So I did it and it was fun, and long, and an invaluable learning experience! In the summer, in anticipation of doing a craft fair, I did a lot of research to learn about what people like to see on a table and the biggest, most common piece of advice was LEVELS so that things are clearer and easily seen if there is more than one person looking at the table.
So we made a big table cloth and put boxes underneath in order to create this:
We also hung things from the front and used a Christmas tree in order to display my ornaments (which helped create more levels).
One of the additional perks of using the tree was that, since it’s fake, the branches bend and fold over to lock the ornament on the tree, which helped make the ornaments safer from touching, shopping hands (adult and children). I was told this was important when I polled etsy readers about craft fair table tips, as people are leery of fragile items (as was I, every time I watched people play with the ornaments!).
The fair was quiet, so there weren’t a ton of sales, but I was happy to have the experience and learned quite a bit from it.
Biggest things I took away from the experience:
- Other vendors are buyers, so play nice with them!
- Have something to do (like folding origami or knitting… to keep you busy during quiet times)
- Bring a friend or business buddy so that the work is shared and the experience easier
- Talk to other vendors to find out about their experiences in order to learn more about the process (pros/cons, which fairs were worthwhile and which weren’t)
- Fairs get you exposure AND give you the opportunity to get to know more people in your crafty community!
