Staying Busy

Craft shows are a great opportunity to make sales and meet new people. Getting ready can be stressful and exciting - as you hurry to set up you expect a rush of people into your booth and a busy day ahead.

That rarely happens. Most shows are "hurry up and wait" experiences. You rush to get everything set up perfectly and then sit there waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Some shows are better than others, but almost every show has significant slow periods - times when it gets so boring you wish you could just go home.

That's why it's always important to bring something to keep you occupied - and do NOT bring a book or magazine! I made that mistake one of my first shows. How likely would you be to enter a booth where the seller is engrossed in a good book? Not likely.

But customers are equally likely to walk on by if they see you desperately willing them into your booth with your stare - trust me, it doesn't work. It's one thing to enjoy people watching and smiling as people go by...it's a completely different thing to look desperate because people are walking by your booth.

So create your own energy by working on a project that will draw people into your booth. Make sure it's something that can be set aside or moved when you do need to focus on the customer. At my last show I brought some seed beads and a needle and got to work making a Peyote stitch bracelet. I was able to keep my hands busy and at the same time focus on customers. And since I wasn't just sitting like a lump on a log people were interested in what I was doing and it drew them in. And I finished a bracelet in between sales!