How tangled is your heart?
It was a recent Saturday that I had a small booth set up to sell my handmade jewelry and other small gifts. The weather was as close to perfect as you could ask for and the sales went pretty well. My dear friend and clay potter, Marsha of Backporch Pottery was beside me with her own booth and wares for sale. It was a most delightful day and I am thankful for having that time to share my handmade goodies with the public.
Vendor shows, craft fairs or church bazaars are quite the undertaking for any artisan or professional artist. I have tried selling any variety of jewelry, handmade cards, paintings, prints, small sculptural pieces and clay work. I have set up my table at flea markets, church bazaars, vendor shows and craft fairs. I am in no way an expert in making the fastest sales or how to accumulate the most sales, but there are a few things I wanted to share that may help you if you are contemplating being a potential artist on the move.
As I think through any the advice I want to streamline and put down to help you - I find starting with questions is the best route. So, here are a list of questions I most likely think through at some point or another after I confirm I will be selling my goods at any venue.
10 Questions to ponder for selling your goods at a vendor fair:
What products will I be providing at this vendor fair?
Do I have enough time to create the necessary amount of products?
Will this type of vendor fair bring out the people that may be interested in my products?
What expectations do I have for myself at this vendor fair?
What are my goals at this vendor fair?
What will be my focal point or central theme in my booth?
What does my packaging look like at this vendor fair?
What will I accept as a form of payment?
~Cash, Checks, Credit cards, online payments?
How will I inform the public about this vendor fair?
~Social media postings, email list, blog post or postcards?
What can I improve on from my last vendor fair event?
~If this is your first vendor fair event, ask yourself instead how you want your products to be presented?
Pricing your products
How precious is what you are trying to sell?
How tangled is your heart around it?
Pricing products is one of the most challenging aspects of selling at vendor fairs, in my opinion. I believe I have been both too low and too high over the years and am still learning this aspect of selling my own products. Here are some tips that I have found helpful with pricing, but I encourage you to do your own research in your particular field.
Leave your ego out as much as possible. (It hard to do, but separating your personal feelings from your products is crucial.)
Find products similar to what you are selling online and be comparable. (Now this may feel like it is taking something away from your products because you want to be so unique and original, but avoid going down that path in your mind and find something similar.
Ask yourself what you would pay for this product if you were to come to your booth?
Stagger your prices. Which product will be your most expensive piece? Figure out that price first and then have your other prices fall appropriately under that.
Have a variety of price points. I find it valuable to have a variety of price points when I am a vendor so that it is accessible to all visitors to my booth.
TIPS
What else is there to say on this topic? Lots!! This is just a start and as I said before I am still learning. Here are any last tips for you:
Be positive with the people in charge of the fair you are a part of, it matters.
Have a helper who can unpack, take directions and bag up for you. It greatly helps with the flow of things.
Talk to everyone who comes by your booth. Say hello, chat anyway your time there. You just never know the ripple effect it will have. It may not land a sale at that moment, but it is important.
Be approachable - smile!
Be over prepared. Try to think about possible minor situations that could happen with your products and have tools or supplies available if it was to happen.
Pack up your vehicle the night before and arrive a little earlier than required.
Floral designs and ideas coloring page for you:
Yay for completing another post just in time! With each post I am learning more and more about myself and writing under pressure. Though this is not by choice, I am going with it and working towards a better system to still be able to complete this goal I set for myself for 2022. I want to make sure everyone knows about my coloring pages I draw every month to share, so I hope to post more on social media very soon. Thank you for your encouragement and support!
A special thank you to Marsha Rogers of Backporch Pottery for sharing her advice on selling at vendor fairs. Marsha has been doing vendor fairs for years and has it down to a science! Thank you Marsha for sharing your sage advice!
Stay creative out there~
Hannah