3 top tips for an irresistible craft stall display!
With the run up to the festive season, The Jewellery Boat Blog is posting on the topic of getting ready for Craft Fairs. Being prepared is important, so here are my first three top tips for a successful day's trading!
1> The dummy run: It's a really good idea to practice the layout of your stall at home before you get to the market. Find out the size of the table you are renting, and mock up your display at home, and confirm your pricing and tags. Take some photos at home on your mobile phone to refer back to on the day. You will feel and be more confident and efficient with your time when you arrive at the fair if you already know where everything is going on the table. Half an hour before the fair opens is not the time to start deciding how your stall is going to look!
2> Laying up the table: Choose a suitably large plain tablecloth to set your jewellery off well for tone or contrast. Make sure it covers the stall down to the floor with some to spare, you'll need to hide away your bags and boxes underneath. It must look tidy! Bring some clothes pegs secure folds of fabric at the table ends (especially if it is a windy day and you are outdoors). Some people favour a black cloth, I find that doesn't look good with my jewellery, so don’t be afraid of trying different colours to see which one displays your products to their best advantage. If it looks good it sells better!
3> Landscape gardening for beginners: Use lightweight, easy to carry props to add height, structure or style to your stall. Matching busts, jewellery stands and ring holders, all in acrylic or all in wood (beware, a mixture can start to look like a jumble sale!) Set the storage boxes you have used to transport your stock to the fair towards the back of your table and drape your tablecloth up and over them so you have a “step” at the back. Check out Pinterest for display ideas if you are stuck; there are hundreds there! It’s a good idea to raise your products up so people aren't just looking down at a flat surface, it's easier to gain eye contact with them if you give them a panorama of loveliness to peruse!
I hope this post has been useful, there are plenty more tips to come in The Jewellery Boat's blog series on preparing for Craft Fairs. Come back for the second instalment next week and feel free to share with other crafty people!
In the meantime, perhaps you have some homework to do?