If you’re a lover of all things craft-related, attending a craft fair is something you should definitely make time for. If you make crafts, however, then you may want to seriously consider selling your handmade works of art at craft fairs instead of just attending them.
These are just some of the many benefits of selling at craft fairs:
1) You can interact with your target market.
People who attend such fairs are genuinely interested in crafts. These fairs are a wonderful opportunity to chat with the people browsing through your products and get to know them a little better. Get feedback from them as to what they’d like to see you sell, and answer any questions that your customers may have. You’ll also be able to network with the other crafters at the fair and see what sells well for them.
2) You can create a customer database.
A craft fair is a wonderful way to get more information about your customers. Ask interested customers if they’d like to be on your mailing list. Collect their home addresses, phone numbers or email addresses so you can send them product updates, catalogs or brochures in the future.
3) They are profitable.
At a craft fair, you are selling your items directly to the customer. This means there’s no need to pay any distributors or middlemen. Apart from overhead, fair fees and supplies, everything else is considered profit.
4) They require only a short-term commitment.
Craft fairs generally run for only one or a few days, and are usually held on weekends. Joining a craft fair will in no way take over your schedule! You can still hold a regular job on weekdays, or spend your time working on your hobbies.
5) You can learn from your previous craft fairs or shows.
Another benefit of selling at craft fairs is that you’ll be able to quickly assess your performance at the end of each fair. You can decide to increase your prices, fix up your displays and increase your inventory before deciding to commit to a larger and more expensive fair.
6) You can work on your crafts and sell them at the same time.
Take advantage of a fair’s slow hours to build up your inventory. Actually doing your craft work at the fair is a great way to get people to slow down, watch and ask questions.
Craft fairs are not the only place that artists can sell their work however, these fairs are a wonderful way to build up one’s business. The next time you hear of a craft fair in your area—grab the opportunity and sign up!
Photo Credit: iClipart
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