Even if you make a majority of your craft sales in an online shop, craft shows are still big money makers for most creative businesses. So, do you need an easy to follow checklist to get started with show events? We’ve got them all for you from application until after the show.
Craft Fair Application Tips
- High Quality Images – This is not the time to be conceptual – these images have to be a concise representation of what your product is.
- When writing your bio and description of what you make, keep it brief! But not too brief – something in the middle is ideal. Just be honest and clear about your product and your processes.
- Make sure you display a certain amount of professionalism in your submission – this includes spelling and grammar. Both these things are very important. First impressions last!
- Include images of past market displays and events you have participated in. If you haven’t had a market stall before, describe in detail your intentions or set up a mock display and take a photograph.
Market Stall Checklist
Tools:
- Camera
- Safety pins
- Push pins and tacks
- Paper clips
- Clothespins
- Scissors
- Pens
- Clear tape – scotch, masking, packing and maybe duct tape too
- String
- Super glue
- Hot glue gun
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Wire cutters
- Hammer (if you will need to stake the tent on grass)
- Water jugs, cinder blocks or tent weights – stakes if you are on grass
- Dustpan
- Trash bags
- Containers to transport materials to show
- Dolly to carry your supplies to your booth
- First aid kit
Booth Decoration and Shop Information:
- Business cards (a must)
- Signs
- Brochures, catalog, free literature (optional)
- Discount coupons for your website
- A notepad for mailing List
- Table cloths
- Additional fabric draping
- Chair or stool
- Backdrop
- Banner
- Carpet or floor covering (optional)
Packaging:
- Bags with your shop’s name on them
- Newspaper or butcher paper for fragile items
- Gift wrap
- Ribbon
Others:
- Cooler with water, snacks, packed lunch
- Paper towels
- Moist wipes
- Tissues
- Cap or hat (for outdoors)
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm (for outdoors)
- Gum or mints
Make sure you put small and/or expensive items closer to where you’ll be (helps avoid sticky fingers!).
Always check to see what’s included in your market stall fees – i.e. public liability insurance. Will there be chairs? Do you need power? Some of these things are vital and are different for almost every market, and if you aren’t paying attention it can effectively wreck whatever set-up you’ve created.
Price (label) everything as you pack – that way you don’t have to worry about it when you get there.
Always make sure you have a decent amount of change, especially $1 and $2 coins, as that’s the thing that often goes first.
If you are selling clothing, take a portable steamer or iron to make your clothes look their best when you are presenting them.
Find a quick alternative way of receiving non-cash payments.
Payment Options
- Credit Card – Accepting credit cards is easier than you think. You can use propay and open an account online. You could just as easily use paypal or some other service. Those two seemed to be the most popular. You can buy a credit card imprinter on eBay along with some credit card slips for under $30 dollars. You actually don’t even need a credit card imprinter. You could just write down each credit card transaction by hand. When you get home, enter their info you’re your web based propay account and voila! Their credit card gets charged and the money is in your account within a few days.
- Receipt book – You really should have some place where you record all of your sales from craft fairs. Record the date, the item, the quantity, the location/fair, price etc. Then when you get home you can enter it into your spreadsheet, accounting software, quicken or wherever you enter your sales usually.
You have probably noticed that a lot of these ideas involve getting things up off the table and into your line of site – that’s what gets you noticed! Don’t be afraid to think big and get creative with craft fairs.
To make things easier for you, you can also download our free and printable craft show checklist here.
If you think we missed something let us know in the comment box below.
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