My Aunt got me hooked on my first craft fair last year. She has been selling her Goat's Milk Soap at events for years. So I spent a few weeks sewing and painting little wooden signs so I could give one a try. I was hooked! I didn't even sell a single item! But the fact that others were looking at my items and saying how pretty and making a fuss over them, got me so excited! After doing a few more, I started selling my items! Then I decided it was time to create a whole side job with my craft items. There for, XOXO's by Sherry Rene was created! I am no where near the pro level, but I have learned several things that I would like to pass on to others that are getting into the craft fair world.
1.) Consider the Booth Rental fee before signing up.
Craft fairs can arrange from free up too over $100. I always do the free ones as along as they are within a reasonable distance. With the free ones, all you have to make back is your gas money and everything else is profit! When you have to pay to be in a fair, you have to factor in the cost of the space, plus gas before you make a profit. If you are worried about making your money back, don't stress yourself out and put yourself in a hole. There are always cheaper and free ones to come!
2.) Social networking
You are not going to sell out at every craft event. (That would be awesome though!) At every event comes the chance to mingle and spread the word about your business. At almost every event I have attended, I have left with information about one or more new events to sign up for. That is another chance to sell more items and practice social networking even more! And the cycle goes on!
3.) Talk with the craft fair pros!
Those sweet Grandma looking ladies have seen it all through the years! And they have the best tips and advice! Go around your event and introduce yourself. Ask them for advice on how to make your items more sell-able and what they have done over the years to make others want to buy their products. I have learned several things from the pros from how to sew an item better to which credit card app to get to accept debit/credit cards!
There are lots more tips I have learned and could go on and on, but those are my top three tips I give to those just starting out. It can be very exciting and overwhelming at the same time. But craft fairs are a wonderful way to grow your business!
Sherry Horrell- owner of XOXO's by Sherry Rene
Jackson, MO
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