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Your Craft Show Booth - How it can make you more money!
By Natalie Goyette
The requirements for your booth will be spelled out in your
contract for each show. This includes set up and break down
times and policies to which you must adhere. In order to avoid
having to have different displays for different shows, it makes
sense to create a moveable display that will work well in the
majority of situations¡ªboth for indoor and outdoor events. Even
if the promoter supplies a backdrop, a rug or tables, you can
bring your whole set-up and use it instead. Your display is your
portable store, and since it reflects you and your product, you
want it to be outstanding! A display that creates the best
presentation for your crafts can make a huge difference in how
well you sell your crafts.
Because you and your booth will be constant traveling
companions, make sure it's light yet sturdy, easily collapsible
and just as easy to erect. You need to be prepared for wind,
rain and bratty children running around knocking into display
poles! Your booth may continuously evolve, and it may take years
to find the best set up, only to find colors and trends
changing, or your products developing and the whole look of your
booth needing a facelift. As a creative person, have fun with
your booth and allow your skills as a craftsperson to spill over
into booth creation and display. If you need help with the
construction, ask male friends or family members for
assistance¡ªand ask female friends for help with display ideas.
(Or vice versa as the case may be.)
A professional display marks you as a professional and enhances
your products to promote optimum sales. Basically you want the
space to be comfortable for you and customers. You want it to be
inviting, making customers feel welcome enough to cross over the
threshold that separates the lookers from the buyers. It should
be comfortable for you too, as you will be in it for days on
end. It also needs to be attractive, yet well organized for a 10
X 10 space (or slightly larger in some cases). Use of colorful
signs, banners and accessories attract people and enhance your
craft items, hopefully encouraging visitors to pick them up.
Use colors that follow a theme or complement the predominant
colors or style of your products. Red, white and blue would be a
good theme for country items, while black and silver would be a
more contemporary look. Each craft style will dictate the best
overall look for your display. You also need to have an area for
doing business¡ªtaking money, wrapping and writing receipts¡ªas
well as a space for storage. If that sounds like a tall order,
it is! That's why it may take a while to get it right. Observe
other booths and record what you like and don't like. Then take
the best of the best and incorporate those ideas into your booth.
The entrance to the booth is critical. It's the make or break
point for drawing a potential customer in. Experiment until you
find the best mix of color, signage, banners, spacing and
product display that works best to get people in "the door."
Booth openings should be wide enough to allow several people in,
and you should never stand out front or in the entry obstructing
the flow. Have your bestsellers, lowest priced or most striking
products closest to the entrance so you can optimize the five
seconds you have to capture the potential buyer's attention!
Your booth sets a mood that is immediately picked up by shoppers
passing by. Make sure it sets the right mood to interest people
in stopping to take a look at your amazing crafts. Have the
products in as natural setting as possible, that is, if you have
home d¨¦cor items, create a homey environment. If you create
baskets, fill them with what people would naturally fill them
with¡ªand vary this throughout the year based on seasons and
holidays. If you produce jewelry items, have earrings and
necklaces on mannequins to see how they would look, and have
plenty of mirrors for customers to try things on.
Display objects at eye level or slightly higher, but not on the
ground. Have multiple levels of display for greater visual
appeal. Hanging products should not obstruct views or be a
hazard to a customer walking through your space. Place your
crafts so they are easily accessible and so customers will feel
comfortable picking them up¡ªand not afraid they will break
something or mess up a "perfect" display. Statistics reveal
people are four times more likely to make a purchase when they
have touched the item.
Booth design, product display and merchandising must all be
carefully planned out as part of your overall sales strategy.
Once you commit to taking your craft from pastime to profits,
you become a professional businessperson and creating a quality
booth and stunning display will be worth the effort in increased
profits.
About the Author
Natalie Goyette shows you how to make your craft show business profitable in her best-selling e-book: Craft Show Success Secrets
Visit her site at http://www.craftshowsuccess.com
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