By Molly Fisher
With the spring/summer craft fair season well under way, you might be wondering, “Is it worth it to do art and craft fairs?”
How to Maximize Craft Fair Profit
- The full cost of participating in craft fairs is something a lot of vendors don’t think about when calculating their net profit.
- Yes, there’s the cost of the booth space, which typically ranges from $30 to $250 for smaller shows, and up to $800 for multiple-day events and juried shows.
- But what about promotional materials, marketing costs, booth/table decorations, tents (for outdoor shows), signage and displays? It all adds up.
- The best strategy for getting a return on your investment is to plan on doing many craft fairs – don’t hang your hat on the success of one. Participating in several will allow you to find the craft fairs that work for you, and get more value from all the gear you bought.
How Much Are Craft Fair Vendors Really Making Per Show?
- Based on feedback from the vendors, profits vary greatly from show to show.
- Some have done shows for a $30 booth fee that grossed more than 10 times that, and also shows that barely broke even. Pick your show wisely. Go to the show as a buyer [first] and see if the merchandise fits your style and chat with vendors.
- There are a lot of variables to think about here: a business owner should not expect to just set up a table at any show and watch the dollars roll in.
- While show organizers typically do promotion for the entire event, it’s up to you to activate your network of friends and family members. From Facebook to blog postings and word of mouth, make sure your friends know to check out your show.
- Choosing a show that suits your product and prices, actively marketing your attendance, and keeping booth/attendance costs low are all factors that will influence your craft show success.
How Can You Tell If You Have Had A Successful Craft Show?
- Almost all of the creative entrepreneurs stressed the importance of setting concrete sales goals before the show to measure its success.
- Some calculate a goal based on booth fees to keep it simple:
“If shows are local, grossing 8 times the booth fee is acceptable, others say 5 times booth fees.”
7 Strategies For Craft Show Success:
1. Keep Costs Low
Design your booth to attract attention, but don’t break the bank at the beginning. You can always add to your booth later as you make sales.
2. Market your attendance before the show
Use your mailing lists, your Facebook followers, the local Chamber of Commerce list, and any other marketing channels available to you to market your attendance at your local show. Include a booth number and location if they are available to you and even consider offering an incentive for anyone that visits your booth.
3. Pick Your Show Wisely and Price Appropriately
Attend shows as a buyer before you ever sign up to do the show as a vendor. This will give you a good idea of what people are buying, what price points they are comfortable with, and what your competition is doing.
4. Gather And Share Contact Information At The Show
Plan to have an email sign-up sheet, business cards and sales sheets in your booth. This can be a fantastic opportunity to grow your marketing list and follow up with new contacts who were interested but didn’t convert to a sale at the show.
5. Stay Active
When you are at the show, don’t jump on passers-by to get them into your booth – instead work on crafts in your booth to draw attention. People love to see how things are made and that will bring people to you.
6. Plan to Attend Many Shows
Too many small businesses only budget for one show and if it doesn’t work out, they never try it again. If you go into doing shows knowing that some will work for you and some will not, you can plan a budget that makes sense over time. Your initial costs will be the greatest, but if you do many shows, you will come out with a profit.
7. Set Sales Goals
Setting specific goals for your attendance will focus your efforts and make sure you know whether this is a show you should continue to do in the future.