The Craft of the Craft Fair

I have learned so much since I started sewing my bags back in July.  After I had mastered a few items it was time to figure out how to make some money off this little endeavor I had started.  Enter the Craft Fairs.......

I thought this should be easy, throw up a table put my stuff out and sell.... WRONG!!!!
There is an art to this in itself and while I am by no means an expert on this at all, the following is a list of a few things I have learned over these past few months.

• Display is EVERYTHING!  You are not holding a garage sale, you are a vendor selling precious items you have spent many hours creating.  Cover your table with a bright tablecloth or material.  If you are sitting up at an outdoor event you might want to invest in a pop up tent.

• Arrange your items neatly not in messy piles.  If you have items to hang, a pegboard is a good idea.

• Promote some of your items by wearing them such as aprons, hats, etc.  There is no better way for customers to notice your stuff than if you are wearing it.

• Don't try and put out everything, chances are you have more items than your table can hold, just put out a few of each item and fill in as things sell.

• SMILE!  No one wants to stop at a booth where the person looks miserable.

• Take the time to talk to everyone who stops at your booth, just because they don't buy anything today doesn't mean you can't speak with them.  Hand them a buisness card they might not buy today but tomorrow is another day!

• Talk with other vendors, this is very important most of them are very nice and they can offer you good advice and maybe give you some good ideas.  They are just like you trying to figure out the best way to sell their wares also.  For me while it is a great since of accomplishment when someone buys one of my items, it is a bigger since of accomplishment when another vendor compliments you on what you have made!

The last thing to remember and probably the most important, don't expect to sell all your stock at one event.  Some events your stuff sells like hotcakes, the next one you may only have one or two things sell.  Don't be discouraged, we can never know what the crowd on any particular day is looking for or is willing to open their wallets for.

I hope this list offers some helpful hints and I wish all us handmade/homemade workers much success!!!!


The Head Hag
Bags By Hags
www.etsy.com/shop/bagsbyhags45