(Disclaimer: I am not a legal expert or advisor–these are just things to keep in mind and my thoughts based on personal experience. You should consult with professionals about taxes, laws, and other regulations in your area if you need advice on these topics.)
Organizing your own craft show or sale can be quite an undertaking, but doesn’t have to be unmanageable. Your craft show can be as big or small as you want it to be–from a few friends getting together at your place, to a multi-day event with numerous vendors, and anything in between.
No matter what you have in mind, it’s always good to make sure a good plan is in place before you take action. The following are some of the basic things to consider…
Volunteers (or paid helpers)
First determine how many helpers you know you’ll have, whether they’re friends, family, or colleagues. Will they be volunteering their time and efforts, or do they expect compensation? You may also trade for help, (e.g. give them a free booth space.) Decide what everyone’s role will be. Jobs can range from helping to advertise on social media, setting up booths, or scouting out vendors…it totally depends on the people and the situation. The important part is that everyone is on the same page and has a good understanding of roles from the beginning, so that no one is left holding the bag.
Choosing a Date
Decide on your date early on, and make sure it is at least several months out. Also, make sure the venue you want to choose is available that day. When I’ve put together shows in the past, I chose a space big enough to hold roughly 30 vendors, and would reserve it at least 9 months ahead of time. You may need more time, or you may need less than that, depending on the demand there is for that particular venue. (Since your date can affect venue availability and vice versa, you may have to decide which one matters most in case of a conflict.) If you are holding a smaller, more intimate event, you may only need 3 months to get ready. For something larger, you might plan for 1 year out.
Also, do some research to make sure there are no other major craft shows happening on that day in your area! If you live in a big city, it may not be an issue, but if you live in an area with a more limited number of artists and crafters, it could mean your potential vendors are already booked for that day.
Choosing a Venue
How big do you want your craft show to be? Smaller open houses can be held at someone’s home, at a neighborhood clubhouse (if you happen to have access to one), or community center. If you are wanting a larger event, some community centers will work for that as well. You can also inquire at local churches, and some schools will let you rent space in their gym or common room on the weekends.
Other things to think about when choosing your venue include location and parking availability–a huge facility isn’t going to be much of an advantage if there’s no where for vendors and shoppers to (legally) park!
Also, do you want this event to be indoor, outdoor, or both? WIll booths have access to electricity, or is it not even necessary? What is the restroom situation like? Is your desired venue handicap accessible? These are all things that you will want to address before putting down your deposit.
Taxes, Event permits, etc…
Even though this is probably the least fun part for most people, it’s one of the most important things to get straight. Do your research and find out what is required in your city and state, as rules can vary quite a bit. Be sure you collect and submit all necessary sales tax information as needed. As far as event permits go, if you’re holding your show at a convention center or community center, you may not have to worry about anything, but if you’re holding an outdoor event at a park, for example, you may need certain permits. Again, check with your local government to be sure what you need to do.
Vendors
Ah, the backbone of any craft show–the vendors! A vendor could be an artist, crafter, someone selling baked goods, providing a service like henna painting, making balloon animals, etc….whoever they are, you need them. There are numerous ways to get them…these are some of the basic steps!
The Vendor Application
The vendor application is how you’ll collect their relevant information: name, contact info, description of work, tax info, etc. At the same time, be sure that you are also providing all the information you can to them: time and date of the show, setup and tear down information, amenities (electricity? restrooms? meals or snacks?), your cancellation policy, and what you expect of them. What kind of items can they sell? How much would you like them to be involved in advertising? When is the booth fee due?
Details
So, how do you decide what your cancellation policy is, what vendors can sell, how long set up will be, and so on? These are really the kinds of things that will be up to you, but whatever you decide, be sure these rules are clearly stated so there are no misunderstandings later.
The application deadline is another thing you’ll want to decide on. You may want to have this be a month or so before the actual show, so that vendors aren’t waiting until the last minute.
Fees
The vendor fee could vary greatly–if your show consists of a few friends, you might simply agree to split the cost of snacks. However, if you’re renting a venue, you’ll want to charge the vendors accordingly. Is your event a fundraiser? Do you plan on charging shoppers an admission fee? These and a number of other factors can impact your vendor/booth fee.
Below I’ve included an example of what your vendor application could look like:
Communicate!
Communication is such an important part of this process, from the vendor application to following up after the show. Please be sure that you are checking in with your vendors every now and then and providing them with any important updates, information, and resources. Make sure they understand that they can contact you as well with any questions. It would be a good idea to create an email list specifically for your vendors and anyone involved in organizing the craft show. Or, you could also create a private group online just for vendor communication.
Call for Vendors
Once you have all the details in place, it’s time to put the word out! Either set up a facebook page where vendors can view and download the application, or make it available on your blog or website if you have one. Then, one of the best things you can do is create a facebook event page, in addition to your fan page or website. This way the information is all there in one spot, can be easily shared by everyone you “invite,” and when interested people RSVP, the event will show up in their friends’ feed as well.
If you have crafty friends, be sure to tell them about your show; have them spread the word to crafters they know, or send out an email they can forward.
Create some fliers, too, and post them wherever you find a real-life community bulletin board, or hand them out at craft shows you visit (provided this is alright with the organizer!)
Advertising Your Craft Show
Again, setting up an official page for your show can be helpful, then create a facebook event page and invite all your friends–then ask them to invite theirs!
Be sure to ask your vendors to invite everyone in their networks, as well. You may want to include something about this on your vendor application. (This might seem like the obvious thing to do, but I’ve been shocked by the number of times I’ve realized vendors never mentioned their upcoming shows to anyone.) If each vendor can advertise in two places, and you have 30 vendors, that’s 60 more places where the word is spread!
Other free advertising options to look into are online community calendars (local news and radio sites often have these) and sometimes even local newspapers have inexpensive ad options. You can also pay for advertising online or in print. And again, make posters or fliers to distribute wherever you can. Don’t be shy about promoting your show!
Follow Up
When the show is finished, you might consider giving your vendors a survey and encourage them to share their insights, especially if you think you’d like to organize another show in the future. If possible, reach out to shoppers as well to see what they liked or didn’t like about the show. There’s s a lot you can learn when you see things from a different perspective, and it’s so easy to get tunnel vision when you’re in charge of a large project!
I hope these tips were helpful. Have you already organized a craft show? What were your thoughts?
Too long, didn’t read? Check out my video where I talk about all these things!
