Craft Shows & Fairs

This week Kara would like to share her experience and observations from an event over the weekend. Enjoy!

Craft Shows & Fairs

It's a good thing I started feeling better over the weekend, as we had a table at a craft show Saturday and Sunday with Prairie Soy Candles. What an event! We were lucky to get one of the last spots, and it was definately a profitable 2 days for my mother and I.

More importantly that covering the costs of this $100 table, we managed to hand out around 70 brochures to interested candle lovers in our local area. The show couldn't have been at a better time, since everyone was just starting to think about Christmas presents and planning ahead. Handing out brochures instead of business cards was a good choice, as the cost wasn't much more but gave more information.

Our desplay was simple, but still grabbed attention. We set out 2 unique products that made people take a second look at our table, and stop to buy. Candles are an interesting product, as they may not call much attention as other products would, but once picked up and smelled are sold. So the first thing we did was set out a lit candle, something flashy, to pull them over to our table and encourage them to take a closer look.

There were other flashy displays and fancy racks showing off products at other tables, but we noticed these didn't do as well. This was because the items used to show off the products actually took away from the product itself. It was display overkill, mostly. Two tables down there was another soy candle vendor, and on the second day of the show he sold $20 in products. We sold well over $100. Quite a difference for the same product in the same area!

Our biggest sellers wasn't what we expected - tealights! We didn't have a sale really, but instead offered customers to pick out 10 tealights of their choice for a set price. The idea was to get the customer to sample our product before purchasing a larger candle. Of course with every purchase a brochure was placed in their bag for reorders. $60 was made from tealights alone, and around $20 from melts. We've discovered from past shows tart warmers aren't exactly well known around here just yet.

Breaking it down simply, here's what we learned from our show:

- Show off your best products
Have an eye catching product? Don't leave it at home! They may not sell, but they'll bring more to your table. Make sure what you are showing off is an item you sell, and not just a prop.

- Keep your table simple
Flashy lights, decorations, and tons of shelves are not needed. Keep your focus on your products.

- Talk to your customers
While walking around we noticed not a lot of vendors were talking with their customer and encouraging them to buy. You don't have to be pushy, but ask them what they are looking for. You might have what they want, but they may not see it right away!

- Offer samples, or samples packs for sale
If you have a low cost sample pack or something under $10 that people can try, you have a better chance of building a solid customer base. Sell the small items first, and the bigger items later down the road.

- Have nice brochures
This is something free they can take home to look at later, so you want to make sure it outlines your business and products well. If your company brochures are expensive, design simple ones at home to print and take to your show. Keep the company brochures to include with orders.

- Invest in signs
One item we did not have at this show, but wished we would have. Many of the vendors did not have signs, and at a glance you may not know exactly what type of product it was. Having a large sign with your business name also helps customers remember who you are and what business you are with.

- Smile!
More than just interacting with your customers, be friendly as well. A smile can go a long way!


If you haven't booked your spots for November and December shows, it may be too late. It never hurts to check though, and you may be able to get a good spot if a vendor cancels. Good luck!