MAC and Brie Make

Lesson 1: Look Professional

You want to look professional, or at least, put together. Tablecloths that aren’t too wrinkled, displays that fit the products, a layout that’s easy to browse. Looking professional makes it easier for the customer to trust the quality of your work.

Looking good and professional also helps me feel more confident, but your mileage may vary.

Lesson 2: Looks Aren’t Everything

At the same time, looks aren’t everything.

At one show I was at, there was a woman selling donated crafts on behalf of a school. She had no displays, no displays, no tablecloths, no table decorations, nothing. Just items laying flat on the table.

She outsold me.

Lesson 3: Be your Best Self

Regardless of what’s going on, try to keep your emotions and stress at the door. The craft show shoppers came out to see you. Perhaps not you specifically, but they came to see the vendors–and that includes you.

People could remember you. I went to a library craft show in the spring, and when I returned for the fall craft show, the librarians remembered me. 

How do you want to be remembered?

Lesson 4: It’s not about you

It’s not about you.

It’s about your customers and what they want. I like to think of this using a food metaphor–it doesn’t matter if you make the best pizza in the world. If someone wants ice cream that day, they aren’t going to buy your pizza, no matter how good it is.

For a nonmetaphor example–one show, I was next to a jeweler. There was one woman who started looking at the jewelry, loudly announced that she had so much jewelry already and shouldn’t buy any more, and quickly left. That had nothing to do with the jewelry vendor, and everything to do with the customer. It didn’t matter how good the jewelry was, the customer wasn’t going to buy any.

Lesson 5: Don’t Focus on the Outcome

Try not to focus on the outcome.

You can’t control the crowd at the craft show. You can’t control who shows up, how many people show up, and if they want what you’re selling.

This is why I don’t make sales goals–sales goals depend entirely on other people, and thus are out of your control. You might as well make a goal for the weather.