Have you ever gone to a craft’s fair and watched the crowds huddle at one booth but barely enter another? I always feel sorry for the craftsperson/artist who sits there – solitary – trying not to appear desperate for customers – perched on a stool staring mindlessly at her cell phone.
I’m afraid that in just four weeks that will be me. The thought keeps me up at night. The thought wakes me up in the middle of the night. That terrifying thought barrages me upon waking every morning.
In just four weeks from today, I will be I Deland, Florida (wherever that is) setting up my first booth at my first crafts fair.
What am I selling?
I am selling vintage jean jackets adorned with sequined appliques.
I am selling one-of-a kind, hand-knit purses and pouches that I have been designing and knitting compulsively every night for about the last three years.
And, if I finish them in time, I am also going to be selling hand-knit hanging dolls with unusual quotes entwined in their dresses.
Why am I doing this anyway?
Because I am crazy.
Because I am a masochist.
Because I court the fear factor and feel it’s vastly more exciting than starting the day without flossing but vastly safer than trying sky diving for the very first time.
What have I learned thus far? A lot:
How to use Square on my I Pad and I Phone to ring up a sale using a credit card
How to best furnish a 10’ by 10’ booth to look appealing, but not overloaded with merchandise
How to erect the booth canopy and weigh it down – haven’t quite mastered the art of canopy erection. (This morning it took my husband, me and our handyman over three hours to assemble the canopy in our back yard in order for me to practice layouts. Not a fortuitous beginning.)
How to transport merchandise from the car to the booth (by collapsible wagon)
How to dress (definitely wear what you are selling)
How to handle your inventory – with loving caresses as that subliminally messages the potential customer that your wares are of value
How to display your items (Heaven forbid, lay them in rows on a table. Nope. In tiers, not more than six of any kind)
What to do with yourself while waiting for people to approach your booth (Since I am selling my knitted items, experts say I should knit – heaven forbid I use my phone and convey boredom)
What to say when someone approaches my booth (“Hello, I’m Iris,” make eye contact and then use your intuition to decide whether to spew forth more platitudes about your booth or just back-off and allow the customer to browse in peace)
What items to place next to each other (different priced items are a good idea)
How to stand out from other booths with a large banner in front (still working on this – my first idea was Funky Creations From A Bad Ass Boomer – which was shot down definitively by the contact person at the crafts fair for not being “a family friendly” slogan – I reluctantly toned it down to Funky Creations For The Wild Woman In You.)
I’m still trying puzzling over a few things:
My target audience
Pricing of each item
Effective Signage
How my purses, pouches, and jean jackets will improve and enhance my customer’s lives
And how far I have to dip my toes into social media to maximize my sales at the two-day crafts fair
I’ve got 28 more days to figure it out, but who is counting?
Me!!!!!
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
Iris Ruth Pastor