How To Find a Target Market for your Candle Business
Everybody likes candles. So if you make candles, everyone is your potential customer, right? Definitely not. That mentality is the quickest way to build a candle business that fails. As Marie Forleo says: If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one. Being too broad or general with your target market (or not having…
How to Develop a Product Line Using the 3 – 5 Strategy
In my last article, How your Creativity is Killing Sales, I mentioned using a 3 – 5 guideline when creating your products, which helps ensure you’re not offering too much selection. Sticking to this 3 – 5 strategy also helps ensure your product line stays cohesive. This article is a detailed explanation of that strategy,…
How your Creativity is Killing Sales
When someone is at your craft show table or in your Etsy shop, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to buy. You may think letting your creativity go wild and offering an abundance of options makes it easier for shoppers to find something to buy. But it can actually have…
5 Reasons Your Craft Fair Customers Only Buy One Item
When you’re selling at a craft show, it’s important to optimize sales. Selling two items to each customer is better than selling one item to each customer. Even if a customer only buys one item at the event, the right strategy can encourage them to buy another item from you after the event and become…
6 Reasons you Didn’t Sell Anything at a Craft Show
Craft shows require so much time and money to prepare for. Walking away having only made one sale, or no sales, is deflating (and frustrating). Sometimes it’s just the way the cookie crumbles. Even experienced vendors who typically generate hundreds of dollars at a craft show can have zero-sale events for reasons out of their…
6 Ways to Save Money when Selling at Craft Shows
It’s best to spend conservatively when preparing for your first craft show. You may love or hate selling at markets and events. You also don’t know how shoppers will respond to your products. Some sell better at craft shows than others. However, you still want to make a good first impression and optimize sales. Here…
5 Things To Do Before Finalizing your Craft Show Display
It’s important to realize that a craft show display is never “done”. With each craft show, you’ll likely want to tweak something based on: the type of craft show you’re attending new products changes to your brand what your target market is looking for (e.g. back-to-school products in September vs. stocking stuffers in Nov/Dec) But…
The Fastest Way To Sew Scrunchies (To Sell at Craft Fairs)
If you want to be profitable selling scrunchies, you must find a way to decrease production costs. Getting your material costs down is one way, but speeding up production is just as important. The Fastest Scrunchie-Making Method I’ve tested a few ways to sew scrunchies and timed myself. I’ve found, using “The Burrito Method”…
5 Tips for Choosing Craft Fair Fixtures
Before spending time and/or money buying or creating fixtures for your craft fair table or booth, keep these 5 things in mind. 1) Shopability There are some really cute and clever ways to display items but if they’re items that shoppers are going to want to pick up and touch, make that step easy…
Craft Show Display 5-Minute Fix – Add Negative Space
A common mistake craft show vendors make is trying to use every square inch of their space. In an attempt to optimize sales, they fit as much product on their table as possible. But doing so can have the opposite effect and actually harm sales (and your brand). What is negative space? Negative space…
Craft Show Display 5 Minute Fix: Display vs. Stock
A common mistake craft show vendors make is treating their space like a stock room and trying to fit in as much as possible. This approach can end up lowering the perceived value of your products and attracting the wrong type of shopper. Imagine a few types of clothing stores: Low Price In a thrift…
9 Ways to Add Hanging Space to a Craft Show Display
If you have larger items that you need to hang at a craft show, but you only have an 8 foot space, you may find these options will help. You’ll also find ideas for bigger spaces (e.g. you have a 10’x10’ booth). These options are ideal for displaying products such as: hanging planters smaller wall…
10 Ways to Display Tote Bags at a Craft Show
Tote bags are one of the trickier items to display on a craft show table. Some styles don’t stand on their own and the styles that do, tend to take up a lot of table space. So here are my tips for creating a craft show display that includes totes, the fixtures and accessories I…
Products to Make & Sell for Mother’s Day (2024)
This is a list of ideas for products you can make and sell for Mother’s Day. The list IS based on research (and the Mother’s Day gifts that are popular now), however, that doesn’t mean an item is guaranteed to sell if you make it. Use these ideas for inspiration, but always consider your target…
Craft Show Display 5-Minute Fix: Color Groupings
Color, and how you use it, is the most important element of your craft show display. Color can instantly catch a shopper’s attention, tell your target market your products are right for them, and help tell a story. There are many ways to incorporate color. This article’s quick fix focuses on color in product groupings. …
15 Things Craft Show Shoppers Love
I’ve read hundreds of craft show reviews and there are a few consistencies when it comes to what craft show shoppers love (and what they dislike). These are points to keep in mind as a vendor, as well as some tips for organizers at the end of this list. 1) Something for everyone Most craft…
10 Things That Annoy Craft Show Organizers
If you plan to use craft shows as a sales channel for your business, you don’t want to make a bad impression on organizers who decide whether or not you’ll be accepted as a vendor. These are common mistakes vendors make that can annoy craft show organizers and have them second-guessing if they want you…
The Top 7 Complaints from Craft Show Shoppers
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole the other day, researching a local craft show. That led me to read its reviews on Yelp. Then I started reading reviews for other craft shows in my city. And then I moved on to big craft shows outside of my city. I ended up scanning…
5 Reasons Craft Show Shoppers Skip your Booth
You’ll never attract every shopper at a craft show. And attempting to can do more harm than good. As Marie Forleo says: If you’re talking to everybody, you’re talking to nobody. You need to define your target market and focus on building a business and products for them. However, a few mistakes can repel even your…
5 Reasons Craft Show Shoppers are Asking You for Discounts
If you sell at enough craft shows, markets, and events, you’ll eventually run into shoppers who think your prices are too high. They’ll tell you they could make it themselves, get someone to make it cheaper, or find the item at the mall for less. Yet they still want the item and are asking for…