Craft Fairs

Are you sitting here in November wishing you were at a craft show for the holidays? It’s a bit late now to jump in the game. However, this is the time to start planning for next year. Make notes on the shows, find out the entry info, deadlines and fees. Plan your product line. What is being sold at the show this year? How will your work stand out from the other vendors?

Table or show fees, know what it is going in. How much do you need to sell to cover the table fee, the display items your purchased and even the materials you purchased to make the items? In retail, the goal is to earn 10 times your rent. If your table costs you $30 then you should be selling $300 worth of items during the show.

Be ready to capture emails and addresses. That way you can contact customers the next year, maybe even pre-sell your items before the show.

Many times we do things for fun rather than an investment return. Yet if you keep track and someone wants your work, you will have a good idea of how much to sell it for.  Knowing how much you have invested in your work and what the ideal sales price of the work is important. If an item takes you four hours to make and you are only selling it for $20, I would say you are earning less than $4 an hour.

There is a huge push back, especially among women, that we can’t possibly charge what it really costs to make something. Yes you can. You might not sell as many, but being paid for your time by someone who respects your skill and time is worth it! devaluing yourself in order to sell a card cheaper than Walmart is failure. The race to the bottom is a losing race. Price as the professional you are. Treat your art like a profession, keep track of your expense and time.

Be organized with your craft. Do it for the love of creating things that bring others joy. Be a professional when it comes to pricing and selling.