As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I'm a new member of the Prim Talk Radio show. I thought it would be great to post my segment here for you to read over and jot down notes from. Here's my segment from today's show. If you have any questions or comments please, feel free to contact me.
Enjoy!
HEATHER
GETTING YOUR BOOTH READY FOR THE UPCOMING CRAFT SHOW SEASON
by Heather of Cotton Picken Prims
Hi everyone! I’m Heather, owner of Cotton Picken Prims.com (www.cottonpickenprims.com) I’m so happy to be a new addition to the Prim Talk Radio staff.
With all the heat and humidity we’ve been experiencing lately, its hard to think about the busy fall craft show season fast approaching. I know I have been filling out my applications and reserving my spots already.
This week I’d like to give some helpful tips on your craft show booth setups.
Your craft show booth is one of the your most important marketing tools in selling your wares. It’s what gives people their first impression of you and your crafts. You must find a way in just a few short seconds, to get the attention of a potential customer and draw them into your booth instead of passing you by.
When thinking of your craft show booth set up you must decide what will draw your customer’s attention to you.
First item I suggest is a sign with your company name displayed at the entrance of your booth. I have a 1x6 board painted and stenciled with my company name on it and on the back of it, I had my hubby attach a few closed hooks for hanging. I have a popup style tent display I use and I attach the sign to that with good old pipe cleaners. It is up high enough so everyone sees it but no one bumps their heads on it.
Signs for prices are also important too. I tend not to purchase in a booth if I have to continuously ask, how much is this or how much is that. Most of us have a computer and some sort of Print Shop type software. Take some card stock and design a nice looking price tag for your items. Usually, I’ll add a cute little graphic on the front with a spot for a price to be added in on the bottom. On the back I put my contact information. I make sure that my contact information does not print on the back side of the price part just in case my item is a gift and the customer wants to cut off the price section before giving it.
Be careful with your signage. Make them concise, easy to read and understand. Always check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Avoid hand written signs if you can. Be creative with computer software, rubber stamps, stencils, etc.
When planning out your booth plan for easy traffic flow. You want your customers to enter and walk through your booth in a simple and easy flow pattern. It’s always wise to have an enter and exit type design to your booth. If people cannot easily flow through your booth, they will move on. Remember to plan for baby strollers, walkers and wheelchairs. You’d hate for someone to get caught up in your display and it comes crashing down like a house of cards. Always try to place your checkout at the exit of your display as it saves confusion and disruption with traffic flow. I like a simple U shape plan.
Show how your craft is used. We know what our products are used for because we make them. Sometimes it’s not so easily understood by others. For example, let’s say you make glass jar lights. Light a couple up so your visitors see what they are and how they work. If you make soaps or lotions have samples on display so your customers can feel and smell the great product you make. I don’t recommend if you make candles lighting one as that has a potential safety issue, but if you make wax dipped critters, have one open on display for customers to feel and smell.
Displays with themes help your customers visualize where they can place your product in their home or garden. Seasonal displays allow you to change with the seasons. You can also center your display around home décor settings. For example if you sew primitive dolls, you can display a few dolls in a small child’s chair or a small wagon. Remember to display your products at various heights too. Don’t be afraid to experiment, even if you have to tinker with your display in your backyard, taking notes, sketches and pictures as you go along. This will come in handy for reference when show time rolls around and you are setting up your booth. Make a little scrapbook and bring that with you on your booth set up. Be careful your products don’t get lost in your displays. Always make sure that what’s for sale is clearly marked.
Lighting, an important selling feature for your booth and product displays. I’ve found over the years people are attracted to three things, lights, smells and free items! I’m not suggesting you be lit up like the strip in Las Vegas but adding some lighting to your display will help you and your products stand out above the rest. Booths selling jewelry are usually set up with bright lighting so that everything glimmers and sparkles. Bath and Body displays usually are set up with a softer light to create a feeling of soothing and relaxation. There are all sorts of lights available nowadays. Clip on lights, can be used to direct attention to a particular product or display. Rope or Flourescent lighting are perfect for shelving or display cases. Rope lighting or Neon lighting can even be used as props in your display. Try to avoid shadows with your lighting. Again don’t be afraid to experiment with lighting and your booth set up.
A well organized and clean booth and product displays suggest to your customers that you care about your products. A good booth set up shows that you have taken the time to prepare for the show as well as your customers. Make sure your display is well stocked but not too cluttered. Sometimes cluttered can look messy. If you have too many bare spots, customers may think you don’t have much stock left and will move on. Although, having bare spots left in your displays at the end of a craft show means you’ve had a successful day selling your wares. Make sure to label your packing boxes so you can easily find your stock if you need to replenish displays or if a customer is looking for a specific size or colour.
And last but not least, make sure you are well groomed and dressed for you booth. Wear a name tag, greet your customers with a warm smile and a welcoming hello upon their entering your booth and a have a great day upon their exiting. Remember to say Thank you when handing over a customer’s purchase to them. You want them to have a nice experience visiting your booth. If you take the time to plan and organize your booth set up, I can guarantee you will have plenty of sales and many repeat customers from year to year.
I hope you have enjoyed these helpful tips and tricks on your craft show booth setup and displays. If you have any questions or suggestions, please stop by my website, Cotton Picken Prims.com (www.cottonpickenprims.com) and click on the contact us button. Be sure to check out my Christmas in July special. Buy 2 patterns receive one free. Plus there are free doodles and patterns listed as well.
Be sure to visit Prim Talk Radio next week, when I’ll be giving more tips and tricks to a successful craft show season. Till next week, have a great week everyone!
