Before deciding to start selling or marketing at community events, be sure to talk to organizers about the rules for displays and what is expected. You might even need to apply and pay a participation fee. Once you’ve decided what to sell or give away, it’s time to start creating a display space that’s uniquely yours.
Order Your Business Cards
Ideally, you want to have plenty of business cards you can hand out during the event, so get those designed and ordered as soon as possible. If you have yet to create a logo for your business, take the time to address this first to ensure continuity with your business card and other marketing materials. These days, novice designers can create their own logos using an online custom logo maker. With various templates, colors, graphics and fonts to choose from, you can easily make a unique logo you’re happy to add to business cards, tags and anything else that shows off your business. Ready to hire a professional to design your logo or marketing materials? Look no further than our Member Directory under Marketing Services.
Creating an Eye-Catching Display
Choose a couple of coordinating, eye-catching colors for your display space. This will make your space stand out. It also makes your booth easier for repeat customers to find at future events! Now that you’ve picked your display colors, all you’ll need for a coordinated display that looks great are some paints and fabrics in those colors!
Unless you’re set on a particular color scheme, you may want to find the fabric first and design your display around it. Since it will probably be one of the most expensive parts of your display, finding a great deal on fabric and designing around it is a good way to save some money.
Reach for the Remnants
Buying fabric remnants is a great choice since you’ll need quite a bit of fabric to drape your tables. You’ll want the cover to reach the floor in the front and on the ends of your tables. That way you can stash boxes and other necessary, but untidy, items out of sight during the show. Choosing a dark color for the floor-length drape keeps it looking cleaner. You can always top it with a shorter, lighter colored cloth for display purposes.
Getting Thrifty
Thrift stores are a great source of display pieces and even ideas for creating eye-catching displays. You might find flat sheets that fit your color scheme for a couple of dollars. Even king-size fitted sheets will provide a lot of inexpensive material if you’re willing to do some cutting and hemming.
Old cookie sheets make great magnet displays as long as they’re not aluminum. Take a plain magnet along with you for testing purposes. The same goes for decorative metal cookie or popcorn tins.
A couple of coats of spray paint will cover up the advertising. Tins have the added bonus of storage for extra inventory or show supplies. Keeping your sales pads, pens, price tags, etc. in one between shows means you won’t have to round them up on show days!
While you’re scouring thrift stores or flea markets for display items, keep an eye out for stuff you can upcycle into sellable crafts. It’s a great way to increase your craft inventory at very little cost.
Add Vertical Display Space
If you need a lot of hanging display space, try to find simple wooden screen doors at a flea market or salvage yard. Painted, they make fantastic displays for hanging items and signs.
Because of their height, they get items up higher where they’re easier for customers to see. Besides showcasing your items, they also help delineate your space, steer customers through your booth, and keep neighboring crafters from poaching some of your space.
Processing Those Sales!
Yay! Someone appreciates your work and wants to buy something. Now what? Many of your customers will probably want to pay with a card. You could try processing payments via an app on your smartphone. However, weak signals and overloaded WiFi networks are common at busy craft shows.
Fortunately, there are mobile point of sale devices that let you quickly and easily take payments from almost anywhere. They provide fast, reliable internet service whenever, and wherever, you need it. Best of all, there are a range of options available. You’re sure to find one that suits your needs without putting a dent in your bottom line!
A Crafting Conclusion
Having a successful event is often an exhausting process. There’s the organizing, the set-up, dealing with crowds of people all day, and packing everything up to haul it home again. Whew! No wonder you’re exhausted!
Was it worth it? Probably, when you remember the joy on the faces of the community members and potential customers you met! So get busy and start replenishing your inventory. There are a lot more events to attend!