Craft Fairs and helpful ideas

After countless hours researching craft fairs here are some great ideas to keep in mind as you get ready for your next craft fair.

Make sure you have a good little "survival kit". These are things that you should include: a small tool set, a first aid kit, a cell phone, extra batteries (for things like the kid's games and your cash register), snacks and drinks, a blanket and my all time favorite: the ever-so versatile duct tape!A few other things include glue or glue gun, hammer and nails, etc. to fix the crafts that didn’t survive the trip to the show and a roll of paper towels you never know when you or your customers might have an accident.

Other things that you need to remember to bring are plenty of busniess cards, any promo items, good signage, table cloths, pen and paper (write down new ideas), reciept pad or cash register and last but not least a good friend so you don't get board!

When it comes to inventory control this was one idea I came across... When we were big into the retail scene, we simply kept a hand-written log of sales as they occurred. At the end of the show, the list would be organized by the type of product sold and then the information would go into a simple database. This made inventory easy to track and we would always know what the best sellers were and what product lines needed to be filled before the next show.

Next how much money should you bring for change? Always a great question. Around $50 - $100 per day should be enough for an average sized show, when you are in your home town/area. If you are out-of town at a large show that will be lasting for several days, you will want to bring more. Remember that many people use $20 bills. And if someone wants you to provide change for a $100 bill, just ask them for something smaller, or to use a credit card if you accept them.

Always make sure to bring plenty of inventory. New and old. How much should you bring also depends on your show size. I am still looking for a good answer to this question, so if you have any ideas post them here and share with the rest.

I hope this helps you all as much as it has for me.