From making and pricing your products to finding a unique way to display them, there’s a lot of work that goes into participating in a craft show. The tricky part isn’t necessarily setting everything up, it’s remembering to bring the everything you need. Do you have change for cash transactions? Do you have samples and business cards and a camera to document your successful day? Below you’ll find a useful list of eighteen important items that you can’t forget.
- Your products and display. This is an obvious one, but there are tons of stories out there of crafters forgetting part of their display or a few of their products. My stomach drops at just the thought of it. Make a list of every display item and product that you plan to bring with you and check off each item as you put it in your car, one-by-one.
- Samples of Your Product to Wear. If you make jewelry, scarves, or anything wearable don’t forget to wear one of your products. It shows how much you care about the product.
- Water and food. Craft shows are typically all day and when things get busy it can be difficult to take a break to grab some water or food. Bring water and snacks with you – it’s important to keep your energy up throughout the day.
- Change for cash. You can kiss that sale goodbye if you don’t have change with you. Make sure you have enough to start and keep track of it so if you start running low you can run out and grab more.
- Your credit card machine. If you plan on bringing a credit card machine, don’t forget to bring it with. If you don’t have one, you should look into getting one because most people aren’t carrying cash with them.
- A mirror. Customers will want to see what a piece of jewelry or a hat looks like on, so make sure you have a big enough mirror for them to use.
- Your camera. Take pictures of your booth as well as others at the show. Use the photos as inspiration for your booth in the future.
- Appropriate dress for indoor and outdoor shows. If you’re outside, you might want a little fan and some sunglasses. If you’re inside and it might be chilly, make sure to bring a shawl or sweater.
- A friend. While you shouldn’t sit there and chat with them the entire time, you will most likely at some point need to go to the bathroom. Plus, they’ll be able to lend a hand if things get busy.
- Business cards. Bring more than you think you’ll use. Pass them out to people who visit the booth and fellow crafters.
- Extra signs. You’ve spent all this time on a booth to accidentally rip a sign and have to put one up written in marker. Bring extra pretty ones.
- Extra price tags. In case one falls off when you’re putting the booth together.
- Bags for your customers. Give something for your customers to carry their purchases. Add a sticker or something that shows it’s from your store, that way everyone else will see it as they carry it around.
- A chair. Unless you plan on standing the whole time.
- Emergency display kit. Create a kit with bungee cords, zip ties, scissors, twine, tape, clothespins, or anything that you use to make your display. If something breaks, you’ll easily be able to fix it.
- An activity for yourself if it begins to slow down. While you want to interact with patrons, if things get slow it’s good to have something to do. Plus, people will love being able to see your handmade products being created right before their eyes.
- Mailing list sheet. A mailing list is a great marketing tool, make sure you have some way to take down names and numbers to let them know about new products and other shows you’ll be selling at.
- Receipt or sales book. Some people will want receipts, so make sure you have a way to give them one. Plus, it’ll be a nice way to keep track of your sales.
What do you bring to every craft fair?
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I have a food allergy so I make sure I have something to snack on that I can eat. I make sure that it is not sticky (no more peanut brittle) so my hands stay clean if a customer wants something I can handle it without making a mess. I usually take pretzels and a drink so that if I have a customer I am not chewing for long either.
I also try to bring an extra pen too… you never know when the one you have will stop working.
This as very informative. Saturday is my first craft sale and I had lots of questions and you answered basically all of them. Thank you!
“Change for cash” is obvious, but uselessly vague. HOW MUCH change? In what proportions?
I always bring $200 in change – $100 in 1’s, $100 in 5’s. No matter the size of the show, I find that this is a good starting place. Granted, I usually don’t need that many 1’s, but then I have them when a neighbor needs some change, too. Works out well.
a good rule of thumb is a third of the value you bring to sell in appropriate amounts, quarters, dollars, fives, tens ect as needed , having a partner can help if you find you need different change know where the nearest bank is.
if that were true i’d be bringing thousands to the table.
I usually run between $5 – $40 for items and $200 bank is sufficient enough. Mostly 5s since they run out fast and I barely have anything that breaks away from the 5-10-15-20 range….
Riiight. I believe you. Totally. Thousands.
I would say how much a cashier usually starts off their day with, which is about $200.It varies from place to place what denominations a cashier keeps in their till, but I would wager to have 6 $10 bills, 10 $5 bills, 54 $1 bills (so 1 pack of 50 plus 4 loose), 2 rolls of quarters, 2 rolls of dimes, 2 rolls of nickels, and 4 rolls of pennies.
Wendy, I think it is going to be somewhat specific to each crafter and what they are selling. If you have items that are less than a buck, then you need coins. If most of your items have prices that are matched to larger bills, then you are going to need less smaller bills than someone selling items at prices such as $2 or $11 where if your customers are paying with $20’s as they usually do at the begining of the day, the first few customers can wipe you out of all your change. For me, my items are priced such that I don’t have to give out a whole lot of singles. If I am doing a small show, I tend to be just fine bringing 20 singles, 2 fives, and 2 tens but my items are priced such that I don’t need more than that. If I am doing a bigger show I tend to double that and add 1-2 $20’s. Also, make friends with your neighboring vendors so if you should hit a crisis in the change department, they may be able to help.
I make sure to bring an extension cord with me so I can plug in extra lighting, or in my case, run a Power Point presentation on my iPad highlighting new craft patterns I’m working on, etc. Most craft fairs I’ve been part of only provide one outlet if you’ve requested one.
I also provide some type of candy or chocolates at my table – it can be enough of an ice breaker to get people to stop and say hi – then it’s up to me to engage them further.
I like the candy idea, I might try that at my next show!
just be careful of allergies since people forget to ask before ingesting. I had a lady take a sample of tea at my day job and she was deathly allergic to strawberries….. guess what was in it? Thankfully she didn’t sue but you never know….
I am going to start bringing a portfolio of my work so that if someone dosn’t see anything they like, or I’m out or they want it in a different color they can special order.
Jessica, I think that’s a GREAT idea for anyone who does custom work. My friend who I share a booth with sometimes does a lot of one-of-a-kind clothing (it’s all vintage fabric), so she has a binder with photos of past work to give people an idea of what is possible for custom orders.
This is my plan, but I haven’t done it yet.
I used to sell handmade chocolates so made sure I had all sorts of price ranges available. There were always little kids around with a handful of change so having a chocolate pop that they could afford lured them in and then the parents would stop by too. I had repeat customers every year that would want my turkey pops to go on the Thanksgiving tables, business owners wanting gifts for their workers etc. I always had some samples too…things that broke or just didn’t look quite right.
I do mainly Farmer’s Markets and Festivals so the amount of change I need varies by show. For the Farmer’s Market I bring $20 to $30 in ones, $20 in fives and $20 in tens. The Festivals I always bring more cash because there is always a larger crowd. You could ask established vendors what they bring. Some will be honest, some won’t. I make sewn goods (quilts, baby clothes, children’s clothes, kitchen helpers, etc — you get the idea) but one of my biggest sellers are home made dog treats. I always have samples available. It always amazes me that when I have candy for sale parents will say no, but will turn around and spend $12 to $15 on packages of dog treats!!!! Go figure………
Take change- I take $100 worth of change to every show, 10)$5 bills & 50 singles, works out great as I have enough change to last me through the whole show & never have to worry.
Also I don’t leave my biz cards on the table for them to take. I have a hardcover book set out & ask for them to plse sign my guestbook & leave a comment what they like about my products, and if they would like my newsletter? While they are doing that, I will “hunt” for my biz card to give them. This way if they lose my card or forget about me, they will get my newsletter as a reminder **Most will not ever visit your store on line if you just simply let them take a card!
I also set out a small dish of imported, wrapped hard candies that are in cute, colorful wrapping next to my guestbook, gives the booth a homey, welcoming feel & people tend to like it.
this is a great idea… now to find space on the 6ft table for it…. 🙂
At my first craft show I happened to have wet wipes in my purse.(I have small children) they came in handy with snacks and spills. Something I will keep with me in the future.
We have what I call the magical suitcase that we bring to every event. It has all the items listed on here plus a few. It has table cloths for the tables well be using for that show, painters tape, a mallet, screw driver, zip ties, pad and paper, spare phone charger, clear garbage bags. Some of the items I won’t need but it’s a great way to make new friends at shows if you can help someone else out by lending them a hammer or something. The amount of change I’m brigning is changing since I am now having to charge taxes but before I brought 85$ for small shows 135$ for big shows and now it will be 130$ for small shows and 200$ for large shows. Everything fits into a rolling carry on suitcase which is very handy and it’s always packed for market and I might change the change and table cloths if I’m going to a show but that’s it.
I have an old picnic basket I use in the same way. I’d add clothes pegs to pin things down in the wind. Plus G-clamps to secure any shelving, display stands etc. Length of clothes line/string, battery powered lights, safety pins, sewing kit!
i always bring wet wipes i bring a small first aide kit i never know when i will need a bandage also safety pins and tape and scissor people around may want and you may need i do not charge tax at the show i include in my price on item so i do not have to bring coin change and i bring 50 is 1’s 50 is 5’s and 50 is 10’s always a small pad paper so if anyone wants a special order i can contact them and write what they want also if you are in stores i have a list that shows what store i am in when i do shows in my town last water and mints
I learned my lesson last year on change. I got to the show and oops no change! I had to run to the gas station leave my booth with my untrained fiance(Lol) and run back. Now I always bring at least $100 in change.
I’d have sent the fiancé to get change and stayed in the booth!
I always bring butterfly clips in all kinds of sizes. You never know when you’ll need to clamp something. Last year the wind picked up at a show & the booth across the road from me was having a tough time keeping their tablecloths under control. I took my box of butterfly clips over & they used them to clip the cloths to the table legs. No more knocked over goods!
allow plenty of time to set up your booth. I have a lot of inventory and it takes quite a lot of time to set up so I try to allow 2 hours . I also take plenty of change. I always take$200. in twenty’s .A lot of people bring big bills and it can really wipe out your cash if you have to make change. I usually have $30.00 in one’s ,$50.00 in five’s and ten’s.
Being a 1st time vendor all things ideas are great. First time I’ve come across the money. I was wondering about it big time. I’m selling some yard art (on crow bar). I’m going to offer to hold those until buyers are ready to leave the show.
For the farmers market, do not forget weights for the canopy and various displays. I bring first aid items, office supplies, a set of my wirework tools, healthier food, water, and weather related items.
Beadjane
First aid items. Great tip I will try to remember.
I work on my photography and etsy shop and always have sewing to work on. 🙂
Zip ties and twine, scissors, tape, ibuprofen, baby wipes (a MUST for cleaning out your finger nails before a show starts! It’s amazing how dirty even indoor venues can be!), power cords and extension cords, extra bits to change out or repair any crafts:jewelry as the show goes on…. tissues and dental picks…. I purchased two drawer organizers at dollar general to keep all my sundry extras. One of the dividers is exactly business card sized! It’s been a godsend as it’s all neatly organized and handy.
A medium to Tall chair. Do NOT use bag chairs! A taller chair allows you to stand up with ease without bringing attention to the fact you were sitting down/resting. Having to haul oneself up OUT Of. A bag chair, causes the customer to think they’re disturbing you. A hard back chair is actually the best for a show. Ikea sells a folding bar height chair for $40 that’s perfect. Also, a taller chair puts you closer to eye level with a customer.
After doing shows for 12 years, I still do stupid things. Like leaving the corners and feet to our main tent at home. Four hours away! Haha
I take a special marker to test for counterfeit bills.
For the smaller farmers’ market I do, I have $50-80 in change, depending on whether it’s a regular or expanded market day. For festivals, it’s $100-200.
Also, since I use Square to track sales and Instagram to post event photos or videos, I bring my Mifi hotspot for my primary Internet connection rather than using up my phone’s data. It has the added benefit of being a power source if my other recharger runs out of juice.
Finally, for windy outdoor events, I make sure to bring concrete, clip-on style weights and various sizes of bulldog clips for securing my tablecloths. (A tip I saw on Pinterest but haven’t tried yet is to replace standard tablecloths with twin-size fitted sheets.)
The Dabbler’s Creations
Fairly new to the craft show scene. Got lots of good advice here in the article AND the comments! I’d like to add to bring a small, travel size, bottle of window cleaner or even Gel sand sanitizer will work in a pinch. If you get there and discover a smudged mirror or some other grubby, your set!
Bandaids – a pinched finger can bleed a lot. Double-sided tape. A red and black Sharpie, counterfeit pen to check $20 bills & larger, extra blank card stock, antacid tablets, small folding stool to be able to hang items, merry board and small lint brush. All in my “Red” box that no longer has red lid but labeled Red Box.
This will be our very first craft show for the Junior League of Pensacola. There were many great ideas that many people that haven’t ever dealt with selling something can learn a lot just by the comments. I do know about several of these as my granddaughter was in girl scouts and had to set up her own booth, cash box and money to make change, table, cloth and display. It will be very similar to that, but on a much larger scale. I did learn to bring an extension cord, tools, extra tags, etc. My favorite that just makes sense, is the counterfeit marker. I never thought of needing one, and to have a step stool.
I love the email address book for newsletters and candy idea! Gonna try it this Sat in St Augustine!
I bring a little basket of peppermints, my mini wavy air guys(those that have air and wave at you). Case of water, my fans.
I have never done a craft show but am thinking of it in the future. I need to get some inventory. Thank you for posting this…really good tips and some of the replies from others too. I will be sure to look back if & when I get the nerve & the inventory to do a show.
I bring a Thirty-One bag with all the little pockets to carry zip ties, a first aid kit, rubberbands, safety pins, wipes, paper towels, sanitizer, extra business cards, tags, labels, little plastic jewelry bags, a calculator, receipt book, scissors, extra findings and jewelry tools for jewelry repairs or adjustments if needed, pens, a notebook for ideas or additions, a measuring tape, chapstick, lotion body spray, hair brush, cash apron with $200 in 10s, 5s and 1s, iPad and credit card reader. Hauling all the supplies and setting up you can get dirty and or sweaty, so bringing an extra top is smart. I’ve been at the for about 12 years adding needed things as I go.
Thank you. This is very interesting. I’ve only done a few craft shows, but I have two totes. One for all my items, every time I finish one item, it goes in the tote. That way it’s all together. The other tote has all my display items. Granted, there is no lid on this tote! But I organize everything so it fits in a fairly organized manner. And I use an old roll-type luggage carrier to haul the totes into the fair.
One funny thing I found out last year, I crocheted a cute little ‘basket’ to hold my business cards. Several times people thought it would make a cute doll hat and wanted to know if it was for sale. That might be a new item for this year, if/when everything settles down and we can start having craft shows again!
We always bring a pack of baby wipes. Our product caters to young children, and while we love for them to handle our merchandise, we don’t love the sticky fingers they often bring! Offering a wet wipe and a smile to a parent whose child is covered in gooey cinnamon roll or melted ice cream is a way to preserve our doll clothes and bedding as well as help out a customer. Most parents are appreciative and no one has ever been offended yet.