Selling Your Art or Craft at Community Markets and Festivals

Pumpkin Painting Event at a Fall Festival

You wouldn't believe how many people I meet who have some type of incredible talent simmering under the surface, hidden from view - maybe they take incredible photos, write heartfelt poetry, or create fantastic pen and ink sketches.  Yet they keep these talents hidden away from the world, thus preventing the rest of us from enjoying their craft.  Why? Usually it is either because they are not "ready" or have doubts about their talent or chance of success.  

If you have a special skill, aren't you meant to use it and share it?  Trust me, there are people who would appreciate it. So how do you begin?

Local community markets are a fabulous way to increase visibility, create awareness and name recognition and build your loyal customer base.

Painted Rocks

Begin by asking yourself the tough questions.  Will people spend money for what you have to sell?  Is it portable?  I'll spare you the story of the time I tried to sell hand-painted stepping stones that weighed a good 15 pounds at a flea market.  How many do you think I sold? Zero.  If someone had wanted to purchase this impractical item, they would have had to haul it 1/4 mile at least to get it to their car.  That being said, I have seen hefty yard art sell like hotcakes.  

How will you price your art?  Consider the time you spent making it and the cost of the materials. Consider whether the price will be reasonable to a potential customer? Ask the opinions of honest friends.  

Next, do a little research.  Most towns have monthly markets and yearly festivals. Make a list and determine application deadlines and cost. 

If possible, attend the events of interest.  Take photos of booth displays and advertising, and find out what types of payment processing systems are being used (and the cost of these).  Look at price points and what seems to be selling by looking at what items are being carried around the market by shoppers.  Do people seem to be there to shop or just to browse?  

Holiday Door Hangers Sold at a Christmas Festival

Determine cost of a display tent I, display materials, supplies to create your craft, and promotional materials. Figure out how much you would have to make to recoup these costs. Make sure the festival has the ability to attract a crowd.  Consider the cost versus the potential income.  Is it worth it?  Will it create a fanbase?

Once you make the decision to forge ahead,  do what you do best -  create, make, bake, craft!  Amass some inventory to sell.  At the same time, be sure to control your spending.  It's easy for me to lose control when I enter an art store, but I understand that if I buy lots of expensive materials to make my art, I'm going to have to sell that much more to realize a profit.

Buy your tent and carefully craft create your display. An inviting space for shoppers makes all of the difference.  Could you offer any small give-aways or a raffle?  Collecting names and emails for a raffle is a great way to build your valuable mailing list - which is crucial for building client relationships.  Create your brand. Write your story.

Holiday Door Hangers Sold at a Christmas Festival

Apply to festivals.  Make your offering unique and appealing.  Many festivals limit the number of similar offerings.  So if you make jewelry and there are 25 other applicants in this category, yours better be unique in some way.  

This is where the story of your product and branding come in handy.  Some events are harder to get into than others. Your booth photo, often a necessary component of the application, is very important - it has to look professional and welcoming. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Not being accepted is not a big deal.  

Don’t forget to market your event to everyone you know on social media in advance.  

After the festival.  Stay in touch. Your new fanbase mailing list may be the biggest benefit. It’s hard to put a true value on the connections and friends made at these events.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the downsides - unpredictable weather, wind storms (don’t forget your festival tent weights), ice, the disappointment of a cancelled event, the strenuous labor of set-up and take-down,  storing inventory, and the days when the crowd simply does not appear.  Don’t give up.  Try, try again.  I hope to see you out there!

I was a regular at arts and crafts festivals and markets in and around Cary, NC for years and I learned a lot., Please reach out if you have any questions. 

Happy creating,

Arianne 

Sociable Art Craft Event at a Christmas Festival