure with craft shows. Perhaps this is a bad financial year for many. Keep on, keeping on tho!
Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I'm in it to win it!