Here are a couple of things I bought from some local craft fairs I went to this weekend. ↑ Almond Rose body butter and a pretty beaded bracelet from this “psychic fair” I attended.
Honestly though, I’m not here to talk about what I bought.
In theory, craft fairs are an amazing concept. You have a chance to sell your products while promoting yourself and the things you make. You get the exposure and a way to connect with your customers. All in all, it seems like such a good deal.
But, can we talk about how awkward they are?
This past weekend, I wanted to go out and feel like a local by checking out local craft fairs. Saturday I went to three, and Sunday I went to one, and I concluded that I really don’t feel comfortable attending them.
01. It always comes down to how much these craft fairs are advertised, but most of the time there’s never a big turnout, at least from what I’ve always witnessed. If there’s a small turnout, you have to think how to make some sales to first pay off the table, which you spent a lot of money on just to participate in, and then hopefully make some more sales so you can exceed the point where you “break even”.
02. Obviously, if you’re the vendor, there’s also a chance you won’t appeal to a lot of people. There were some tables I skimmed through because what they were offering didn’t really scream “come look at me”, which is a shame because I’d love to give everyone attention. But with that attention is a false hope that you’ll purchase an item, and from the vendor’s perspective, which I have experienced, it sucks when people don’t follow through.
03. It’s the awkward interactions with potential customers that is a big test. You don’t want to ignore people browsing your items, but you don’t want to hover, and you most definitely don’t want to oversell your products because people can tell when you’re trying too hard and it’s such a turnoff. Figuring out the right amount of interaction is a challenge because you most definitely don’t want to chase people away.
Maybe I’m thinking too much into this, but the reason why I’m giving this so much attention is because I was asked by a family friend if I would like to be a vendor in her upcoming event. I’m lucky to say that she is kind enough to not charge me for the table space, so anything I would be selling is money straight into my pocket. I mostly attended these craft fairs for research, but instead it just made me sad thinking about all them vendor’s puppy dog eyes when I walked right past their tables. It’s a rough crowd you’re working with when you work at a craft fair, but I think it’s different when you’re a vendor working at an event where attendees have to pay to get in. I worked another event like that over a year ago and I think you have better chances at sales when the people in the event are kinda stuck with you. Craft fairs – people come and go, and you’re not surrounded by an audience that will linger. I much more prefer the event because there’s an opportunity to build rapport with the attendees. Conversations are easier, and I think people will actually give you the time of day.
In general though, being a vendor is tough. I always find the first move to be the toughest – convincing yourself to reserve a table for a fair or event in which you have NO idea what the outcome will be, or what kind of crowd will be drawn in. There have been so many times I’d see events offering space for vendors to apply, but I can’t ever bring myself to join. It’s gutsy.
Because I never have enough guts to make that first move, I’m still a newbie with craft events. I keep telling myself that I’d like to participate in more, but this weekend just confirmed that I may not want to join many in the future. Or at least I should really pick and choose. Maybe it’s just the first few that you have to get through; I’m sure it gets easier as you work more. I give people a whole lot of credit that have the guts to lay their handmade products out often for people to buy or not buy. Like I said, you’re working with a tough crowd.
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