As a small business owner, it can be scary taking the plunge into participating in a craft fair and markets. When trying to decide on the type of market or craft fair you want to participate in, ask yourself the following questions:
Is there a participation or vendor fee for this market/event?
Is this a one day event, or does it span multiple days?
What time is set up and breakdown?
How many people participated/attended in this event in the past?
Is there an entry fee for this event/market?
Now let’s talk a little more in depth about each of these questions.
Craft Fair Fees:
Understanding fees related to this event should be one of your first steps. If the fee for you to participate is out of your budget, then there is no reason to go through the rest of these questions. However, this is not the only type of fee you should consider. Will participants need to pay an entry fee for this market or event? If the answer is yes, then you need to think about if your target audience would be willing to do that.
Investment:
There are other types of investments besides money, a big one being your time. It is important for you to take into account how much time you will need to set aside for a market/event. Think about whether you are willing to participate in a market that spans multiple days, or if you are only interested in events that are one day only. Even setup and breakdown times can have a huge impact on whether or not a market will work for you.
We have been to many events that required a setup time early in the morning (think 5am). In the end, the pros outweigh the cons – but it was still hard being up and ready to go that early in the morning.
Participation & Research:
The more you can know about a market/event, the better. When deciding whether or not to participate in a market or craft fair, finding out as much as possible can be your friend. How many people have participated/attended in the past? Is this event fairly new, or a staple in the community? This will help you gauge whether an event is worth your time, or if it is something you should pass on.
Even better understanding the type of vendors who usually participate can help you make a decision. Is there a small business like yours that is always there, or will you be the only one selling your type of product?
Even looking at how the market/event is promoted can help you make a decision. You do not want to participate in an event that does not promote itself in any way. Then you will have to do all the heavy lifting yourself.*
*Either way, do not forget that you should be informing your audience and followers that you will be at an event or market. Participating in any event or market is great if you get the word out there – but if you do not tell anyone then you are less likely to make a sale!
Check out this video below for more information!
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Feel free to share your thoughts with me, I can be reached at vivian@theseasonedmarketer.com!
Looking for more free marketing tips and content specifically for small business owners? Check out our podcast, S.O.B. Marketing Podcast. Every Wednesday we discuss a new topic to help small business owners take on marketing on their own. Listen to our episode of the S.O.B. Marketing podcast wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube! Have a topic you want us to discuss? Email us at Help@TheSeasonedMarketer.com!
Interested in elevating your event marketing game? Check out our FREE mini training course! Learn 3 mistakes you could possibly be making that are impacting your participation in events, craft fairs, and pop-ups. Not only is this training course FREE, but you will get a special discount at the end for our new course, ROCK YOUR FAIR! Click here to check it out.
Did you find this content useful? Check out our other free resources.
Feel free to share your thoughts with me, I can be reached at vivian@theseasonedmarketer.com!
Looking for more free marketing tips and content specifically for small business owners? Check out our podcast, S.O.B. Marketing Podcast. Every Wednesday we discuss a new topic to help small business owners take on marketing on their own. Listen to our episode of the S.O.B. Marketing podcast wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube! Have a topic you want us to discuss? Email us at Help@TheSeasonedMarketer.com!
Interested in elevating your event marketing game? Check out our FREE mini training course! Learn 3 mistakes you could possibly be making that are impacting your participation in events, craft fairs, and pop-ups. Not only is this training course FREE, but you will get a special discount at the end for our new course, ROCK YOUR FAIR! Click here to check it out.
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