Often, the craft fair displays that stand out are not the professional trade style booths with the classy back drops and slide-on shelves. In fact, some of the best displays I have seen are put together by the artist themselves with a myriad of different things that they have either purchased from the hardware store or found around the house. The most important thing to remember when designing your booth is that your product should always be the focal point. Whatever you use to display your wares must enhance but not outshine your work. After all you are there to sell your product not the backdrop!

One of my favourites in recent years was a booth that was almost entirely made up of wooden crates, the kind you can buy unfinished at craft stores. The backdrop was perfect for the beautifully hand made pottery that the artist was displaying and it was such a simple and inexpensive design. She stacked the crates both vertically and horizontally and angled them in interesting compositions so that the wall of her 10 x 10 booth was entirely covered by the wooden crate shelving. And finally, she added suttle fabric or greenery in some of the boxes to add interest and enhance her work. It was stunning and so simple!

Aside from the great display the wooden crates provided, they were also fabulous containers to transport her pottery. At the end of the show, I watched her "tear down" with lightening speed, wrapping each piece and storing into one crate at a time. She even used the crates to pack up her cash register and sales aids. Once finished packing, all she had to do was stack the crates three at a time on her dolly and transport them to her station wagon.

The wooden crates aren't limited to a pottery display though - think "outside of the box"! Use them to add height or stacking on your display table or on the floor with soft products spilling out of them. Hang jewellery from the slats or display flower arrangements on them or in them. There is no end to the way these crates can be used for craft fair display.

As well as inviting and eye-catching, your booth should reflect your products and who you are! You want your potential customer to be drawn in to your booth by what they see and your repeat customers to recognize you when they see your booth. The consistency of your design is almost like the "branding" that much larger companies use to promote their products. That said, you should change the look and feel of your display a little bit every once in a while. You can do that without losing your own personal "look" but small changes keep your booth display interesting and fresh.

Use props that compliment your work. I recently saw a vendor who makes and sells wooden jewellery and watches. A lot of her display was hanging from twigs that she had in containers on the floor and tables. It was surprising how such a simple display showed her jewellery so well.

Make it easy to get in and out of your booth. You want customers to wander in when they are attracted by your display and feel comfortable about having a good look. Once they are in there, you have your best opportunity to make the sale.

Shopping today is becoming increasingly dominated by the over-large box stores and superstores and the generally bad service received in them. The overall shopping experience is depersonalized and driven by the price-conscious quality found in these mega stores.

It is hardly surprising that when asked “why do you shop at craft fairs”, most customers will state unique and superior quality products and smiling service as their main reasons.
With that in mind, it is not difficult to see why arts and craft shows are more than holding their own against the retail giants and mall outlets. In the not to distant past, the level of service that customers want was available at locally owned and operated family businesses. As we all know, the small companies simply can’t compete with the buying power of the large corporations.

Festivals, bazaars, arts and craft fairs are fulfilling the customers need to feel as though they are being treated as individuals and given the level of service they want in their shopping experience. The booths at these shows are most often colorful and inviting, offering a variety of goods and attentive staff. They entice the customer to ask about or sample whatever is on display and that is part of the personalized service that no large retailer can match.

Another big draw for customers is the quality of products and goods for sale. Because most major shows are juried, the customers are offered a wide selection of exceptional products. The variety is astounding and includes everything from clothing, accessories and jewellery to soaps and skin care products to accessories for home and cottages. Seasonal decorations abound and gift buying is made simpler by the abundance of ideas available.

And what keeps bringing the customers back year after year is the new ideas and products. Every season there is at least one new product that outsells all of the others and creates a stir. One product in recent years was the sock toque. But most artisans and crafters are well aware of the need to find new ideas and constantly upgrade their displays. It keeps their customers coming back looking for “what’s new”.

A certain amount of comfort is drawn from the fact that most of the items found at craft shows are handmade and usually close to home. This has become such a rarity in major retail stores and customers want to experience a little of the past when almost everything purchased was made locally. The one-stop shopping that craft fairs and show offer is also very appealing.

The social aspect of the craft show and fairs is another reason why so many customers attend. Shopping is not usually a solo event for most people, particularly women. And they typically enjoy bringing along family and friends.

So while many vendors have seen a decline in craft show sales and attendance over the past few years, the business continues to be sustained by the customers and their needs. The progressive organizers have seen the necessity to change and to present a fresh face every year. They are beginning to realize that customers want to be entertained as well as served and experiencing something that they didn’t expect, is a large part of the reason they will return next year. We have seen a resurgence of the quality of shows and the number people in attendance this year. From all indications, the craft show business is alive and well and provided that we all continue to seek ways to enhance the customers shopping experience, it will continue to be so for many years to come.