Getting Organized for a Craft Show

Hello World! You can find me on the web at www.mooremagnets.com

So, I am going to be in a craft show this Saturday, Arts on Easy Street in Salisbury, NC. I have been assigned to space number 2 - I don't think I have every been this close to the entrance before, so I think I need to be really organized and keep my space neat. So, here is what I am doing/have done in the past.

I have plastic see-through bins for products, tools, show props, supplies, and unfinished product to work on. I don't mix any of these items together anymore so that set up and take down are organized looking. I have found that this is very beneficial because shoppers and vendors (and vendors are shoppers too!) are watching so you want to look organized at all times.

I have table cloths that I made out of sheets (got a great deal on them at the outlet store on clearance) that reach the floor to cover all of the bins under the tables. I use PVC pipe and PVC clamps (I will try to take a picture this weekend) to hold the cloths down at the bottom - The wind is always a factor!

I pack my SUV (couldn't do this in the Honda!) so that I can fit as much product as possible. In fact, I have in the past left some of my booth set up at home so that I could have more product instead. I try to pack so that the items (like the tent and sandbags) are the first things out and last things in the car.

I have a separate card table that I use only for checkout and what I am working on so that I am not mixing unfinished with finished product. I forgot this table at my last show, and realized that this is essential to me a shows! I keep bags, a receipt book, and calculator in their own box (one that has a lid) so that I am not looking for these items every time I have a sale.

I display items so that people can touch the items and see the quality that goes into my work. I mix things up in the displays, as I have found that when I display like items together people don't see everything.

I have items that are from 50 cents up to $50 so that I have something for every price range. I can't tell you how many times I have covered my booth fee from only selling the 50 cent items!

I wear an apron with my logo on it, but I don't keep my $ in the apron pockets - I do keep business cards handy at all times!

Talk to people, smile, tell them how much I enjoy what I do!