Saturday, July 19, 2008

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How to host your own craft sale

If you are thinking about hosting your own craft show, either alone or with a few other craftanistas, take a few tips from those who came before you:

Gang up

Host a craft show and sale with a group of crafty friends to share expenses and increase your guest list.
If you are in need of show participants, ask at your local craft store (be it a bead or knitting shop) for recommendations. You can also put the word out by posting a message on a local listserv.
Track down like-minded craftanistas at www.churchofcraft.org, www.craftster.org, www.getcrafty.com or www.knithappens.com.

Showcase your artists

When setting things up, strategically place artists where their work can be viewed without clogging the flow of traffic.
Put mirrors, tables and even stools near the areas and vendors that need this kind of support.
Bring in extra clip-on lights to better showcase vendors' work.
Give your vendors guidelines (such as maximum table size).
Allow enough time for setup before the doors open.
Don't cram your table with too much merchandise.

Protect your space

Clear surfaces and move furniture out of rooms if it is not needed.
If the weather turns rainy, put down a mat and carve out a space to drop umbrellas.
Clearly mark areas that are off limits. Conversely, post signs directing customers to nooks and crannies where vendors might be tucked away.
Make sure you are comfortable publicizing your home address and opening it to strangers. If not, keep the guest list small.
Ask your company if you can host a show in a vacant conference room or office.

Take care of business

Clearly price your wares.
Fill a cash box with plenty of small bills and coins. Determine whether you are going to accept checks.
Figure out a system for cashing out (i.e. can customers pay all at once for several vendors, or should they pay individually?).
Consider splitting the cost for a credit card machine.
Create a group budget for food, beverages, publicity and display materials.
Have bags and wrapping available for purchases.
Consider hiring a friend to work the party and pay her in trade.

Spread the word

Publicize your event via evites, Craigslist, MySpace, a Web site, e-mails and postcards (design and print a standard-sized postcard with an online printer, such as www.vistaprint.com). And there's still no substitute for word of mouth.
Create a show graphic that participants can include with e-mails as a JPEG file.
Ask shoppers to sign a guest list so you can add their e-mail address to future publicity e-mails.
Invest in good digital photographs of your work.

Have a holiday craft event you'd like to list on NWsource's holiday sale and event alert? E-mail seattleshopping@nwsource.com with all the pertinent details.

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