Craft Wander

Craft Wander

How to Setup a Craft Booth

Much of the information is specific to a weekly market as opposed to a one time setup.

How do you decide what to sell? And how do you get customers to actually stop and look and perhaps buy your stuff?

Variety seems to be the key, both in pricing and in products. In addition to a variety of products it's also important to offer a variety of price points. A lot of customers will pay $5 for something but not many will pay $15 or $20.

In finding out what to sell like anywhere else make sure you listen to customers. These people are the ones who help you decide which direction to take. Often they will make comments and ask if you have something in particular. The people that wander by on the other side of the booth know what would make them open their wallets and pull out their money. Listening to them and acting on their advice could lead to more sales.

One of the most important lessons is to consider your customers and produce items they would like. Their opinions are valuable.

Tip: Make sure you bring supplies you think you need plus those that you don’t such as bags, scotch tape, money for change, paper, sun tan lotion, writing instruments.

One of the biggest issues or problems is your booth setup. It takes a lot of time quite early in the morning to get out all the merchandise and setup the table in an attractive fashion. It’s essential to take the time to set up an attractive and organized booth. This is time consuming but it’s the attention to detail that will generate sales. It seems like more people stop by and make purchases when the booth looks good and organized. It shows that you take pride in your workmanship, and people will believe that you will take the same care when making a product.

It’s important to occasionally change your setup as well. Try to rearrange the items on your table daily and possibly though out the day as things sell or don’t sell. Just by moving items around you may get noticed by regular market customers who usually just walk by. Moving things around will also give you a chance to practice different setups. This will be invaluable when you pursue other market venues and allow you to select the setup that would most benefit that space. So take a few moments throughout the market to straighten up your booth. Set up a terrific booth and next time try to top Your Own fantastic setup with an even better one.

Moving your booth to a different spot may also generate more foot traffic. The thing about a weekly market is that there will be lots of the same folks dropping by week after week. It’s easy for regular market patrons to slide right by your booth figuring they’ve already seen all you’ve got to offer. Setting up in a different spot might bring more folks your way.

Tip: Buy a stack of large plastic tubs at a local discount store. These tubs double as storage space for goods at home and table space at the market. Plus, they’re water proof which will really come in handy.

Don’t forget to keep your stuff clean and dry and retire the items that aren’t your best. People will be handling and moving your items all day. Plus some of these markets are not in the best location, and dirt and grime may be floating around. You can always pull these items and make a sale basket for the gently used or touched items. You can also throw in some of your rejects that may not have come out Very Good when making. Remember people love bargains and selling something even discounted from your sale basket beats no sale or just loosing the cost of that item.

For the best selection and lowest prices, shop with a reputable dealer for your supplies such as Moose Emporium at http://www.mooseemporium.com

About the Author

Komaka Wilson had been in the automotive accessory and detail business for over 15 years.