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.