Selling at Craft Shows: 10 Takeaways

1. It’s good to remove ourselves from the couch and get out to see what’s hot in the community. Also, there’s nothing like the smell of a big smoke pit of ribs on a Saturday fall afternoon. I, however, did not indulge, as I’m back on Weight Watchers again for the 42nd time this year. I ate the mini Snickers bars that I had at our table…was it Snickers or Milky Way? I lost track after the 10th one…they’re what, like a ½  point each?2. It’s a good assessment tool- do I have the pulse of America?  Did V-Neck sweaters made of granny squares make a comeback and I’m like so totally 2010 with my headbands?3. I think its good practice to set up a canopy, although best to not do it with a 7-year old who is simultaneously trying to negotiate his hourly rate- after 2 hours, he was strongly persuaded to go home with his Gran and Poppy.

4. It’s a nail biter waiting to see what the weather is going to be like… here on the east coast, we have more excitement than the rest of the country. It has been known to dabble in 4 seasons all within 24 hours. Luckily the day was sunny and cool…so close to perfect…what’s a little wind?

5. It’s a talent to be able to display 100 crocheted items on a table while there are 30 mi/hour winds-how lucky were we to be next to the girl that was making items out of duck tape?  It truly was my lucky day…check out my new I Pad holder! She is my new hero, an eighth grader with her own business…you can visit her out on www.ductduckgoose.webs.com

6. A little competition is good for everyone- I need to know I can go up against “poncho granny”- yes, that was her code name when we were tracking our competition. There was “spiral scarf” and “blanket lady”. Bonnie wound up buying a crocheted blanket from blanket lady- 25 bucks! And it took her a month!!! Guys, we can’t under price our work…

7. A little tip for beginners new to the craft show arena- smoking at your craft table will deflect high volumes of customers from swarming to your table

8.  You get to see what the new trends are- the winner is…hair feathers! I’m not kidding, there were 5 tables…

9. You get really present to how you want to be spending your Saturdays…
To those of you who do craft shows regularly, I really kick you some props. There’s a lot of heart that goes into getting ready for them and it can be a crap shoot as to how it will turn out at the end of the day.

10. For those who haven’t done one, or need to dust off their card tables and be among fellow artists, get on out there and show everybody what you got…even if it’s a little fracking windy (Fracking…a method of extracting oil and natural gas, a new word I learned at the show, and now my new replacement curse word)