Craft Show Tips - Variety is Key

With the spring show season kicking off soon, I thought I'd share a few thoughts I put together last year during the holiday show season. I have my first spring show coming up in just a couple weeks, so my brain is in high gear getting ready!

Product Variety

Twice now I have been near a booth that sold only one item. They had a variety of that one thing, but it was still just one item. The first girl had decorated glass blocks and the other group had bricks with fabric around them to look like little couches for door stops.

When a customer walks by your booth, they see what you have and they are either interested or not. When you only have one item, they are more likely to walk on by.

You need a variety of different items to draw your buyers in. If one item doesn't catch their eye right away, the next item might. And that gets them to stop at your booth and see all the other items you have.

 

Don't Forget the Men

Variety also applies to the people you are targeting. Does your booth mainly attract women? What about adding a few items for the guys. I was surprised by the number of men at craft shows last year. They are big fans of my beer mugs and flasks :) In a sea of items for women, it's a good idea to have something for the guys as well. Maybe the husband stops at your booth, his wife will stop too...a chance to make a double sale :)

 Add a Variety of Price Points

Along with only having one item, having a narrow pricing system can be a problem as well. If you only sell high-end jewelry, you will be cutting your market to less than half the buyers. I'm by no means saying to devalue your work or under-price your items. But adding items that take less time or smaller stones might appeal to shoppers on a tighter budget as well.

I try to keep all my items within gift-giving range. I find that most shoppers (especially in the fall) are buying for gifts, rather than themselves. Some are looking for a big gift for a loved one and will spend a little more. And others are looking for stocking stuffers or that one last piece to finish a gift basket. Having something for all these shoppers may make your show a bigger success.

There are tons of tips for having a successful show, but today I wanted to focus on variety as I feel it has helped me continue to do well at my shows. I hope it helps you too :)