5 Craft Market Tips
Tip #1: Enjoy yourself & learn something new! 📖 💖
I feel like this is the one that most people miss. Let’s be real, markets are nerve-wrecking, stressful leading up to the event, stressful during the event, and can sometimes feel so fast-paced that we forget to experience the present. I think the biggest measure of success is learning something new – whether that’s about yourself, your work, how to run a booth, or business insights. I only started doing markets last year and since then, I’ve been able to apply so much knowledge and I know that all of that has contributed to improving my interpersonal and marketing skills. On the day of your market, trust that you’ve done everything you can to the best of your knowledge and enjoy the experience of sharing your work with new people!
Tip #2: Optimize your checkout system 🚀
Think about the flow of how customers will interact with you when they purchase one of your products. Are your products pre-packaged or do they need to be packed on the spot? Are you using a checkout platform such as Square or are you accepting other methods of payment such as Interac e-transfer, Paypal, or Venmo?
If you use Square like me, take the time to categorize your “favorites” pages by the type of products you have, and organize the items you have according to those categories; this can help you track your inventory and make the checkout process smoother on the day of. You might also want to consider having an assistant to help you pack, restock items, grab you food, and handle checkout when you’re busy with other customers.
Tip #3: Curate your display 🤌🏽
A huge part of selling your work is how you display it. The way you present your work can be an opportunity to express your personality and further enhance your brand/work. In some ways, it showcases a sense of professionalism and credibility because it demonstrates your thoughtfulness and intentionality in showcasing your products. Oftentimes, your display can also allow people to envision your products in their own homes, increasing the likelihood of people purchasing your work!
For me, I asked for help from those around me who are much handier to help build my display. My biggest requirement was that it needed to be reconstructable so not only could I store it neatly after the event, but also transport the shelving easily. It was a lot of work, but it was so worth it because I was able to make exactly what I needed the way I wanted!
Tip #4: Make your signage legible & visible 👀
One of the things I learned from my last market is that pricing – and any type of signage for that matter – needs to be easily found and legible. I thought I did this well by having a consolidated list of my products with the prices next to it, but so many people came up to me asking about how much things cost (even though the prices were literally listed right next to me). Not only that, but I also had a QR code for my social media accounts, but because of the layout and design, not many people scanned it or had to ask me first about what the QR code led to. The thing is, most people don’t want to talk to you; they just want to browse and experience your work without the socialization. Take the time to design your signs clearly and make them easily accessible so that customers can find them!
Tip #5: Promote your event! ✨
This is so important! It might seem a bit awkward to put yourself out there, but putting your event on people’s radar helps you draw more of your audience to your market. These events can also be such a great way to network with other creatives or customers who might lead you to more opportunities in the future!
This year I get the chance to vendor at Portobello West’s holiday market and I’m so excited to be a part of their event! IF you haven’t already marked this on your calendar, this is your reminder to do so! Bring family and friends and check out over 65 vendors, including yours truly!
