My First Craft Fair!

I recently participated in my first craft fair! Super exciting, right?! A church that has adopted my husband while he goes through his seminary education invited us to come visit them. They also informed me of their fair that weekend and gave me the chance to set up a booth. I figured this was a great opportunity to get my feet wet and try out the craft fair scene. I have been super nervous to get out there in the real world to sell my product, but it felt hard to say no to their offer and I am so glad I said yes!

This fair was definitely a learning experience for me. I put way too much stress on myself, set my expectations way too high, and let myself down because I did not come at this from a realistic vantage point. BUT despite all of that, I feel much more prepared for my next event and thought I would share some of what I learned!

 

How Much Product??

This was the biggest source of stress for me. I put myself under way too much pressure to have a ton of items and to come up with new creative things instead of just making what I know. I ended up falling extremely ill during several of the weeks leading up to the fair and was unable to crochet, making me more stressed because I was falling behind.

My biggest advice would be to pace yourself and do not set yourself up for failure. Do not tell yourself that you can make 10 things in the time it takes you to make 2. You are not Wonder Woman or Superman, you are human. Do, however, try to have variety. For me that means having dolls of different sizes, some key chains, and something seasonal. I made the mistake of bringing pumpkins instead of something Christmas themed, I should have known better. For you that may mean having a variety of colors, textures, or sizes. Whatever it is, make sure there is more than one thing to look at on your table.

 

Prices!

One of the top tips I saw when I was diving into the internet learning about craft fairs was to have a range of prices. Knowing this, I made sure to have items at a lower price point as well as my more expensive items. I sell my dolls for $35 a piece, I had sets of pumpkins for $25, the option for individual pumpkins at a lower price, and key chains for $5. Guess what I sold a ton of. Surprise, it was the key chains.

In 8 hours I only sold 1 doll, and this was heart breaking for me. I realize my items are not cheap, and the internal conflict over the price is strong. When I sell my items online I have to account for shipping, packing materials, cost of materials to make my items, and several other factors and I feel more justified in my prices. But sitting there as grandma gawks at my audacity for charging so much for such a small item really hurt.

I recommend, if at all possible, to research the other vendors at the event you have a booth at. See what prices are for items in a similar type bracket to your product. Don’t change your prices to compete, but be prepared with more items of similar price range. If I would have known all the booths around me would be selling key chains and bracelets for $2 I would have used my time to make more small cheap items and fewer large expensive items. The drastic price difference made me look super expensive and them super cheap. Instead of letting the customers decide what product they found most appealing, my prices drove them to other booths to appease their screaming children.

Free items

This is where I really messed up. I did not have business cards prepared. I think I would have several orders coming in already if I had the proper materials for contacting me at a later date. If you don’t have business cards, make flyers at least! Something grandma can stick in her purse to remember you by later.

If you have something bowl shaped, for example, something like stockings or little baskets, fill them with candy! It shows off their shape, usefulness, and who doesn’t love candy?

Along that same line, don’t be afraid of doing a free gift with purchase, especially if you have higher priced items. “If you spend $30 you get a free key chain!”. Even something small like a magnet or a pen can make a customer feel like their dollar went that much further. I could have attached crocheted crowns to pins and thrown them in with purchases, I just didn’t think of it ahead of time.

 

 

Presentation

This is an area where I actually felt like I succeeded. My table was cohesive and professional looking. I do want to invest in an actual table cloth instead of just a plastic one (that ripped so now is useless to me and in the trash), but my decorations were great! I went with a rustic white and gold look with chalkboard signs. The basic color scheme allowed my brightly colored dolls to pop, and will be easy to add pieces to later if I want.

Something I suggest is go reasonably hard on this. If you plan on doing more craft fairs in the future get items that will last. I found some great sales at Hobby Lobby and Michaels (surprise I went straight to my faves), and keep the receipts because these items are a business expense! Even if you don’t have a ton of sell-able items, like me, the table still looks professional and will attract customers. Bland tables don’t catch the eye. Don’t go to crazy though! There is no reason to drop even $100 on table decorations for your first show! I spend $60 on my table, and that was because I splurged on the little crates. I could have cut that cost in half if I prepared my decorations in advance and painted everything myself. Don’t be a procrastinator like me!

Expectations

This is where I set myself up for failure. I set my expectations WAY to high. Silly me thought I would sell every item I brought. Or at least every doll. WRONG. And since I went in with such high expectations my soul was crushed. If I didn’t have my hubby there as emotional support I probably would have left crying. If you have never been a vendor at a craft fair please, please, PLEASE go in with the knowledge that it is a learning experience. Until I have 2 or 3 more events under my belt I cannot let myself feel defeated so you can’t either. It is all about learning what items sell well in person and what set up works best. Sales will come, just try not to beat yourself up if they come slower than you hoped.

Overall I am super glad my first craft fair is over and done. The stress is behind me and I am looking forward to making improvements to my table and my product for my next show! Now I just gotta get myself booked again! Have you done a craft fair? Do you have any advice for newbies to the game? Leave a comment or contact me below!