Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Craft Show

Hello Handmade Success readers! I’m Marlo M. and it’s lovely to meet you! In the coming months I’ll be sharing some of things I’ve learned over the last 20+ years of being in the crafts industry – both behind the counter and as an artist selling my own line of hand-fabricated sterling silver jewelry to over 200 shops, galleries and catalogs all over the world. If you ever have any questions or comments for me feel free to contact me via my website: http://CreativeArtsConsulting.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Lousy craft show screenprinted t-shirt for toddlers by heatherjeany

Here in Seattle, springtime marks the official start of craft show season. The tricky part is finding the right craft shows for your product. Here are 5 things to consider when choosing a craft show:

Time of year

• Spring shows are a great time of year to introduce new products to the market and get valuable feedback from your customers.
• Summer shows are plentiful in most places so it’s important to choose the right ones for your product and customer base.
• Fall and winter shows are a natural for holiday sales so choosing carefully could result in more business through your online shop even after the shows are done.

Show Location

The best way to get a feel for a show is to take the time to attend the show before committing to being a vendor.  For the best insight, I recommend going to the show toward the end of the last day and keep an eye out for:

• Number of vendor booth spaces
• Quantity of vendors in your category
• Great and not-so-great booth locations
• Customers walking around with purchases in their hands (or a lack thereof)

Vendor Feedback

When shopping potential shows, look for helpful information on how the show is going for the vendors.

• Is the show still busy at the end of the day?
• Are there some booths that have obviously sold a good number of items?
• Talk to the vendors and ask them how their show is going (please be considerate of customers and do not disturb developing transactions!)
• Be aware that some vendors might not be entirely honest or generous with their opinions

By far the most telling observation:

• Booths where the vendors have seemingly “given up”: leaving their display unattended to commiserate with other vendors, inattentiveness and general apathy toward customers.

Customer base

Knowing who your customer is, what they shop for, where they shop and why, will help you hone in on the perfect show for your product line.

• Who is your customer?
  • More importantly, is this the customer you want to sell to?
  • What price range are they comfortable with?
    • Where do they normally shop?
    • Do they understand the value of handmade?
    • Are you serving this customer by participating in that show?
    • Shop the show and ask vendors with similar customers how the show is going for them compared to previous years.

Booth price

While it might seem like a good idea to save money by participating in craft shows that have a low booth fee, you should be aware that the vendor booth fee can give you an idea about the number of customers that will attend that show and can help you determine the quantity of potential sales throughout the day.

Let’s compare some general types of shows and their fees:

Neighborhood / School / Church shows

• Very low booth fee < $50
• Limited booth spaces < 30 spaces
• Generally not “juried” – just about any vendor who pays can participate
• Possible percentage “donation” to the host / charity / venue (up to 25% of sales)
• Little to no paid advertising – relies on word of mouth to promote show
• Attendance limited to 100 – 500 people per day

Average sized independently produced shows

• Average booth fees < $200
• Average booth space number < 100 spaces
• Usually “juried” – application review determines vendors
• Paid advertising/possibly sponsorships and local support
• Contacts local media for promotion, calendar posts and features
• Average attendance between 500 – 1000+ people per day

National and larger produced shows

• Higher end booth fees: $200 – $1000+ for a booth space
• More booth spaces available: 100 – 300 booths
• Always “juried” – all vendors are chosen based on quality of work
• High efforts to promote the show including paid advertising, sponsorships and press releases
• Actively pursues and acquires local media for promotion and publicity
• Average attendance: Low end/ 2000 per day, High end/ 10000+ per day

Of course, you’ll need to stay within your budget and experience level when choosing shows, but in general, the more you pay for your booth space, the more customers you can expect to see throughout the day which can translate into more sales.

The bottom line

• Consider the time of year when choosing shows
• Attend the shows in your area
• Talk to to vendors about their experiences
• Know who your customers are and where they shop
• Choose the shows that are right for your budget and products

Participating in craft shows is a great way to learn more about your customers and improve your business. Choose wisely and you’re sure to enjoy yourself along the way!

Marlo Miyashiro has been in the retail and wholesale handmade craft industries for over 20 years. She is a jeweler by trade, crafter of sewn things, teacher of techniques and mentor/arts business consultant for emerging artists. As owner of Marlo M. Jewelry Design, she has exhibited her handmade work at numerous national wholesale trade shows and has sold to over 200 galleries across the country and abroad. She is the current organizer for EtsyRAIN.com (an active community of over 1000 artists/craft makers who reside in the Puget Sound region of Western WA and own independent shops on Etsy.com) and continues helping artists improve and grow their businesses via CreativeArtsConsulting.com and SmallObjectPhotography.com

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