# First Craft show questions



## blackmage77 (Nov 26, 2011)

I will be doing my first craft show this coming saturday after a couple of month of debating whether to do it or not. I will be offering for sale hand turned pens and bottle stoppers with a few other oddities that have sold well at work. My question is how much change should I bring to the craft show? Its a small local show so I dont forsee any more then a few hundred people on and off for the whole day. The show runs from 10 to 4 so its a whole day affair. The prices I plan on putting up range from $10 to $35… all in whole dollar amounts. Also what number of bills should I bring to the show for change? Should I bring more 5s then 10s with a mix of 20s? Just curious on how some of you make change at a craft show. Also do you set up some type of ordering system if you run out of products or just take down names and numbers for future referance. I use facebook to show case some of my work. I have business cards to place out for the show as well so that will help.

Thanks for reading and any imput would be a great help

Stan Haynes


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I do shows similar to yours every month and I take with me $50 in ones and $50 in fives for change. I also take five twenty's in my wallet in case someone needs change for a one hundred dollar bill. This happens often.


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## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

Bring more than you need - you don't want to turn a sale down for lack of change. It seems people are always using twenties these days, I would base my decision on that. It wouldn't hurt to have someone, like your wife, "on call" if you need an emergency replenishment, that you can call.

Good luck, I hope you sell out!


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

I agree with Jim Finn above. I bring $60 in ones, $100 in fives, $150 in tens and $100 in twenties. My opinion is that if I don't need it all, at least the extra money won't go to waste.

I realize that time is short right now, but if you have a smart phone, consider setting up an account with Square so that you can accept credit cards. This will help increase sales. their website is squareup.com. I have also seen where Paypal and others are getting into the smart phone charge business. I personally use Square.

Can you rpint some of the pictures from your facebook page and have there to show people what you have done? Might lead to some custom orders.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have a credit card machine and I have signs that read "credit cards accepted, no checks." My credit card machine is just like the ones you see in small restaurants where you pay on the way out. I get a signed ticket and the customer gets a printed receipt with my name and address on it. This machine cost me about what a good smart phone costs but the monthly fees are about 1/2 and the % deducted is less than the "square" phone set up. My credit sales vary from 25% to 50% of sales.


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

How did your show go?


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I hope your show was better than mine. I had the worst show I have ever had in 5 years. I sold 1/2 of my usual amount. Win some loose some.


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## Dusty2004 (Jun 11, 2012)

@Jim:

What do you sell at your booth? Was it a show you went to last year to compare year to year sales? Was your booth in a good location?

Thanks

Dusty


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I sell cedar jewelery boxes with inlayed imaged on the lids. Also some intarsia , signs with scrolled lettering, and tome toys. I do this sale almost every month for the last 3 years. There must have been another event going on in town because the turn out was weak this time.


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## blackmage77 (Nov 26, 2011)

Thanks for the replys…. sorry for the slow response been busy catching up in the shop at home and at work. It rained most of the day last Saturday so had a smaller turn out… it did clear up in the afternoon so a few people came out. Sold a few items to turn over a profit so cant complain to bad for my first show. Did get a few new contacts for another show later this year. Have a lady taking my wine stoppers to a wine tasting in July.

Had a lot of people look at my items and say how nice they were. I did talk to a lady asking her how well do these shows do for her. She told me if its closer to the holidays she does very well. So looking for a craft show later in the year to sell pens, scopes, and now YO-YO's.

Is there a way to find out the list of craft shows in the upstate NY area? Or a way to find list of shows state wide depending on the state not just NY?

Thanks again for the replys and the feedback.


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## jcsterling (Aug 1, 2008)

to find shows close to you go to zapplication.com and search for shows using whatever criteria you wish (month, state, deadline) you can also look at juriedartservices.com , art fair sourcebook ,or sunshine artist.


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## darinS (Jul 20, 2010)

Here are a few links that may or may not help.

http://www.artscraftsshowbusiness.com/default.aspx

http://www.fairsandfestivals.net

No guarantees with these, I do not sell at craft fairs. You may also need to sign up to get a lot of details. I usually use it just to see what's coming up.


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

A website that I have found very helpful is Festival Network Online.com. I think their website is fno.com.

Their database is very strong with many ways of looking at the information and breakdowns by state, time, type, music, attendance. Have found quite a few good shows through them that my friends didn't know about.


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## blackmage77 (Nov 26, 2011)

AWESOME thanks for the information…. I have sold most of my stuff through word of mouth and relatives but after this show I want MORE …Its just the enjoyment of knowing someone out there in western NY is using one of my wine stoppers 

Again thanks for the replys

Stan Haynes


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

Watch out!! Making money can be addicting! Have fun!

I started as a hobby and now I have been full time for over 10 years. 
And is the most fun I have ever had, so much so, that it really isn't going to work when I go to the shop.


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