Tips for Vending at a Craft Fair: Part II

The first part of this blog essentially covered setup for markets. That includes having your own tables and tent, investing in a wagon, and being flexible about your booth displays and arrangement evolving and changing often. For part 2, I'm going to cover an aspect that I personally had a hard time with (and sometimes still do) thanks to my introverted and socially anxious ways: human interactions.

1. Interacting with shoppers: As much as most of us dislike "salespeople," the fact of the matter is that we are essentially salespeople when we are vending at an event. Everyone has a different approach when it comes to interacting with shoppers, and how you choose to present yourself and sell your products is up to you. My two cents, however, is that aggressiveness is off putting.

A shopper at my booth at the Jacksonville Beach Art Walk in 2019:

I have done many events where some of the vendors are overly eager when you approach their booth -- even to fellow vendors -- and use tactics that almost feel as if they are trying to trick or guilt you into making a purchase. I've noticed that MLM consultants are especially guilty of this, and I gotta say, I absolutely despise it. I hang out at my beaded boho jewelry booth during events, I greet shoppers who stop by, and if a conversation happens out of something they say to me or something I observe about them, great, but I don't try to push a sale onto them. Letting genuine interactions happen and getting to know people can go a lot further for developing relationships and creating brand followers than pushing for the hard sale.

2. Interacting with fellow vendors: Aside from a couple of bad eggs over my 5 plus years of doing events, every other vendor I have interacted with at markets has been friendly and eager to make a connection. Many of the fellow business owners I have met at events have become actual friends, and having a network of fellow vendors is incredibly valuable. It was tough for me at first to get out of my shell and be outgoing and social when it came to meeting my fellow business owners, but pushing through that comfort zone has benefitted me time and time again.

Hanging out with Michelle (Lumi Bean) and Lacey (BEYOU) at a market:

Whether it's having someone to help out during setup, watch your booth while you run to the bathroom, provide tips for running your business or seeking out other events, and more, I can't stress enough how important it is to meet the other vendors at your markets.

This particular aspect of tips for fellow craft fair vendors can be touchy, I know, and I suspect that there are some who will disagree with me. But my main takeaway here, and what I have found to be effective, is to not force things and to be friendly. Take the simple, gentle approach with your human interactions at makers' markets and popups!

I've still got some more tips to share, so stay tuned for part 3!