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Let’s face it, selling online can sometimes be wonderful and sometimes it’s like you’re hearing crickets. In reality, it can be kind of a gamble. That’s why so many of us supplement our handmade business incomes with craft fairs! Craft show season can be really lucrative for creative business owners, but you want to make sure you’re putting in the effort to make every craft show season even better than the last. That’s why the editors of Creative Income Blog have some together to pull the best arts and craft show tips we have and turn it into a free downloadable eBook!
Now instead of sitting by your computer screen hunting the internet for advice, you can download a free copy of the Craft Fair Guide: Tips and Tricks for Selling at Arts and Craft Shows eBook and look over our collection of tips with a nice cup of tea. Read through the articles and see if your craft fair practices are the best they can be. Maybe you’ll find some new ideas and inspiration to make your next arts and craft show the best you’ve ever had!
What can you learn from The Craft Fair Guide? We tried to include all the tips and tricks that would help you in picking a show, before a craft show, and during a craft show. Even if you’ve been selling at arts and craft fairs for years, these 11 articles have something for everyone.
Before an Arts and Craft Show
Before you can even start thinking about selling at a craft show, you have to find them. Learn where to go to find arts and craft fairs in your area and how to find out if they are worth your time and effort. Time is so precious to all of us these days, it would be awful to put a lot of energy into a show that didn’t end up being worth it. It’s also important to know your market before you dive in head first. Download this guide and find out how to pull only your best craft fair products for sale to ensure that you have a successful fair!
Getting Ready for a Craft Show
Have you double and triple checked your list? Do you have extra change, bags, and business cards? What about band-aids? In our Craft Fair Guide you’ll find checklists and advice for getting ready the days before the show. In the hustle and bustle of creating product and pricing your crafts, some things can fall through the cracks and the last thing you want to do is get caught shorthanded in the middle of a busy craft show.
During a Craft Show
Okay, you’ve picked out your shows. You know exactly what products you’re going to sell, how you’re going to price them, and you’ve checked and triple checked your list to make sure that you’re prepared. That’s it, right? Wrong. What about once you’re at the show? Sometimes people forget to give advice on what happens when you are in the throws of a busy show and a customer decided to be fussy. How about what to do to entice all of those roaming eyes to buy instead of look. Don’t worry, we’ve put in tips on all of that too.
So what are you waiting for? It’s completely free. Just download your copy of The Craft Fair Guide: Tips and Tricks for Selling at Arts and Craft Shows today and be on your way to having a big, exciting, and money making craft show season!
Don’t forget, Creative Income has a free weekly newsletter too! This way you can get all our latest and greatest articles right in your inbox.
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I am producing a new web site called womanssunshineministry.com. I am wanting to reach women who know a craft and would like to sell it. My web site is brand new not ready for publication yet, but found your blog. I am looking for the most sale able crafts for these women to produce. Some of them don’t have a craft so I am putting them on a production line with others. This is a big step for me, so any info you can give me is helpful. Thank you in advance for your help. If you would like to send me info, please send it to sherylstedman@yahoo.com
This sounds terrific.
looking for something to do at home, disabled low, low income. thinking of candles and soap. I only make $80. per month thank you contact me please
Sorry that was $480. per month
I am in the same boat. similar income. I dabbled a bit last year making rag rugs and women’s accessories and did sell some things. I am going to try again this yr. an issue is that I can only afford the cheaper markets at $20 or so dollars but a lot of my items are expensive , and people who go to these markets are not looking to buy a $100 rug, so I make the “bread and butter” items to pay for the table and other expenses. I really enjoyed doing to market. it was fun! 🙂
I understand your position because I’m in the same boat. Best of luck to both of us!
Excellent article – whether you’re a newbie to craft fairs or have been doing them for a long while, this is very, very useful and helpful information. More please, and thanks so much!
This is an awesome wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing
That sounds terrific! please send me the info, I can send you some pics and info about myself and stuff I do. I am excited for you….
Peace:) LaRae
I am interested. I am a pretty good basic crocheter, am learning Tunisian crochet and Hairpin lace-making. I am a good gardener and seamstress, and enjoy embroidery and crossstitch. I am an excellent typist if you need help in that area, including editing for grammar and spelling. I am a retired licensed mental health and substance abuse counselor, get bored, and can always use more $$$$.
Hi Lee. Where are you located? I am an LCSW and CAP but still working. Can’t retire yet. Looking for ways to develop my creativity to earn extra money when I do retire. Maybe we can chat. You can get in touch at DenaBower @ gmail.com
Have lived in India all my life and have always worked with tribal women trying to uplift their lives. Thus put up my own workshop manufacturing childrens garments which I used to retail in Bombay, then started a screen printing manufacturing unit, making bedsheets for kids, but since I used to outsource the
printing and the girls did just the finishing and packing, it did not work and had to shut shop. They also made bead work items, sequence embroidery on
sarees, wedding gowns, made the uppers for shoes and matching purses in beadwork, embroidery. So have a lot of samples and would like to start marketing them in the UK, since I have moved here after my marriage, and commute to India atleast twice a year, and still have the workshop. Am looking for ideas on marketing the products. Hoping to meet up with like minded people.
I would be interested in your site when you get it set up. I knit, crochet, tat, bead, wire jewelry. On and on.
Great idea. I am also looking for a place to sell quilts, table runners, quilt tops, Need to supplement my social security. I will check out your blog. Thank you
Thank you so much for all the info you are so willing to share
you are a great inspiration
Thank you so much for sharing this!!! I’m so happy that I found you! Your blog ROCKS!!!!
Hugs
Cami @ Titicrafty Blogspot
Thank you for your inspiration and information about craft shows! This is so valuable to someone new or someone just needing to brush up on the latest tips.
I especially enjoyed the photos, they give a real sense of what to expect!
Invaluable resource!
Debbie
bizzybeegifts.us
as for photos, it is really great thing, especially if yu go somewhere you always may leave photos of any item as rememeber and enjoying
just wanted to say thank you for all the show tips. I am going to be doing shows starting next year (up till now it has been word of mouth) and appreciate all the advice. Thanks again to all the folks who took the time to put together this book.
Thank you for writing this article. It was interesting and informing. I am looking forward to doing my first craft fair in November.
Thanks for putting this together. I am just starting to look into selling at craft fairs. I would like to be ready by Christmas but don’t know if I’ll make it. Having this guide will definitely help!
Just read your e-book. LOVE IT! I sell my hand-made paper crafts at a few different local arts and craft fairs. Most of your tips, I already do. But there were a few that I hadn’t thought of, and I love the creativity in your suggestions. Very well done. Very well put together!
Thank You!
Good info. Thank you. I am a psychotherapist and coach and have a creative entrepreneurial program for women to help them become financially self-sustaining that I want to start this May-July. Does anyone know where I could get funding to help with expenses?? Thanks.
I do crochet and I have started making jewelry ( crochet and beaded). Thinking about selling my stuff but don’t know how to start. I don’t have a website.. Any advice would be welcome…
I enjoy doing any craft but my Frist love is cloth dolls and toys. Some are for display and others for children to play with. I love dolls so this is fun for me. I am 76 years old and my husband is 78. His health is not so good so I would love for him to be able to retire soon. I am not sure if there would be much of a sale for the things I make or not. i need advice.
Hi.
I used to do craft shows and we did well at them. We had crocheted items, afghans, embroidery things, everything we did was home made, even the gag gifts. Am thinking about getting into craft shows again . Wondering what sales, and where. I live in IL and all the schools have shows but no much in the way of sales lately. Even thought about doing it online but the cost of shipping makes it difficult to make money at.
Any advice would be great. You can even email me at tmeow4h@yahoo.com
Thanks for the great site. Will check back again.
Tina
Tina, one thing about selling online is that your customer pays for shipping. You can include it in the selling price, but either way, the customer covers it. And they expect that. I buy a lot online so it’s a standard of shopping on the Internet.
I have just started building up my business. When my kids were young we started and loved it. Now I have started taking it serious. I’ve bee making jewelry, sewing projects and everything I like to do. Bt just starting as a novice I keep haring and reading the word ”blog’ What does that mean?
Mary Ann – a blog is a way of getting better known and marketing your products or services by writing something similar to a newspaper-like column, a short informative article, and tops on how to do something (something that is what you do or offer for purchase). Some people have a blog instead of the traditional website. You can check out WordPress.com, Blogspot.com and others. Look specifically for creative arts or crafting focused blogs. Good luck.
Thanks for this. I’m just starting out and make cloth dolls and Raggedy Annie’s. Have opened an Etsy shop also
I have been doing craft shows for about 4 years now. Fall and the Holiday are my best seasons. I don’t do well during spring and summer. I make wreaths, crochet and sew. This year I am making wristlets, crossbody bags, crochet hand towels, netted scrubbies, keychain coinpurses, washcloths, table runners.
One thing I would like to add to the crafter list to take to a show is about 5 bottles of water and pack some sort of lunch or snack food.
If you do craft shows by yourself as I do, you can’t get up and get something to eat or drink. Though some shows will have people stay at your booth for you while you run and get something. They will tell clients that you will be right back.
Another thing I always try to do is after I set up and before the show starts, I will not put on my badge and walk around and scope out other products. I look for people selling similar things like mine and I compare the price they are charging and the workmanship and quality to mine. I then can adjust my prices to theirs and remain competitive. This has usually brought me more sales, because most people are greedy and want to much for their products, but not always. I have priced my things a dollar or two lower and had increased sales because of this without hurting my profit margin.
Be patient too. Some shows are great, some not so great. Plus every year is different. what sales one year might not the next.
You offered a download to find local craft fairs, but I don’t find anything to download. I’d like to have a list of where to go to find arts and craft fairs in my area and how to find out if they are worth the time and effort. I find out about some, too late to get into the event.
Your article was very enlightening.
This is a wonderful idea. Do contact me when you are further along. My email is dlb1cpa@aol.com.
Thank you for the info I am a designer and I’m thinking of selling my designs at craft shows and I want to know if I should charge my time plus my item cause my hourly rate is $ 50.00 per hour