Overview If you're anything like me, you have a love/hate with markets. They can be so great for business, but oomph they take a lot of time + energy to set up, and can I just say #introvert? I wish I could swing by each of your tables with a pumpkin spice latte + a high five, but alas. I did however, gather some of my go-to items, tips, and inspo. Hopefully you find a nugget or two in here to add to your current process. Either way, wishing you all the best at your markets! View this post on Instagram All packed + ready to Renegade ➰📦🙌🏻 Can't wait to meet so many of you. I'll be in that top knot! ... Sat + Sun • 11-6 Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W 18th St, New York NY @renegadecraft A post shared by DeBrosse™ (@debrosse_nyc) on Nov 11, 2016 at 12:01pm PST Create varying heights Your table should look good both close up and far away. Close up is easy, but the trick to catching eyes from far away is to create height. Instead of laying everything flat on a table: Add cute floor level storage bins and have knits "overflowing" out of them. Utilize a chair to create a medium height. Throw a cute blanket or faux fur over it, and then stack it with a few knits. On top of your table, flip cute boxes sideways or upside down, and stack knits and signage on top. Add shelves or a clothing rack to create substantial height and begin to enclose your space a bit from your neighbor. To give you a better idea as to how all these items work together, I pulled together some of my favorite pieces of varying scale. shop curated list Leverage the mirror Increase your customer's confidence by allowing them to see your knitwear on them. They'll almost always ask for one, so it's better to be prepared. I recommend a full-length, standalone mirror. Add something cozy Tis the season to be cozy, right? Add a faux fur sheepskin rug somewhere in your booth to soften up the harsh lines of tables, boxes, and poles. A fur can also compliment the texture of knits, creating an uber-cozy space that inspires buyers. You can drape it over a chair and then stack knits on it, place it under your standing mirror like an accent rug, or lay it across a table and style other items on top of it. Answer questions before they have to ask At my first big market, I felt like every time I turned around I was answering one of the following two questions: "How much is this?" "What is this made of?" I vowed that I wouldn't do a market again without having that information printed next to each product, so I made cute little tags. I use the tiny log version to place next to tabletop items (hats, headbands, etc.), and the flat wood version to hang on the clothing rack alongside hanging items (scarves, sweaters, etc.). Craft Fair Sign Template This tiny sign *template* is a market-must-have. Customers always want to know price and materials, and these tiny signs will do all the communicating for you. This template allows you to beautifully format your signage in minutes. Simply update with your content, print, and cut. Place signage in tiny wooden log, or hang on clothes rack. access now Password: DDMS Don't hover People prefer to shop without feeling like they are being watched. Plan to bring a project or two to keep your hands and eyes busy. Not only will it allow your customers to shop pressure-free, but it will also make customers more interested in your work. As makers, we're so familiar with the making process that it loses some of it's fascination, but to non-makers it can be totally mesmerizing. Let them see how fast you are, how careful you are, and how much time and effort goes into each piece. Focus on lower priced items It always comes as a shock to me, but what sells best online is typically not what sells best in person. I've found that a ~$30 pricepoint has the greatest conversion at markets. Year over year, no matter the color, these are my top-selling pieces: Pattern: Roseaux Pattern: Savante Build inventory with quicker items You can only sell what you bring, so if you're scrambling to increase your inventory, focus on items you can make quickly: like blanket scarves. I've included my complete DIY blanket scarf tutorial over here. (They get their own module because I am that serious about you selling them.) Display helpful signage Who are you? What do you sell? How much is it? What is unique about your business? Create thoughtful signage to help invite the customer in, answer their questions, and show a little personality. Shop the original Letterfolk collection. Prioritize Square I know there's a real impulse to go cash only, but if you're selling on Etsy, you can boost the strength of your listings by running all orders through the app (via Square). I know, I know, fees. But, when Etsy's algorithm notices that an item is popular (ie. something selling over and over in a single day at your market), it boosts that item in all search results. Let your craft fair sales boost your online sales. And cash is fine too of course, because sometimes people go out of their way to make sure that small business owners don't have to pay a penny to anyone else, and we're super grateful for those folks too.
