21 Tips For A Successful Craft Stall

Add lighting

When arriving at the venue you may find that there isn't much lighting - which isn't ideal when you're selling jewellery! Be prepared with your own lighting as this will attract more people as they will be able to see your handmade jewellery clearly and be mesmerised by all those sparkling gems. This could be a standing light, lights that can be clipped to your table or even string lights. You could also add fairy lights to your table, not only does it look inviting it will also improve how your designs look and make your stall welcoming.

Keep your brand in mind

Make sure that your stall layout is eye-catching and that it matches your branding. You want your overall stall layout to resemble your overall brand - if you were to walk up to your own stall would you instantly know it was your handmade jewellery being sold? This is your goal!

There are many ways to showcase your brand, such as having a hanging banner providing your business name, logo and any other useful information such as your website or social media handles. Have a pile of business cards on display too - making it more likely that a passersby will pick one up and visit your website or recommend your jewellery to a friend.

Packaging & special touches

You have a few options when it comes to packaging. You could present each piece already in their own box or have simple gift bags behind your table ready to pop your designs into. Always pop a business card in with your sales, as most people will forget your name and may want to check you out online. Why not go the extra mile and make some thank you notes that you can pop in their bag too? These special touches make all the difference to your customer.

Promote the event

It's brilliant that you are showcasing your jewellery but what if no one knows you are there? You can ask the event what promotion they are already doing and share their social media posts, post in the Facebook event and join in with the conversation online. Create a post on your own social media platforms about what craft fairs you will be attending, along with useful information such as times, prices and locations. Why not create your own imagery for events, adding that personal touch can grab people's attention. Word of mouth is also a powerful tool, so don't forget to tell your friends and family about where they can see you next.

Stand out from the crowd with your stall layout

This can be harder than you think! With so many beautiful craft stalls to compete with, it can be easy to get lost among the crowd. Think outside the box and experiment with the layout and design of your stall, this could be playing with height, adding texture, hanging fairy lights, colour or even a sweet bowl to get people over!

You probably won't get this right the first time and you will want to try new things with each event, but with every craft stall you go to you'll learn what works best with shoppers. Most of the time less is more, so make sure you have plenty of designs on display but not too much that it's a bit overwhelming for the customer. You want to be able to catch their eye and draw them in, rather than give them too much so they just keep on walking.

People are often attracted to symmetry as it looks organised and pleasing to the eye. Avoid the jumble sale look and place your designs neatly, with enough space between them. Having dimension and height to your stall is a great way to stand out, this can be achieved in a number of ways such as using hooks, wire trees, shoe racks, bookcases etc.

Be approachable and smile!

Have you ever been to a craft fair where the seller doesn't give you eye contact and looks pretty down in the dumps? This is a big turn off to customers. You don't want to be too pushy but a smile always works wonders. Make eye contact with people as they walk past and if they approach you, ask them how their day going rather than jumping in with a sales pitch.

Increase your email list

If you send newsletters this is a great chance to build your subscriber list with potential customers. You can either keep a little book for people to leave their email address or maybe provide a tablet that will store the information directly to your mailing list securely.

Take a mirror

How can you expect anyone to buy your jewellery if the customer doesn't know what it looks like on them! A mirror (the bigger the better) will give you a better chance of selling your jewellery and make the customers stick around at your stall for longer.

Wear your own jewellery

What better way to market your jewellery than wearing it yourself! Wear your most popular or unique pieces of jewellery - hopefully then you'll have a few people asking about them.

Take a camera

Always pack a camera for your events. You can take photos of your stall before the event starts and lots of behind the scenes shots. It's always great to look back on and see your progress, picking up on the areas you could improve on and get opinions of close family and friends.

Not only this, you can use your snaps to post on social media too - this is a great way to spread awareness of your jewellery and update people about the events you go to - you never know, after seeing your post, someone may want to visit you at the next craft fair.

Keep warm

Always bring extra clothing along with you to a craft stall, there's nothing worse than cold feet. We'd recommend a scarf, extra socks, thick boots, jacket and of course a flask of tea along with a few snacks to keep you fueled during the fair. Don't forget a chair too for when it gets quiet and you need some rest.

Take a notebook

Make notes! A notebook and pen will allow you to make notes about the craft fair, as well as a handy document to keep a list of the items you have sold.

Run a competition

Attract those walking past by offering them something they can't ignore. Everyone loves a competition, so why not run a little promotion alongside your stall to start a conversation. Maybe you'd like to give away a piece of jewellery or a gift voucher? This is a brilliant way to spread awareness of your business.

Take a DIY survival kit

Always pack extras or supplies that may help you during the day. Scissors, sellotape, string, pegs, blue tac, glue, pens, extra pricing labels, extra bags, bags, ring sizers... you name it! You could also bring an extra little table in case you have some more room for displays.

Use a card machine

You want to make as much money as possible and with a card machine, you will be able to maximise those sales. With a sign saying you accept card, this will attract more customers to your stall - especially those who are wanting to spend a little more.

Having a card machine makes it easy for your customer and will stop them claiming that they're running off to the ATM machine to never return... We would recommend doing your research into the best card machine for you and your business.

Don't forget your cash box and extra change too so you don't run into any problems.