ADVICE FOR NEW STALLHOLDERS

1)          Love what you do. There will be lows and highs so you need to enjoy the time you spend on your projects.

2)          Get feedback from family and friends about your work. Don’t belittle your creative skills or, at the other extreme, be too proud. Try to take on board the compliments as well as constructive criticism; ignore the grumps.

3)          Decide where you want to sell. On-line shops are lots of work to set up, so we would suggest testing your products in a face-to-face environment first, even if that’s just part of your “due diligence”. If you want to produce arts and crafts which are of a craft fair standard, don’t be daunted by the magnitude of your journey or underestimate how much there will be to do to properly prepare.

4)          Go to as many events as you can in your locality.  That may be craft fairs, art exhibitions and trails, farmer’s markets etc. Look on the web for events near you or perhaps in your local supermarket or library.  Once there, study what is selling well and what isn’t....and we don’t mean copy! Look at the prices of the work and the level of craftsmanship, look to see how they are displayed. Is there extra lighting? How best can you display your particular type of work? Will you need stands to rest it on? Is this event appropriate for your work and price point? Speak to the stallholders when they’re not serving someone else – they are, in the most, really helpful when they have time for a chat.

5)          Once you decide you want to exhibit, then the fun really starts! 

6)          If you find a craft event where you want to sell and at which you think your product would fit well, speak to the organiser on site. They should be obvious to find, but if not, ask a stallholder to point you in the right direction. Remember to take an example or photographs of your work, so that they can evaluate there and then whether it would be suitable. Find out the price to exhibit, this is a business relationship so don’t be shy about asking. As a rule of thumb, we would suggest that the cost of exhibiting should not amount to more than 20% of your average takings, preferably less. If you don’t have a business card, take along written copies of your contact details and a link to any of your pieces you put online – perhaps your Facebook page – to give an organised impression.  There is lots of competition for places at the best fairs – word soon gets around about which events work well for the sellers – so ensure you make the best impression by being prepared. 

7)          Do this research in plenty of time. The best fairs are probably fully booked for some time ahead, so don’t build up a huge stock first and then expect to be offered dates within a few days or weeks.  If you are offered a place within a short time frame, then it’s probably too good to be true! It can take time to be accepted.

8)          Be prepared to pay the exhibitors fee up front and beware of cancellation fees should you drop out later. You might also want to investigate obtaining Public Liability Insurance. Your product may not be inherently dangerous, but a policy costing around £60 p.a. will cover you against someone else making a mistake – perhaps a small child eating something from your stall and choking – yes, we’ve had that at one of our fairs, complete with air ambulance – or part of your display being blown about in a sudden gust of wind.  Some organisers insist upon insurance cover.

9)          What is your price point? Don’t undersell yourself but equally, try to keep your pricing realistic – in proportion to your other pieces and to the competition. Unfortunately, most visitors can’t comprehend how long we can spend on our creations and the hours of love that might have been spent can work out at an appalling rate of pay!  Decide before the event if you want to accept commissions. It can be really tricky to have a meaningful conversation with someone about special work while you’re trying to decide whether or not to accept it.

10)    You will probably want to consider having the ability to take card payments if your pieces are on offer at more than small-change prices. Not everyone carries cash and the last thing you want to happen is to lose a sale because you don’t have the ability to take their payment. Research perhaps Paypal or Sum-up. A card reader can be bought for £50 or less and then, possibly linking with your smartphone (best for poor signal areas), you will be able to take payments for a small percentage fee – less than 3% is the current going rate.

11)    At the same time, plan how you will display your work. A table top or free-standing display? Extra lighting? Most venues will have tables for hire at extra cost or possibly included in the fee. Don’t use unnecessary space – the cost will add up, especially over time, so keep your display compact but not overcrowded. Safety must be your first consideration, so ensure that everything is well secured. The best displays have some height to them – to be attractive to the visitors and also grab their attention. This needn’t be an elaborate and expensive contraption, but perhaps to start with, a few boxes covered by clean fabric to add interest.  Cloths to the front and sides of your table will give a neat appearance and a secure space underneath to store unsightly empty boxes etc. A sheet is good if you have nothing else. Alternatively, a visit to a charity shop can turn up a lovely old white tablecloth or curtain. Safety pin them in place so that there are no flappy corners to create trip hazards.  Practice the layout at home in the space that you have been allocated. Bear in mind when planning, that you will need to fit everything in your Micra or your Transit and possibly carry it a few hundred yards on arrival and at breakdown! A trolley is useful here if you have heavy goods like pottery or stone – or bring a friend!

12)    Speaking of bringing a friend – remember you will probably need to take comfort breaks during the opening hours. Your neighbours are usually very happy to keep an eye open on a reciprocal basis, but sad to say, you do need to be mindful of the possibility of visitor theft, so on your first outing especially, it’s a lot less stressful with a trusted helper.

13)    Other essentials that you will need to start with are a chair – some venues provide them, some don’t. Don’t plan to spend too long on said chair – visitors scurry away if you leap up as they approach – so if you have a tall stool which keeps you at eye level, that’s ideal. A cash float (in an innocuous box or pocket for security) is essential and you’ll probably want record keeping material. For each sale you will need to write down what you sold, the amount and method of payment. Know how much you have in your float so that you can reconcile the cash at the end of the day. Some venues provide electrical power, so you might also want to include an extension lead for any lighting and phone charging – if you do, ensure that this is not a trip hazard to you, your neighbours or the public. Having said that, battery-powered LEDs are the best form of lighting and keep your venue hire costs down as some will charge extra for a power supply. Think about how you will wrap your pieces when they are sold. Generic packaging is relatively cheap until you get a good idea of what you will need. Lastly, a little case with pens, blu-tack, Sellotape, safety pins, plasters, medicines etc can be really useful.

14)    Thinking about price display too, you need to clearly mark everything. The method you use is up to you, but most visitors will be too embarrassed to ask and imagine a higher price than perhaps is true, so impacting on sales opportunities.

15)    Read the instructions and information for stallholders supplied by the organisers CAREFULLY. Knowledge is power and will save you from nasty surprises perhaps when you arrive. “Oh, I didn’t realise I had to bring a table” is a common pronouncement on arrival!

16)    Wear comfortable shoes and clothing in layers for varying temperatures. If you’re uncomfortable, you can’t interact with the visitors with your best face on!

17)    Bring drinks and food to minimise time away from your stall and to save cost.

18)    Don’t bring a book or bury your head in your phone unnecessarily – interaction with the visitors is essential – just a friendly hello will suffice if you’re not confident about starting a conversation with them.  Equally, don’t try the hard sell either, that puts so many people off. Watch their body language, answer their questions and give relevant information about your design/story/methods but don’t push or say how wonderful your work is – that’s for them to decide. Certainly, do not waylay people in the aisle, you will definitely incur the wrath of your neighbours and probably the organisers too!

19)    Set-up and breakdown can be stressful times as there is usually a short window in which to gain access before and after the event. Be patient and friendly and allow plenty of time. In the main, other stallholders have exactly the same issues as you so don’t get too stressed out and create even more difficulties for everyone. On arrival, we always suggest parking as close as you are allowed to the venue, unloading the contents of your car and then moving it away again BEFORE you set up your table. This leaves plenty of opportunity for the next stallholder to park close to unload too.  At breakdown, the reverse is true. Pack up your stall into it’s component parts BEFORE you move your car close by, then you’ll only take the minimum time in the adjacent car-parking. We have seen so many accidents in the car-park when people are in too much of a hurry. Taking five minutes longer is preferable to having a hefty car repair bill.

20)    Being a good team member is important if you want to get the best from the fair and there are some points to take note of. However unhappy you are, don’t take down your stall before the end of the event as this disrupts your neighbours and visitors and will probably result in lost sales.  If you have a genuine emergency then speak to the organisers and we’re sure they will do everything they can to help you get away quickly. Don’t edge into the aisle with your display or into your neighbour’s space without speaking to them first. The craft circuit is pretty small and there is no doubt that you will come across one another in the future. Clear away your own rubbish at the end of the event – don’t leave it for the organisers to collect or sweep up.



21)    RELAX and ENJOY your selling experience. It is really great fun when it goes well - sensible expectations and good preparation are key to this.