7 Ways to Create Buying Urgency at Craft Shows

Creating urgency at a craft show can encourage more people to buy instead of taking time to think about it.

When they need to walk away from your table and think about it, chances are high they’ll get distracted by other vendors and end up spending their money elsewhere.

This type of urgency isn’t pushy or misleading. It’s gently reminding shoppers to act/buy sooner rather than later.

 

1) Limited editions

When businesses such as Starbucks create a product that’s only available for a limited time, it creates urgency and gets more people running to the cafe to grab their Pumpkin Spice Lattes before they’re gone.

You can use a similar tactic at craft shows and debut a limited edition product or line.

It could be specific to the event (e.g. a Mother’s Day event may evoke a Mother’s Day product), a season (e.g. a limited edition Spring line), or simply a style you don’t plan to make more of.

Be sure to communicate that the products are limited and only available at the event, for a specific time period, or in limited quantities, so shoppers feel the urgency.

 

2) Event-specific promotions

Try running a promotion that’s only valid at the event.

It may be a sale (e.g. 10% off bath bombs), a fixed price (e.g. bath bombs $5 today only), or a BOGO/gift with purchase deal (e.g. free mini bath bomb with any $20+ purchase)

You can apply this promotion to your entire table (e.g. Today only 5% off all products), or to one or two products you want to push the sales on.

 

3) Keep more stock behind the table

You don’t want to mislead people and tell shoppers it’s your last one when you have dozens more behind the table.

However, when shoppers see all of your stock on the table and realize there are 10 of each item, they won’t feel a sense of urgency to buy.

Simply seeing one or two of an item on a table may lead them to believe there aren’t many left and if they don’t buy one now, it may be gone.

 

4) Adjust your language

You can subtly create some urgency when speaking with shoppers by letting them know:

  • “You only have two left.”
  • “These always sell out.”
  • “These are my bestseller and go fast.”
  • “I offered these last fall and they sold out.”
  • “People always ask if I can make more of these, but I only restock once a month.”

Not only do these types of phrases give your products/business social proof (i.e. how popular they are with others), but they also create urgency.

You may also have an opportunity to remind shoppers of limited shopping windows with phrases such as:

  • “I’m only here for two more hours.”
  • “This is the last chance to buy before the holidays.”
  • “I won’t be selling at another craft show for a couple of months.”

 

5) Create gift-giving items

Everybody appreciates reminders of upcoming gift-giving holidays (e.g. Mother’s Day) and help crossing buying a gift off their to-do list.

If you’re participating in an event close to a gift-giving holiday, create a holiday-appropriate product, gift bundle, or pre-wrapped items to remind shoppers to pick out a gift before time runs out.

“This is a great last-minute gift if you haven’t purchased a _____ (Mother’s Day gift).”

 

6) Use signage

Have signage prepared that points out low or dwindling stock levels.

  • Last one
  • Low quantities
  • I (meaning, a specific product) always sell out
  • Almost gone

If you create these signs ahead of time, you can simply place them on your craft show table as your stock level gets low.

 

7) Made decisions easy

Too many options make it hard for shoppers to decide what to buy and create decision fatigue.

And decision fatigue often makes shoppers feel like they need to walk away and take time to think about it.

You don’t want shoppers to “need more time”. You want there to be urgency behind their buying decisions.

So try to make shopping easy for them.

 

Remember, it’s not about pressuring or tricking a shopper into buying. It’s simply helping them get to a buying decision faster 🙂

7 Ways to Create Buying Urgency at Craft Shows