As the season begins for me again - this year I'm doing a couple of spring shows as well as my usual summer and Christmas events - I'm re-reading all the great advice on the internet for how to do well at craft shows, because refreshing these things in my mind is never a bad plan.
And as I was browsing Pintrest for more tips and tricks, it occurred to me that most of them are pretty redundant, and don't really give me all the information I want or need for my booth - many of them are written from the perspective of jewelry crafters, or other small items. While much of the advice applies, it doesn't take into account my larger items, or how to display them, or how to even pack the car for such events. So I thought I would talk a bit about how I survive a craft show, and what preparation goes into my display work.
1st of all, I think it is crucial to spend at least a month thinking about what I can / should do differently. I make notes at the show, of course, and photograph my booth setups so I can analyze what works and what doesn't, but there's more to it than that. I spend a lot of time thinking about what colors and fabrics to use for my plushies so that they don't blend into each other or the background. I think about what kinds of display pieces will work best for my work, and where to purchase pieces or when to make them. I take pictures of other booths I like (always with permission), and I collect more ideas on Pintrest than I'll ever actually use.
I think the most important thing I've learned about booth design in the last few years of doing shows is that you can't just shove stuff in there and expect it to sell. Take a little time, organize a bit, and pay attention to things like height, color, and design. The color of your booth and it's pieces matters as much as your product, as far as drawing people in. That's not to say you won't make sales if you just lay your stuff out on a white table cloth. But, if you cover a few boxes with white fabric and bring a few items up to eye level, you'll sell more. If you can hang a few things, have a few things in baskets on the floor, and set up items to interact with each other, you'll sell even more. If you can make sure that your shelves, hanging displays, and tablecloths all work together - they don't have to be the same color, but if they blend well and look put together - you'll sell more. But don't go over the top and try to make it look like the show floor at Macy's. People will assume your stuff is too expensive for them - whether it is or isn't!
If, like me, you make large items that sit on the floor, then consider how to protect them. I make giant stuffed animals as ride-ons for nurseries. They don't sell fast, but when they go, they always are a great intro piece - everyone who has bought one has bought other items as well. Displaying them is a nervous thing, as children always want to try them out - so I worry about them getting dirty, or sitting on the floor. Solution: I bought a cheap rug at Home Depot, $20, and cut it into squares big enough for my ride-on animals. Now I can move them around the booth, I can wash the rugs between shows, and I don't worry about their feet getting too dirty. When the rugs wear out or get too stained, I can easily and cheaply replace them.
I've got a large collection of baskets for displaying my work as well. I deliberately picked small batches of baskets that match, so the whole collection doesn't. I have 6 of one style, 3 or another, and so on. Then I build my display so that things that go together-ish are in matching baskets. If you visit my booth and tell me you're looking for fun stocking stuffers that don't break the bank, I can tell you which baskets have items that are under $10.
When thinking about what your booth should look like, consider where you are going to sit and interact with customers. This one is the part I usually forget to factor in - I come up with beautiful large displays that use every inch of space, then have to find a spot for me and the chair and the cash-box and the bags...not to mention somewhere for the customer to be able to set down her purse while she pays me. Remember to make a check-out spot!
Don't clutter too much. While it is important to look and feel like your booth is full, you don't want people to miss the forest for the trees! Also, having some back-stock tucked away isn't a bad thing - when someone seems interested in something, being able to say "I have a few more of those back here in other colors, if you'd like to see?" is a great thing.
I also try to build in conversation starters to my booth - whether it's an interesting basket, ribbon details on the booth itself, or my banner, each element is designed to draw people in to ask me questions. The more conversations you can start, the more chances for sales!
I also try to build in conversation starters to my booth - whether it's an interesting basket, ribbon details on the booth itself, or my banner, each element is designed to draw people in to ask me questions. The more conversations you can start, the more chances for sales!
