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Marketing / Preparing for an Art and Craft fair

Presenting your arts and crafts at a local fair is a great way to launch a career in the field. There is no better way of knowing that there is a real market and real interest in your product than exposing it to a wide audience and seeing if someone likes it enough to take money out of their pockets and pays you for your arts and crafts.

I and many thousands of artists started their career this way.

The beauty in a fair is that you can test the harsh realities of the market place in a gentle way without spending too much money. After you have exhausted the generosity of friends and relatives who have bought your silk scarves of ceramic bowls, it's time to move on to the fair.

Basic Checklist:

Choosing a fair

1. Finding out about fairs- Often fairs advertised in the newspaper, local malls have fairs, ask friends in similar fields, at certain seasons local municipalities organize fairs
2. Browse a few fairs and decide which stands are attractive and why - ask yourself what you would buy and why.
3. Make sure you register and pay early - Have a file to keep all the information about the fair and receipts and table number, to avoid disappointments and the last minute rush of the day.
4. If it’s a regular fair – once a month, once a year make sure you are there every time

Before the Fair

1. Prepare a product that stands out from the crowd -. Keep asking yourself why should anyone buy this, be focused on the customer not only on your artistic whims.
2. Before the fair send out a card or email to everyone you know or post it on the various communities websites to generate interest, offer a discount with the flyer
3. Price every product clearly,
4. Try and have your contact details on every products – either a sticker or card attached so people can reach you
5. Make sure you have an attractive table and covering not creased and sloppy, dark colors are best. Dark colors don't compete with the products that are on the table – they form a background. Try adding some height to the table, cover small cardboard boxes to give height so the table doesn't look flat. Think of printing a backdrop or roll-up to place at the side or back of the table (so it doesn't compete with what's on the table). This can add a lot of interest and is not expensive to do. A lot of printers produce rollups.
6. Make sure you have enough small change -  200 shekels is about right, have 1/5 /10 coins, you can lose sales if you don't have change.
7. Take the right stationary, calculator, business cards, brochures, scissors tape, pens and markers. Have a guest book and make a point of gathering names for the next mailing and allow people to write comments.
8. Ensure you have packaging materials plastic bags etc.- Customers find it annoying not to have a way of carrying off the goods. Bring a litter bag to clean up after the fair.
9. Make a record of the inventory you take so you will know how much you have sold.
10. Personal comfort - always make sure you have water and food. If outdoors bring a hat, sun block and an umbrella.

At the Fair

1. Keep money on your person a fanny belt or the like - be careful of boxes that can be stolen easily. Make a note of the float – the money you start of is, in case the tax people ask you to account for the money.
2. Make sure you have your paperwork in good order, you must give receipts invoices. Tax officers often visit fairs and can strike off your books if you are found not giving the proper records to the tax authorities.
3. Make the table look attractive, it should not be a jumble - this is off putting  keep straightening up the table.
4. Sales technique - stand and greet customers, look enthusiastic and cheerful, stop people as they are walking by ask people ask " how do you like my .. pots, dolls". Engage people in conversation, don't look bored and passive, never read a book or the paper. Look like your keen to sell. People buy people. If you are fun and chatty and talk up the product there is more chance that people will buy.
5. Make a note of what people are buying , colors/ styles they are selecting, if you don't have an item in stock, get note of a Tel No. and call when you do have it

After the fair

1. Do a stock count to see how much you sold.
2. Assess what sold best and ask yourself why.
3. Think of ways to improve for the next show. Ask your neighbors at the fair of other fairs in the offering.
4. Try and thank the organizers.
5. Bank your money immediately!

Fairs are a great way to stay close to customers and see immediately what reactions people have to your goods. Fairs are a great way to expand you customer and even store base. It’s good to be aware of the fact that store owners go to fairs looking for new talent.