I do not claim to have the perfect formula for succeeding in craft fairs. What I do have is a few years of experience in setting up your stall in these events, however, and today I will try and impart some of my knowledge, without resorting to revealing some trade secrets, of course.

My first tip is to look around your area and see if any fairs and festivals are scheduled to occur nearby. There’s the old fashioned way of doing this; keeping a lookout for posters, newspaper announcements, flyers and other promotional material. Fortunately, there’s a much easier way to go about this; go online and surf websites which list down any fairs and events that year. You can now pick out an event at your leisure.

List down the good events nearby, and get ready to do some talking afterwards. Contact the event organizers of the place and ask them about the kinks of the event. Inquire about the price of the space, and what comes with it. Most event organizers provide at least a table and a few chairs, but some don’t. Take it from me, it’s a lot less trouble to know beforehand, than panic later.

Another thing you shouldn’t neglect to ask the organizers is whether they’ll need a percentage of your sales or not. Be especially mindful of this if the booth itself feels really cheap to rent; they usually gain it back by taking a cut from your own income.

The most complicated task, of course, is selling. How you go about this will really depend on what product you have. My suggestion here is that you, or whoever is manning the booth during the vent, be passionate or at least interested in what you’re selling. I’ve seen hired sellers who miss out on sales, just because they’re lax and rather bored with what the owner’s selling.