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Selling at Craft ShowsSelling at Craft Shows, is one of the easier ways to get started.. especially if you like meeting the public!
Start by checking out your local newspaper for ads on coming up shows, or check at local craft supply places, and ask around.. word of mouth is one of the best ways to find out! Or here is a great ebook of the Festivals, fairs and shows in the USA and Canada for this year. Fairs and Festivals in the USA and Canada!
A word of caution here... the most expensive craft show does NOT guarantee sales!.. I made this mistake once.. I was doing well at local bazaars and fairs, so decided to pay the extra money for a bigger spot in a classy hotel that was having a show. The hotel made money that weekend.. not me!!.. it all depends on what you sell, if you need to sell to a higher volume of people hopefully with a pocketful of money, this may work for you.. but I found there were a lot of lookers, and ooohs and ahhhs but not that many sales.. I also discovered at shows such as these, you need to have insurance, and its best to be able to take credit cards.. so maybe try these types of shows later when you have had more experience with the type of audience you need for your creations. This is also where your word of mouth comes into play... ask other vendors during quiet moments, which shows they liked the best and where. You will then need to decide how far you are willing to travel for a craft show, you will need to take these expenses into consideration when making your crafts to sell, as to how much you will need to make to cover expenses and still make a profit!
If after a few local shows, you feel confident to move up to a bigger show, make sure your paperwork is in order.. Business name, flyers, business cards, look professional!
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