3 Things Every Crafter Must Know to Succeed At Craft Shows
Craft shows can be a very successful way to sell your products, but you should do some homework first to find the best tips and techniques for your success.
|
A good way to do that is to benefit from the experience of others, and there are plenty of crafters in business who are willing to share what they've learned about what works and what doesn't.
This article lists three essentials and some good advice.
By N Goyette
Selling your crafts at craft shows brings together the best of two worlds – using your creative and artistic skills along with putting a few extra dollars in your jeans. But, it can be a feast or famine sort of work, and you need to do what you can to make sure that money keeps rolling in for the effort you keep putting out.
In this article, I have put together 3 things I think every crafter should have to make sure they can be a success in the craft show business:
Credit Cards Accepted
Most regional craft shows today provide their buyers with the option of taking their credit cards for purchases. You cannot be left behind in this aspect. Credit card use is increasing exponentially as people rely on credit to make their impulse (and not so impulse) purchases. Plus, credit cards are generally safer to carry and easier to use.
Having credit card capability is going to make those purchases a whole lot easier at your craft show booth. How many times has a customer walked up to pay and asked, “Do you take credit cards?” and you had to turn them away because you aren’t signed up yet? My advice – get signed up!
Spend Time On Your Booth
If you are hitting the regular craft show circuit in your region, it is probably worth it to put a little effort into your craft show booth. People are far more inclined to make a purchase at a booth that has some thought put into: merchandising, organization, flow of traffic, etc. People who become frustrated with the way a booth is set up are likely to end up walking out of the booth and go somewhere else to make their purchase.
Come up with a concept, a design, and spend some time ‘inviting’ customers to make a purchase in your booth. If you can make an extra sale or two per hour because your booth is functional and enjoyable, your profit margin at the end of the day is going to rise.
Set Up A Contact System
This is becoming a popular means of creating repeat business, and one that we will delve into in a separate article in the future. But, it bears mentioning right now as well. E-mail and Internet use is reaching new limits of popularity everyday, and there is a built in way to keep in contact with people who have purchased your crafts at craft shows.
When you are making a sale, ask the customer if they would be willing to be on an e-mail list so you can keep them informed of any new crafts you have, or any craft shows you will be attending in their area. Not all will be interested, but even if you have a half-dozen or so each show, by the end of the season, you might have 50 people on the list, and that list is great for residual sales in the future!
Many things go into making your craft show business a success. From the right craft to the right price, you need to make sure you are on top of the business and giving yourself every chance to succeed. The above tips are going to give you that addedpush to continue building your sales each time you go out.
Natalie Goyette shows you how to make your craft show business profitable in her best-selling e-book: Craft Show Success Secrets. Visit her site: Craft Shows. Article Source: EzineArticles.com