Crafts Fair Marketing – On-site ideas

Years ago, when I worked in fashion in Los Angeles, a co-worker at the May Company told a great story about a desperate ad campaign.

He’d had just a few hours to write a newspaper ad for the ugliest argyle socks ever made.

He wrote this headline: “You’ve never seen socks like these!”

The socks sold out the first day.

Obviously, one should never underestimate the power of a good headline… and the way that curiosity will attract people.

What’s among biggest hurdles at a large art show or crafts fair? Getting people to your booth… before they’ve spent all their money at other booths.

Bring a friend or hire someone to mingle in the crowd with half-sheet flyers that have a clever headline. It could be a direct steal from the argyle headline such as, “You’ve never seen yarn like this!”

That might be enough to bring customers to your booth. Or, you might want to add an extra incentive, offering them an extra freebie. Maybe you have a free, vintage knitting pattern for them. Or you offer free gift wrapping. Or… well, anything free is a good idea.

If you know a food vendor who’ll be working at that fair, maybe you can offer your shoppers a “10% off ” coupon for a large beverage from that vendor. Though that will send shoppers away from your booth, it may be enough to get them to your booth in the first place. Then, your challenge is to sell them something before they leave.

You might also ask the food vendor to give his or her customers a coupon good for something free or discounted at your booth, as well.

Curiosity is a powerful sales tool. Adding a freebie may not be necessary, but it can help.

The game at any art fair or crafts show is to attract shoppers to your booth before they’ve spent their money elsewhere, or bought from a competitor.

Advertise at the show, as well as before it. Be creative. After all, that’s what you do best!