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The month of May-July have been busy for the family business! Aside from shipping orders, we also participated in two local craft fairs. I completely forgot how overwhelming and exhausting craft fairs can be. Overall, they were fun and I got to try out some food from different vendors. I thought I'd use this post to share a quick checklist of things to have if anyone ever considers selling at craft fairs.
For me, I always have to balance craft fair prep with my other full-time job. This meant that I worked on products at night and on weekends. Luckily, the hubs and business partner worked on products at their separate times. For this craft fair, we put together room sprays, lip balms, candles, shower melts, wax melts, and seed paper. So here's my first tip:
- Don't assume that a small craft fair equates to small products: The craft fair that I participated in attracted about 100-150 people. However, providing products for close that amount is more than people think. Therefore, I started making most of these products one month in advance.
After all of the products were made, the real prep began. There are a few things any crafter will need for a craft fair:
- Canopy tent: This can be bought on Amazon or any sporting store, but a tent is needed to cover you and your products (don't want those products to melt now do we).
- Table and chairs: For a 6-8 hour craft fair, you will NEED to sit, so grab comfy chairs. The table is definitely where you get to display your crafts and take payments, so 1-2 are needed.
- Square reader or app: While customers still carry cash, most carry cards. I carried a Square reader for my first craft fair, but I completely forgot it for this one. Luckily, Square has an app that allows you to input customers' card information (it doesn't save it).
- Charged cellphone: Because everything from transactions to contact info comes through the cellphone, be sure to charge that thing!
- Business Cards: You may not sell much at your first craft fair, but you'll be surprised by how many people take your business card. For my first craft fair, I only sold 10 items; however, everyone took a card and I got orders after the craft fair.
- Extra cash (preferably 1's and 5's): For customers who want to pay with cash, you'll need to be able to give back change. Therefore, stop by the bank and get some money for that purpose.
These are items that you'll need at a minimum. While there are other materials to have, they aren't required for a successful craft fair experience. Finally, have fun! Meet other crafters, talk to prospective customers and enjoy yourself.
Happy crafting!
RoK Handmade