Tips For Selling at Craft Shows

About the only thing I enjoy more than creatingfly, based on the type of audience, the size of
my bead jewelry at home is selling my beadthe crowd and whether or not I really want to
jewelry at local craft shows and fairs! I'vesell the piece. And, yes, my prices sometimes
attended hundreds of craft shows and partipatedchange throughout the day. Some people come
in fair number myself. I am always dismayed,to craft shows expecting to haggle, so it's
however, to see beautiful jewelry and pieces thatsometimes wise to quote a price a few dollars
don't sell at shows simply because the artisanmore than you might normally ask so you have
forgot some very basic rules of working at craftsome bargaining room. Though you may be
shows.Here are some of the helpful pieces ofuncomfortable with this at first, I find it to be
advice and tips I can offer to the beginner beadvery helpful. I can't tell how you many pieces I've
jewelry artist and anyone else who is just startingsold only after talking with the customer and
out selling to craft shows:1. Know Your Audience:chatting about the price. One of my favorite
Try to get a sense of what sort of crowd youmethods is to sell a pair of earrings with a beaded
are going to encounter at your upcoming craftbracelet for only a few dollars more. The
show and cater your inventory to that crowd.customer likes getting a "bundled" deal and I like
While visiting the show each year is the best wayselling two pieces and making a little extra profit.4.
to learn this, there are other methods you canAccept Checks and Credit Cards: Cash is
use. Is the town where the craft show being heldobviously preferred, but checks are easy to
largely upper class or middle class? You mightaccept. In all my years of going to craft shows
want to adjust your pricing accordingly. Are theI've never been cheated by someone bouncing
customers going to be children or older people? Ifchecks. Many people bring cash to craft shows,
the craft show is near or in a school I almostbut sometimes there are just so many great
always bring along a few "Kid Displays" where Ithings that by the time the person gets to your
place all my small plastic bead jewelry. I've hadbooth she might not have anything left! Credit
more than one child drag her parents over to myCards are a little trickier. If you're going to verify
table to see the pieces I put out especially forthe credit card then you'll need an electric source
them. If you're going to be showing in or around aand a telephone connection of some sort. A lot of
nursing home you might want to considerpeople, myself included, will often just use a
changing your inventory. Older customers lovemanual credit card swiper with carbon paper. No
beaded eyeglass chains, bracelets with large, easyelectricity is needed, you just enter the numbers
clasps and "smoother" beads that aren't sharp oninto your computer or electronic machine when
when laying against bare skin.2. Use Businessyou get home. To accept credit cards you'll
Cards: Every time I sell a piece of jewelry at aprobably need a merchants account and I've
craft show I package it in a neat little bag withfound that most local banks can help you out or
my business card inside. I do this because evenpoint you in the right direction. It really isn't very
though I already sold a piece of jewelry, I oftenexpensive to do. I set up my first account and
have people contacting me weeks, months andbought my manual swiper and carbons for less
even years later to see if they can order thethan $50.Selling your bead jewelry at craft shows
same or similar pieces for friends and relatives. Iis an amazingly fulfilling experience and a great
also list my website on the cards to people canego booster, not to mention a fun way to make
browse and by my items in the comfort of theirsome extra money. Following these basic tips will
own home!3. Be Flexible with Pricing: This alsohelp you sell more jewelry and have fun at the
goes back to knowing your audience. I generallysame time!Laura Kay runs a Bead Jewelry
do not put price tags on any of my pieces. ThisResources Blog that highlights bead jewelry
way people need to ask about pricing and I canresources, supplies, artisans, design ideas and
adjust my price up and down a few dollars on themore!