Craft Guide - Selling Work at a Craft Fair

Before trying to sell your own work at a craft fair, visit a few shows. This will enable you to see the quality and range of the work being sold by others.

Use the advance search for craft fairs on this site to find a suitable event. Event organisers may have a strict policy of handmade goods only. If this is the case, you may need to supply an example of your work and or photographs of what you are intending to sell.

You will also be able to speak to exhibitors and decide the type of fairs which might be the best place for you to market and sell your products. Consideration should be given to the number of visitors to each fair, the costs involved in exhibiting your work there and the quantity of goods that you will have to sell in order to make a profit.

Whilst building up your business and developing your customer base, you should consider selling at a small number of fairs. By having a range of goods at various prices, you could sell larger numbers of less expensive items and a few more expensive items. Many people prefer to purchase goods using credit cards rather than cash or checks. Having a merchant account that enables you to take credit card payments will reduce the chance of you missing out on potential sales.

Setting up your stall at a craft fair can involve a lot of work and during a busy day you will probably want to take refreshment breaks. Consequently you should consider going with a friend or relative who can help you. Useful things to take with you include a calculator, stands on which to present your work, chairs to sit on and bags that your products can be carried home in. You should also take a sufficient quantity of your craft products with you for expected sales.

As well as selling your work at craft fairs, it is also an opportunity to speak to both existing and potential customers. If possible you should get business cards and contact details such as email addresses from people with which you could build mailing lists to let people know about new products and fairs that you will be attending. You should take marketing material with you that you can distribute to customers. Listening to feedback from people that you meet at fairs could help you to develop your product range to meet demand.

After each visit to a craft fair you should calculate how much profit you have made. By finding out which products earn you the most money, you can adjust your production accordingly. With experience you will be able to decide which fairs are the most profitable for you to attend and schedule them into your calendar. It is also worth considering how many sales you make as a result of your marketing efforts at each fair.

Over time you might find that demand for your work begins to exceed the quantity that you are able to produce on your own. You could then increase the price that you charge for your work until supply and demand reach a balance that you are comfortable with. Alternatively, if the nature of your work makes it a viable option, you could employ others to do some of the work. Whatever your decision, it is important that you maintain the quality of the work that you sell to a standard that your customers have come to expect.

Using the UK Craft Fairs site to promote your craft

This site has been designed with you the exhibitor in mind. You can find the craft fairs you need to attend and the craft suppiers you require. It is best to sign up as a member to make sure you have access to all the information you need.

Getting you business noticed

You can also promote your business with a regular listing, a members listing a bold listing or a dedicated craft web page. We would recommend the craft web page for exhibitors that really want to get noticed.