A Roadmap to Success: How to Sell Online Effectively
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Are you about to take the leap into your first craft show? Got the goods, but don’t know how to display them?
At a craft show, appearances ARE important and how your booth is set up can have a direct impact on your sales. Great products can lose their appeal if they're surrounded by a poorly-designed display, so think about setting up a booth or table that makes people look and keeps them browsing.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning your craft show display:
Research: Before anything – do your research (reading this article is a great first step!). Erin Niehenke from the lovely Etsy store Creekbed Threads did a lot of research before creating her recent craft show display (see photos above and below). She browsed various Flickr craft show groups for inspiration (here are three examples of craft show displays), visiting local craft shows (including the one that she was going to participate in to get a feel for what to expect), and getting staging ideas from her favorite magazines. In addition, she decided to ask the experts, and created her own Etsy forum topic, asking experienced crafters for their craft show ideas and advice. Thanks to her research, Erin had a very successful craft show experience.
Theme: Having a theme to your booth reinforces your brand. For example, if you sell linens, you could use vintage wire laundry baskets from a thrift store to display some of your items, or an old-fashioned washboard as a display holder for your business cards. It’s great to have functional props, so try and choose ones that can be used as levels or stands – you’ll be killing two birds with one stone!
Color: When planning your displays, choose colors that make your products pop. You don't want to your items to be washed out by a color that's too bold, or overwhelmed by busy patterns. Also, keep your theme and brand in mind when choosing colors. Think about the mood you want to create when people visit your booth. Think about the moods created by different colors.
Levels: Include interesting levels and depth in your displays to draw people into your booth. From far away, your booth will look empty and uninviting if your products are all lying horizontally (and facing the ceiling) on the table. Set them up to face the customer! If your booth turns people's heads from a distance, their feet are sure to follow.
Signage: Make sure you have a clear sign showing your store name. Make it interesting and unique – anything to make people remember your name. Another important tip: Just like when they're shopping at a retail store, people want to know prices. It can be a turn-off for them to have to ask you how much everything costs (what if you're busy with another customer?), so label each item clearly.
Keep it Subtle: Your displays should never outshine your product; they are there to make your product stand out. Even if you come up with the most beautiful, elaborate display in the world – it’s of no use if people spend all their time admiring your display, and don’t even notice your products.
Keep your Display Affordable: I know what you’re thinking. All these ideas are great – but how much will it all cost? You're there to make a profit, and there's no need to break the bank on this. Kristin Walters is the owner of the Etsy jewelry store One 9 Designs (see photo below). For her craft show booth, she found ways to cut costs on her displays. Here are four great tips:
Please share your craft show stories, experiences and tips. I look forward to seeing you at a craft show in the future!
Dionne Christiansen is a graphic designer based in Houston, TX. She is the face behind the Etsy store City of Dionne and writes at her blog Notes From Dionne.
Posted by: Dionne Christiansen
Posted in: selling
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31 Comments
Fabulous advice and great photos! Love the shops also.
Great advice, and thank you for such a nice writeup!
I totally agree with all the suggestions. It really does make a difference as to which tables people really are drawn to, if your display is appealing and well thought out.
Great blog! Might I make another suggestion? If you take sturdy boxes, fill them with something slightly heavy, tape them up and wrap them with cloth, paper, they can also be used to give depth to your table! I got some remnants at Joanne’s for about $3.00 to cover my boxes.
Blessings,
Teresa
That is a great tip, Teresa! Thank you!
Thanks for the interesting tips!
My tips for booth decorating is to look in Thrift stores. I found a beautiful tablecloth and a lace cover(curtain panel) for a couple of dollars.
Also bought a couple of display racks from a store that was going out of business
I love a good craft fair!
I enjoy reading your blogs. U really have made art a science..
I will apply for my son’s art. He is really the budding artist. I need to keep myself upto date:) afterall I am his mom.
Thanks for that lovely insight into the booth world. This advice works for so many genres. And I’ll be sure to use some of those tips in the future. Happy crafting people!
Thanks so much for your helpful tips, I look forward to putting these tips into good use at my next show. Easy to read & beautifully written. Thanks again
This article consists of really helpful tips :D
Wonderful advice. I really enjoy craft booths with multi levels and good marked prices much more than ones without!
This is fantastic!!! I have a small stall at some Sunday markets in my local community and have been finding my display very boring and unappealing for customers. Definitely will be making use of the levels suggestion and am going to try to theme my display from now on. Thanks for the help here!
Great tip on clear pricing. I’m normally reluctant to ask how much things are. I’d rather walk away without asking than feel like I’ve disappointed the stall owner if I don’t then buy the item!
Hey great tips… does make a real difference :)
Great article. I am going to be doing my first show with my dragonflies and this article was a big help!
i would like to start selling my barnboard wood creations at craft shows and was hoping you could share with me how well or not so well wood products sell at craft shows. I do benches, picture frames, sayings, planters, almost anything with wood, and hoping you could share with me if these things do well, and what wood products do, do well, thank you so much in advance for any and all help.
Thanks for a very informative post about booth display! I wanted to share some pics of a few of my booth displays. I'm especially fond of the booths from October and November 2009.
Great tip and suggestions!
Thank you so much for the wonderful information. I am creating my first time ever Christmas ornaments using vintage look brooches and I am so excited. I have 3 craft shows coming up and I appreciate your great tips!
thanks
gina
@Gina - We'd love to see pics of the finished product (the ornaments) Gina!
these are wonderful ideas.thanks so much!ill use some of these for my booth.It's not my first arts show.actually my second.This will be better than last year.thanxs again!
For my first craft show I had a wonderful display that I reconfigured a vintage suitcase to display my jewelry. The display got way more positive comments than items for sale- it stole the show.
Thank you for the helpful advice and links. It has helped to get me thinking! xx
Thank you. I'm going to be doing my very first craft show, and I appreciate these great tips. I love the basket idea.
I've bought things at the dollar stores and thrift stores. I needed a picture frame that I found at Salvation Army for $2. It was mahogony in color so it fit in perfectly. Wanted vase of flowers. Got both at the dollar store (flowers should look nice though). I got 2 long wall shelves through Craigs List for $10 ea. Got risers at dollar store or even around the house. Buckets, boxes etc covered with cloth work. I found nice looking, metal napkin holders for $1 at Salvation Army for holding my handmade books.
What lovely ideas! Thank you. I'm preparing for my first craft fair and this will be very useful.
Excellent ideas, Thank you
Thank you for the wonderful tips and inspiration. Im hoping to do my first stall in December, im excited and nervous.
Thank you for your blog, as I'm a new crafter unfortunately with NO eye for setting up. People like you and a couple ladies i met at my first craft show are sooo helpful I look forward to being in the crafters community...
I have one pressing question though... What are those metal grate type walls called that I see at craft shows... I've been on craigslist and amazon and can't figure out the name.
Hi Gina...check out this link, I think this company sells the wire displays you are looking for: www.marvolus.com/
I hope this helps!