10 Ways to Increase your Craft Show Booth’s Turnover Rate

When I worked in retail, turnover rate referred to staff and how quickly or slowly staff would change over (i.e quit).

When I worked at a restaurant, turnover rate referred to how quickly or slowly customers dined. Obviously, the more people you can feed at one table during a shift, the more money you and the restaurant make.

Turnover rate in a craft show booth is similar.

The more people you can efficiently move through your space, the more potential sales you can make.

You don’t want shoppers to feel like they’re rushed, but you also don’t want people hanging out in your space, taking a long time to decide on a purchase (or not to purchase), and ultimately blocking other shoppers from checking out your handmade products.

This article explains 10 ways you can increase your booth’s/table’s turnover rate while creating a pleasant shopping experience.

 

1) Create pre-packaged bundles

As you gather sales stats, you’ll know which items are commonly purchased together.

For example, if a soap vendor offers 10 types of products but sales show many people buy a bar of soap, hand lotion, and lip balm together, they can bundle them into one package.

Offering the grouping at a slight discount can help shoppers to decide to purchase quicker.

 

2) Make space more shoppable

It will take shoppers longer to view your products if your display is crammed with items and they must move five to view one that’s in the back.

Be sure to use the proper fixtures, add more display space by going vertical, and leave negative space in your display.

Not every product you’ve made needs to be displayed on your table at once. You can keep some stock in bins under the table and replenish or present to a shopper as needed.

 

3) Use signage to answer frequently asked questions

If a craft show is busy, you’ll have multiple shoppers at your table/booth at once. Which means some shoppers will have to wait for your attention.

Consider the features, benefits, and questions your target market will be most interested in and focus on your signage on them.

For example, the average consumer probably doesn’t know what a particular soap-making process is, and they probably don’t care.

So, a soap vendor shouldn’t waste precious signage space with phrases like “Cold processed soap”.

Instead, they should share the benefit that their target market will care about: “Great for sensitive skin”.

Create signage that can act as a second salesperson.

You may also find you get the same question(s) asked over and over at each craft show. The answers are perfect for signage so shoppers don’t have to wait until you’re free to ask the question.

For example, if shoppers constantly ask a pottery vendor if their pieces are dishwasher safe, a few “I’m dishwasher safe” signs next to popular products will answer the question without requiring your time.

 

4) Make prices clear

I prefer price tags on each item, as it keeps your display clean and makes it clear to shoppers how much an item is.

If it’s not possible to add a price label to each product, make sure to create clear groupings of products with clear signage communicating the price.

Shoppers needing to look for prices, figure out what an item is to match it to a price list, or having to wait for you to be free to ask you a price, will slow down your table’s turnover rate.

 

5) Identify Lookie-loos

There’s nothing wrong with people browsing, but you don’t want to neglect interested buyers to favour someone who’s just passing time in your space.

As you sell at craft shows, you’ll be able to identify these people.

You might notice them spending lots of time at each vendor’s table, but not making a single purchase.

Or, they may have lots of questions about your process, material sourcing, etc., that the average consumer wouldn’t tend to care about.

When events are slower, I don’t mind chatting with these people. But at a busy event, a person trying to gather my trade secrets so they can go home and make my products can impede my sales.

If you find yourself dealing with a shopper who’s taking up a lot of time with questions, but they don’t seem to be moving towards a sale, politely let them know you need to help some other shoppers.

 

6) Create a shopping flow

When you shop in a retail store, you don’t bump into the cash register or fitting rooms first. You’re also not presented with items you might add to a purchase (e.g. shown a shoe protector spray before you pick out a shoe to buy).

Although you have a small space at a craft show, you should think about the shopping flow you want your shopper to go through.

First, you want to wow them with an amazing piece so they’re drawn into the beginning of your space.

Then they should be able to shop your best sellers and decide between options.

Finally, they should get to the checkout area where they can choose smaller items to add to their purchase.

Set up your space to walk shoppers through the process so they don’t need to double back to find items or stand in the way of other shoppers while paying.

Here’s an article explaining how to break your display into zones that will help shoppers flow through your space: Craft Show Table Layout Tips

 

7) Refine your display

On top of breaking your space into zones, you can also merchandise your products in a way so it’s easy for shoppers to find what they need, view which products work together, and be presented products at the right time.

For example, if a necklace has a pair of earrings and a ring that match, they should be displayed next to each other so shoppers can quickly find the set.

Timing is also important. Add-on items shouldn’t appear in the middle of the shopping experience; they should be presented at the end, once a shopper has decided to buy an item and can add another small item to their purchase.

Cross merchandising will show shoppers which items work well together. Instead of having to explain popular product pairings, or how products are meant to be worn/used/displayed/consumed, you can communicate that information through a cross-merchandised display.

 

8) Quick checkout process

Have an organized checkout station so you can quickly ring people through.

No one wants to wait in lines to pay, and the more people you have standing around your table waiting to pay, the less room there is for others to stop and shop.

You’ll find tips for streamlining the checkout process in this article: 8 Ways to Streamline your Craft Show Checkout Process

 

9) Bring a helper

If you know a craft show is going to be busy, see if a friend or family member can help you for a few hours.

If one person can help people while they shop and another can complete transactions, it will move shoppers/customers through your space faster.

 

10) Stay organized

Knowing exactly where things are on your table, behind your table, and under your table will help you:

• find items for shoppers
• restock your table
• complete transactions and wrap purchases

Keeping track of your inventory will also be helpful.

If you know you sold the last necklace that matches a pair of earrings, you won’t waste time searching for the item.

 

I hope these tips help you turn shoppers into customers quicker and increase sales!