Should I start smaller/ how much product do I need?

[jackbenimble]

Hi Everyone!

I am looking into doing my first craft fair/show and have read a lot on here about all the things you will need. I wanted to ask 2 questions.

1. Is this fair/show too big to start out with?

It has 150 vendors, around 30,000 attendees over 2 days. (Sat&Sun)

2. How much product would I need to have with me?

I make soy candles & M&P goats milks soap (as many of you have visited my website)

I only have 12 scents. (each one represents a month of the year)

So 12 candle scents and matching soap scents.

I also make the clam shell melts and tealights.

If I've left anything out please let me know I will respond.

Where are places to find shows online? Most places want you to pay a membership fee. I have read on here about contacting you chamber of commerce about craft fair/show listings. But other than that where should I look online?

Thanks for any advice you guys have!

[LuminousBoutique]

Its really hard to know how much to bring to your first show. Even the biggest shows might not have the best buyers.. sometimes small shows have huge sales... its impossible to be sure until you do them year after year

I would say to start with at least 6 of each scent.. thats not so much that you have a ton laying around afterwards if the sales arent there, but enough that you have variety for your potential customers.

Another thing to consider is how much you have to sell to pay your booth fee, event insurance, travel to the show, food at the show... then figure how much you need to sell to cover that.

Its really a guessing game until you get to know the crowds at each show and even still they can vary every year.

[ah-soy]

I read somewhere to estimate that approx 1 to 3% of attendees will buy from your booth.

[jackbenimble]

that sounds about right Luminous . I think after talking to my partner about it that I need to start with local high school and church craft fairs that have a low booth fee and around 500 to 1000 attendees. Even though they want pictures and stuff i don't think they are juried. But this will give me some good experience to build up to the bigger shows as time goes on. Most of the bigger shows want pictures of you booth and you working in the booth.

Oh another question if anyone knows. Why can I find risers to display my products or can i make them out of something else?

[LuminousBoutique]

I use wooden crates from JoAnns/Hobby Lobby/Michaels.. because I can re-organize them a million different ways for my current needs.. soaps, candles, lotions, whatever!

I use shelves and bookcases for my candles, depending on the show.. but I'm re-thinking that.

[jackbenimble]

Wow Luminous! That looks great! Did you get your soap boxes from Elements? I put mine in small plastic ziplock bags from Michael's and put my labels on the front. I will keep that idea in mind.

[Faerywren]

Wow Luminous! That looks great! Did you get your soap boxes from Elements? I put mine in small plastic ziplock bags from Michael's and put my labels on the front. I will keep that idea in mind.

Those bags will eventually leach your scents. Look into cello or polypropylene.

[LuminousBoutique]

Wow Luminous! That looks great! Did you get your soap boxes from Elements? I put mine in small plastic ziplock bags from Michael's and put my labels on the front. I will keep that idea in mind.

Kangaroo Blue.. now defunct. I wont order from them anymore.. I have looked into Elements, but I decided im not using the boxes anymore- they are an extra cost I just dont want to absorb anymore

[SliverOfWax]

Have you read the Tips for Craft Fairs at the top of this section?

It is not humanly possible for one person to tell another how much product to take to a show. If we knew the answer, we'd all be working less and profiting more. The general consensus is to take all you can. It's better to have product left over than have to turn away customers because you have nothing to sell.

I see no logic in starting with small shows. IMO, do every single show you can. Big ones, little ones, school ones, church ones, every weekend, if possible.

Put on your Nikes and Just Do It. Most of all, have fun.

Beautiful display, Luminous.

[jackbenimble]

Have you read the Tips for Craft Fairs at the top of this section?

It is not humanly possible for one person to tell another how much product to take to a show. If we knew the answer, we'd all be working less and profiting more. The general consensus is to take all you can. It's better to have product left over than have to turn away customers because you have nothing to sell.

I see no logic in starting with small shows. IMO, do every single show you can. Big ones, little ones, school ones, church ones, every weekend, if possible.

Put on your Nikes and Just Do It. Most of all, have fun.

I have been reading the Tips for Craft Fairs for sure. I haven't read it all so i don't know if I'm reposting something that's already been asked. (i know the veterans on here hate that) But thank you SOW for your input I was hoping you would respond because you tell it like it is.

Anyway maybe sometime soon i can give everyone here an update or a success story. Thanks!

[Candybee]

I can think of a couple of good reasons to start out with smaller craft shows. A 2 day show with 150 vendors and 30,000 attendance is by no means a small show.

Reason 1: bigger shows cost more in vendor fees and more money invested in ready to sell product.

Reason 2: you are just starting and your biz is not established so you don't have any customer base or word of mouth yet.

Reason 3: for a larger show you need a lot of product; tried and true products that customers will purchase. You may get lucky your first time out but I find that most new candlemakers need to tweek their products; labels, size, jars, scent selection, etc. You only get this knowledge from experience and attending lots of shows so you know what sells in your area.

My first show had 440 vendors and 75,000 attendance. I thought my stuff was the bomb but I made less than $20 all day. Why? My products needed work. My display needed work. I did not know how to engage customers and get them excited enough to buy my candles. I learned a lot thou and my next show I made about $300 after making improvements to everything I learned about doing that first show.

Not trying to discourage you from trying. If you really want to do this show go for it. Just go being aware that you are new to this and may not sell very much at all. Or... you may get lucky.

If you go I would bring not more than 1 dozen candle scents so you have a nice selection. A case of each should be more than enough. I usually bring anywhere from 12 to 20 cases of candles to a show. But you haven't sold before so you don't know what scents will sell so give people a nice variety.

Don't know how many scents in GM soap you have but it sells very well in my area. I go to shows this size with at least 40-60 lbs of soap. Mine are 4oz bars so you figure at least 200-300 bars. Or enough to fill an entire table and load it with wall to wall soap. My other 2 tables are loaded with candles. I am assuming its a 10x10" space and you can get 3 standard size 5 ft tables in.

Thats to give you a general idea. You may sell a lot or you may not because people don't know you. But if you do go and sell some soap and candles you will probably get repeat customers next year at the same show. Repeat customers are the biggest spenders.

HTH... let us know how you do if you do go.