First off, I apologize for not being here more during the summer! With school starting back next week, things are finally settling down and a routine is back in order! Hooray! Crissy, you rock girl! What an amazing job you have done with posting! And what a treasure trove of information you have given! You are a true goldmine in the industry.
Now, let’s talk about that 1st impression with setting up a booth at a craft fair! We all know the saying, “You never get a 2nd chance to make a good 1st impression”, right? Well, it rings true in selling as well! First of all, if you follow some of these same checklist items as mentioned in the “What to Bring With You” post, you’re already half-way there because you are ORGANIZED. Have your booth set up well in advance before the show begins. That way you are not scrambling at the last minute while customers are now beginning to just walk on by.
Keep your prices clearly marked. Remember my “car sales” approach? Trust me, customers want to see the price immediately and not have to guess what the price would be because some will simply just not inquire.
If possible, you may want to consider making some of your items right in front of the customers. If you are selling jewelry for example, demonstrate the process you go through to make a particular piece. This method can work in many different areas of crafting and others may truly enjoy watching! And just think, you’ll be able to get something done at the same time! But be careful not to ignore the customer while working on your project. Be flexible enough to set it aside to answer questions, visit with the customer, and showcase some of your best-sellers.
Be positive! There is no doubt that you will get some who may come into your booth and you may hear whisperings of comments such as, “Ooh…I bet I could make that myself…” or “That’s nice, but she’s asking WAY too much for it. I could get that cheaper here….” Keeping positive and upbeat will create such a great feeling in that booth and both you and the customer wins when you can maintain a pleasant and courteous demeanor….no matter what. Be a professional- you will always, always get the “nay-sayers” but more often than not, you will find customers who are just excited to be a part of this whole experience and they will appreciate the extra effort you go to in being genuine in your approach to each of them. And smile!
Cover tables with floor-length tablecloths. This makes great storage space for your extra items and keeps the booth area look nice and neat. A solid color works best so it does not distract from your hand-made items.
Dress professionally. As mentioned before, you are a professional. Wear comfortable shoes. If you have a company name on a shirt or jacket, wear it! If not, just keeping a modest and higher end casual style in your clothing choices will make you feel even more confident and approachable.
*What other tips might you have for making a great 1st impression? What has been you experience in implementing the suggestions mentioned in this post?
FREE 21-Page Internet Business Idea Guide
Enter your name and email below and we’ll send you our unique 21-page guide chock full of Internet business ideas – for free! Your information will be kept private, of course.
Kris is a fun and crafty mom of four. She expresses her creativity as the owner of Jesse Kate Designs, a sewing pattern and machine embroidery brand. Kris also stays busy as the site manager of 
Crissy is the founder of 
Lisa is a generally content (who said generally - don't get her started!) 30 something living in London, who amongst other things sells everything you might need to make unique and lovely handmade handbags at home from her online store 
Always say ‘hello’ to customers! This seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve seen so many vendors ignore their customers because they don’t want to bother them.
I usually greet everyone with ‘Hi, how are you?’ and let them browse. If they linger, I might add, ‘let me know if you have any questions.’ The key is to not jump them, but let them know you’re available and approachable.
This is wonderful! I know so many people getting ready for their 1st craft fair. I’ll be linking.
Another thing to remember is not to stick yourself into a corner to read a book, smoke a cigarette, or otherwise not paying attention to whoever walks by or walks into your booth. It just makes you look unfriendly. Always be doing something, restocking, cleaning, writing notes, something active so that you look busy, but not too busy if the customer has a question.
And remain standing for as long as you’re able. I’ve found that it really freaks people out when I get out of my chair when they enter my booth. They’ll either say “Oh, don’t get up, I’m just looking”, or they’ll back out of my booth. If you remain standing, it’s an easy matter to go over and calmly greet the customer without making it look let you’re making a great effort. Plus, it’s a great all day calorie burner!
I have sold at Craft Shows and Fairs for a long time and I agree with you 100%. Way too many people (especially when not selling that day) are sour and not friendly and it drives customers away.
The other big gripe of mine is eating at your booth. If at all possible find another place to eat your lunch.
Even with two people in the booth, as soon as you take one bite of food, someone will have a question and then you have to put it all down and try to swallow fast. (usually the question is for you, and not the other person!)
Water and soda in the booth is okay if it is away from the main tables.
Another thing is to smile, smile, smile, and mean it!
One more….Don’t gossip with the other person in your booth. Keep it business as much as you can.