Preparing for Craft Shows #1:You Have 7 Seconds to Make an Impression

When it comes to craft shows, I would like to make a bold statement and just say, "Display is Everything".

I read somewhere, that on an average, people give you no more than 7 seconds of their sweeping attention to form an impression. You might be making the most amazing crafts in the whole, entire universe, but if your display is poor, you get no marks for that baby. That makes sense, right, coz we are living in a consumer world overcrowded with stuff!

Being creative on your display requires a lot of planning and imagination, so make sure that's pretty high on your priority list. Going the extra mile is the difference between a successful show and one that's not.

So How Does One Stand Out From the Crowd?

Here's what I would say to you:

1. Go for a Cohesive Booth Design. 

Try to carry and display the same types of products. If you have 10 of the exact same items with only a color variation, you would have created a much more cohesive display than perhaps carrying 10 different types of items.

2. Don't Try to Appeal to Everyone. 

You might have heard this before, but if you are catering to everyone, you are selling to no one. What does this mean? Don't show the products that don't fit it with the ideal audience you are targeting! If you make custom iPhone cases, don't "also" carry jewelry and bags unless you are selling "character" goods.

3. Have a Concept. 

Instead of just making all kinds of "fabric bags", make specialized bags like "fabric sandwich bags" or "fabric onigiri (rice balls) pouches". (here's an aside: rice ball lunch pouches boxes are a boom right now in Japan)

4. Make it About the Customer. 

Weave customization into your products as much as possible. People love the idea of making a choice. For example, if possible, give your customer the choice of adding an initial or a custom message to an item they buy.

5. Chose your Props Wisely. 

Props are like icons that can hook the right customer. They can help the customer imagine the possibilities. For example, display some nicely wrapped gift boxes in your booth so your customer can think "gifts". They might end up buying some more for their family or friends. Or, if you are selling beach jewelry, then displaying star fish, beach towels, message in a bottle etc., help passersby form a visual connection with your booth.

6. Carry Enough Inventory but Don't Crowd it! 

Do your research on how many people are likely to attend (does not have to be super accurate) and how many stalls are there likely to be. (The organizers can easily supply you this information.) This would give you an idea of how much inventory to carry. I would say, carry more inventory than what you plan to display so you can replenish sold-out items easily, but don't crowd your stall! Nothing is worse than looking at a cluttered display - it send out a message that your products are "cheap". And that's the last thing you want do!!

See my Pinterest Craft Show Display Ideas board for tons of unique display ideas:

Follow RJ's Craft Show Display Ideas board on Pinterest.

Next time, we will look at even more strategies to make your booth stand out in the crowd! If you have done some selling before, I'm sure these points with resonate with you. Do share your experience and your success strategies in the comments below!

And, don't forget to Subscribe to this blog.  I will be coming back with MORE ideas, tips and tricks! Have a great week and I will see you soon!

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Preparing for Craft Shows (New Series Sneak Peek)

Hi everyone!

So, I am starting a brand new series for all of you crafty folks who do (or dream of doing) the occasional craft show or flea market. In this series I plan to cover a variety of topics around preparing your booth and attracting customers to it. Since this is a sneak peek post, I am going to keep it super short, but I do want you to know the types of things that are in store for you. 

So don't forget to Subscribe to this blog!

I know that running a booth can be both overwhelming and time consuming. It is a lot of work! I typically spend weeks in planning and running around to turn the concept and display of ideas for my stall into reality. There are a bunch of different things to think about such as:

• How many items should I carry and display?
• What should my layout be? Should I build my own display or should I rent?
• What's the best way to display my creations so that my booth looks attractive and inviting?
• How should I promote myself?
• How should I price my items? And how to should I collect the cash? 
• How should I package my stuff?
• How should I dress? And how should I interact with my visitors without coming across as pushy!
• What follow-up actions can I take so that customers can find me.
• etc.!

That's a lot of things to think of, right? And it's always nice if you can get all the advice you need all under one roof. So welcome to that roof! :) I will be sharing tons of information based on my own experience of participating in craft shows and events in Japan.

So I look forward to you joining me in this series. As a parting piece I want to share  with you my Craft Show Display Ideas Pinterest Board that I am constantly updating. You can get lots of ideas to start planning/dreaming about your own craft show booth, maybe soon?

Follow RJ's Craft Show Display Ideas board on Pinterest.

That's all for now. Don't forget to Subscribe to this blog, so you don't miss out any post! Also, do let me know if there are any specific types of tips you are looking for and I will try to cover them in the series. I will see you soon! Have a great week!