Whether you’re new to craft shows or just looking to up your game, this list of tried and true must-haves for craft shows is sure to help you boost your sales!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
I’ve done tons of markets where my vendor neighbors ended the day dejected because they made very few sales. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “Well, at least I made my table fee back.” But let’s be real… if you’re going to all the effort of prepping and planning for a market, you want to MAKE MONEY. Not just make your table fee back.
My goal has always been to make at least 10x my table fee. If my table fee is $50, I expect to make at least $500. If my table fee is $100, I expect to make at least $1000. And except for one sale over nearly six years of doing markets, I have done that. Consistently.
Your goal will vary depending on the price and cost of your products, but you should have a goal. And 10x your fee is not unrealistic. Sometimes things are outside of your control—you can’t control how many shoppers show up, for example—but there is a great deal you CAN control.
This is why I’m sharing with you five things you should be bringing to EVERY market to maximize your sales.
5 Things You NEED to Bring to Your Craft Shows and Markets This Year.
01. Square Reader
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but fewer people are carrying cash these days. You can’t rely on your market venue to provide an ATM, and even if it has an ATM, the fees can be ridiculous. Prospective customers may not wish to pay those surcharges, even at craft shows where they’re shopping for one-of-a-kind goods.
This means for you to sell to every customer who wants to buy, you need a way of processing debit and credit cards. While Square does have some fees, it’s much better to pay a small processing fee than to miss out on a sale entirely. You can order a square reader from Amazon here.
02. Table Risers
Table risers/bed risers might seem like an odd choice for this list, but hear me out! When you go to a market, everyone’s tables are the same height. Shoppers walk along rows and rows of displays, many selling similar things.
To draw attention to your display, you need to do everything you can to differentiate your table from the people around you. Add a couple of inches to your table’s height and people will notice. Not only that, but it brings the table a little higher and makes it more comfortable to shop from, which means people linger longer—thus increasing their chances of finding something they want to buy! I’d recommend these bed risers from Amazon.
03. A Vendor Apron
A vendor apron? Not a cash box? Correct!
There are a few important reasons why I prefer vendor aprons to cash boxes. First, you can keep everything you need—your cash float, your phone, your payment processor, etc.—close at hand. The less time you have to spend rummaging around to look for something, the better you can keep your customer engaged and interested. Second, and just as important, your vendor apron is close to you at all times.
I have heard far too many stories about vendors who were working a table alone and, while they were distracted, someone swiped their entire cash box. Can you imagine how awful that would be at the end of a long day? All your hard-earned money, along with your cash float and possibly even your payment processor or anything else you keep in the cash box just… gone. Spare yourself the trouble and get a vendor apron. I buy mine from a seller local to me (Sew Pretty Yet Practical), but if you sew there are lots of free patterns online. There are also a variety of vendor aprons available online (like this apron from Amazon) that would serve this purpose fine.
04. A Fitted Tablecloth
Pretty much every market you do will require that you provide a table covering. Some people grab an old sheet, toss it over the table, and think they’re good to go. But your table covering is a big part of your overall presentation and having something nice, fitted, and to the floor elevates your display. It adds intentionality to your display, and it shows prospective customers that you care about the little details. If your display is messy, poorly thought out, or haphazard, why should they assume your products would be anything different? Plus you can hide boxes and extra products under the table, which helps keep your display looking neat and well-organized.
If you’re working with 6ft tables and want something simple and inexpensive, I recommend these table cloths from Amazon. Or, if your tables are 8ft, you can get these on Amazon.
05. A Way to Connect After the Event
Not everyone who comes to your table will buy from you, even if they love your products. They might be between paydays, or still planning their holiday shopping list.
You need to provide potential customers with a way to reach you after the event—when they can’t get your unique products out of their heads and they’re filled with regret that they didn’t buy! You can do this by providing them with a business card, signing them up for an email list, or giving them a coupon code. I always have business cards at my event, but I don’t just leave them out on the table. Too many market-goers grab cards indiscriminately, with no real intention of looking up a seller later. The cards end up in the trash, and your money has been wasted. I only hand out cards to people who ask for one, who make a purchase, or who have a product in their hand and then decide not to buy. You can also generate a QR code that takes them to an email list sign-up; encourage them to sign up at the market so you can stay in touch.
Just because someone isn’t a customer right then doesn’t mean they don’t want to be a customer in the future; make it as easy as possible for them to buy from you when they’re ready to do so.
What are your craft sale must-haves?
Some of these things might seem like common sense. Yet I’ve done my fair share of craft shows, and I can tell you they aren’t common sense to everyone. These small details make a world of difference, and while they’re easy to overlook, you’ll be grateful that you didn’t if you make sure to have everything on this list with you!
What are some things that are must-haves for you when you do markets? Will you be incorporating any of these things into your markets, going forward? Let me know in the comments below!
Looking for tips and tricks to selling even more at your next market? Check out my post, 5 Rules for Craft Fairs and Markets to Optimize Your Sales.
Happy selling!
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