Traditionally craft shows, ranging from the smallest, such as local community shows, to the largest and most illustrious, the national shows, have been the number one place for craftspeople and artists to sell their wares. Craft shows are extremely effective at doing this because they reach the widest audience possible by this means. They attract crowds of people who are interested in, and have a passion for, crafts of all shapes and sizes. A craft show, whether large or small scale, is a meeting place and gathering place for people of like minds to talk about what they love as well as to share ideas and to buy crafts that appeal to their individual tastes.
These shows can boost your home based craft business because they familiarize you with the industry and get people to know you and find out what you are all about. They are all about hand made crafts and there are no (or at least are not supposed to be) any “mass-produced items” in sight. Your hand made products stand-alone and speak for themselves and this is indeed a very good thing. The more interesting you make your booth or table, the more people are likely to drop by to see what you have to offer.
Always greet people as they come by with a bright smile and a hello or a good morning or afternoon!. Have an attractive and colorful booth that stands out among the crowd and speaks of your creativity and ingenuity. Always bring your best crafts to the show and display them in a manner that is pleasing to the eye. Always price your crafts beforehand and make sure that the prices are clearly marked. Some folks will not bother to think about buying something that does not show a price on it while others will likely be either too shy or too embarrassed to ask. This could lose you sales and that is not what you want at all. Always be eager to answer any questions that people have regardless of whether they are just browsing or buying. Keep in mind that sometimes browsing does turn to buying.
Having business cards or flyers on hand at craft shows is a must and an excellent form of advertising. Just because someone does not buy a product of yours at the show or does not stop to chat for a few minutes does not necessarily mean that that they no interest whatsoever in what you have to offer.
Craft shows, especially the large scale ones, feature a multitude of hand made work and may be overwhelming to some people, especially those who are new to crafting events. Some people simply need time to process everything they see and cannot do it all at once. Craft shows can boost your business because you may meet people who will take your business card and contact you later when they want to buy a special gift. For example, if they are looking for a birthday present, for a family member or perhaps a baby shower gift for a friend.
Craft shows send the message that you are a serious businessperson and that you are someone who is very dedicated to your work. People love those who have passion for what they do and anyone who puts the time, effort and money into tirelessly making crafts and taking them from show to show is nothing if not dedicated.
Crafting events can boost your business because they set you up as a serious professional who is “in the know” in your given area about the wherewithal of crafts. Everyone wants to know their craft inside out and to be considered an expert at something and those with considerable experience who have taken the time to hone their skills can definitely be called experts.
Exhibiting at shows can also potentially boost your sales because they can sometimes lead to other types of business. Maybe you will meet someone who teaches at a local community college who is looking for someone to teach a course on arts and crafts, or maybe you will meet somebody who is looking to write a book on crafts and needs a collaborator. These are all opportunities that can open up to you when you choose to set up a table at a craft show.