Craft Show Tips

As you all know, I love doing craft and trade shows!  My person preference is a trade show, but I spent a great deal of time doing craft shows first, to build up my confidence and presentation techniques.

If you are just beginning and are doing a smaller craft show, like at a church or school, then your main benefit may not necessarily be sales, so don't be discouraged if they aren't very high.  Your main benefit at a smaller craft show is the contacts you make with the people and other vendors, as well as getting your products known and putting your ideas into your head for when they are thinking about the events and holidays through the year.

Giving away coupons and having a draw for a finished products (such as a candy cake or candy bouquet) are great ideas.  If you do have a draw, make sure the finished product for the draw is on your table, right beside the forms they fill out.  Make sure the form asks for their name, address, phone number and email.  The draw should be done before the end of the show.  If at all possible, ask if they can announce it on their PA system, if they have one.  To do the draw, make sure they make the announcement that the draw if being held about 2-3 minutes beforehand and that they tell the people where to find your booth.  Have someone other than yourself do the actual drawing of the name.

As for the coupons, stand in front of your table, simply say "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" to each person who passes by and hand them a coupon.  Make sure it is a limited time offer, with an expiry date and a special, extra discount if they purchase during the show.  Most show coupons are either 10% off or buy one, get one free.  I like to hand out the coupon and the draw tickets at the same time.

As for your presentation, do not put individual bars laying on the table.  You want to have dimensions to your presentation, with an uncluttered look, but full use of all your space.  I've always recommended that once you're emptied the boxes you've brought your products in, use them under your tablecloth to add dimension.  I also put either finished bars, a group of 10 or more of just the wrappers, gable boxes, or a set of matching wrappers, mintbooks, minis, etc. in a zipped bag, with a topper, punch a hole in the topper and hang them up on hooks I have attached to a corkboard, similar to those who sell bags of beads or candies.  This also discourages people from simply walking by and swiping individual bars if you have them just lying on the table for display.

I always bring 2 tablecloths.  One covers the table and the other goes over the boxes.  The colors of the clothes depends on the theme of the show (i.e. red and gold for Christmas).

As I've said in my Trade Show E-book, practice your set up and presentation before you go to the show and you will have confidence in your presentation and so much less stress the day of the show.

Next time, we will cover some more detailed tips for both craft shows and trade shows.