Get Ready For An Arts And Crafts Fair
If you love to make things, you should consider participating in an arts and crafts fair.
Here are 6 things to think about as you plan for your next arts and crafts fair
Decide what your craft fair participation goals are. Do you want to make a profit? Do you want to break even, just pay for your supplies? Do you just want to do it for fun and you aren’t concerned about money at all? Why do you want to participate in a craft fair? The answer to this question will help you decide which craft fairs to participate in, and what to sell.
Plan what you will make. Think about what you want to spend time producing. What do you love to make? If you love to make a number of different things, pick the one or two you like best. Too much variety will scare people away. For example if you love to sew, you might pick aprons. You can make different apron styles, but you probably don’t want to do aprons, and quilts, and home made donuts. What do you want to be known for?
Develop a system to keep track of your materials costs and your time. You can use a spread sheet or notebook or whatever works for you. Knowing what your costs are helps you price your items.
Price your items to sell. People who go to craft fairs are looking for handmade items that won’t break the bank. If you make something that costs too much to produce, you will have to charge more than most of the other vendors, which could result in fewer sales.
Choose your arts and craft fairs early because you need to be ready to sign up as soon as they start taking entries, they fill up fast. Choose your fairs based on the entry fee. Entry fees vary based upon the venue. Larger, event arts and crafts fairs charge more than small community fairs. When planning which craft fairs to participate in, think about your products. How many do you have to make and sell to pay the entry fee? How many do you have to make to participate? Larger events may have an application form too. You might have to qualify to participate in the larger more expensive fairs. Larger arts and crafts fairs will have more participants but they will also have many more vendors, so you many not have many more sales. Small community fairs are a good place to start. The entry fee is generally minimal and there aren’t as many vendors. People buy more when they aren’t overwhelmed too.
Start building your inventory early. If you decide to do a craft fair be sure to start making your items months in advance. If you wait too long, you will be crabby from staying up for long hours into the night trying to get your inventory ready. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t sell everything you make at your first arts and crafts fair, this is your inventory. The more you have in inventory, the less you have to make for your next fair. There are craft fairs throughout the year and you can participate in these events without having to make too many more items if you have some inventory from your last fair.
Think about what you love to make, what you have time to make, what doesn’t cost too much to make, and where you want to sell you items. Arts and craft fairs are fun so give it a try.