# First craft fair a raging SUCCESS!!! :D PICS



## AshleyR (Sep 13, 2009)

Wow, I am so excited right now, I can hardly type!!! 

We just got back from our first craft fair, and it was AWESOME!!! It was only a 4 hour event in a tiny town of 2,000 - but we made *$396!* YAHOO! The booth fee was only $25, so we made out like bandits! I can't believe it!

(I need to calm down..... LOL!)

I was really worried I'd run out of a lot of things. Since it was my first fair, I really didn't know what to expect. We only ran out of a couple of scents of body butter in the last hour - other than that we had enough of everything. Whew! (That was the main thing I was worried about).

We made our first $100 before the show even opened - just from other vendors at the fair. That got me really excited. 

What I learned....

1) People don't really ask as many questions as I thought they would. I was up until 1am last night typing out a list of my ingredients, with a clear explanation of what exactly they were, and how they contributed to my products. I just wanted to be "ready" in case someone really drilled me. Nobody did though. I hardly got any questions at all about the ingredients, actually! Most people were concerned with the scent, and that was about it.

2) People love body butter! My soaps and body butters sold the best. I only sold two bath salts, two sugar scrubs, and NO bath bombs!  Oh well, I'll know for next time what to make less of! My soy wax tarts sold well too - I only had them in four scents and they almost sold out (have about 5 left of each scent).

Overall, we had a GREAT time. It was very fun and we met a lot of really nice people. As far as competition goes - there was one lady selling Soap Nuts. She approached me and was surprisingly extremely friendly and very excited for me since I told her it was my first show. She kept coming back and checking up on me, cheering me on. She was so nice! (I bought some Soap Nuts to try, and she bought $30 of stuff from me!) There was also another person selling M&P soap, but she only had about 4 different scents. She was mainly selling body mists and salts. I didn't actually talk to her. Her table didn't look very busy. :\

Anyway, enough talking.... on to some pics! I really did not get that many pics since we were super busy. We hardly had time to set up before the other vendors started coming over and buying! Here are just a few....

The table! It was a bit crowded... next time I think we'll get two.






Another pic of the table, closer up...





Another! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Me!





DH and I.... he was a great help!





Thanks again to everyone who gave me advice and encouraged me about this show! I had such an awesome time, and can't wait to do another one! My next one is in November (I have two), and I'm thinking about setting up a table in our local mall in early December!


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## heyjude (Sep 13, 2009)

YES!!!!  So happy for you! Not surprised in the least that people loved your soaps and all your other goodies.   

Thanks for the photos. Everything looks perfect!

Jude


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2009)

CONGRATULATIONS  :!:  :!:  I knew you would be a smash hit . I am so excited and happy for you . Now you get to make more soap and butters .It's a win - win  :!: 

Kitn


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## krissy (Sep 13, 2009)

so happy for you! your table looks great!


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## Saltysteele (Sep 13, 2009)

congrats, ashley!!!

how weird is it, that i was just watching some videos yesterday on youtube by this gal, and then find out it was you!


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2009)

Three cheers, Ashley.
Heck, I like one crowded table.
Easier to see everything and you can put more stock out as it sells.
Your set-up looks great.
What's even better is that you had a good time!


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## Rosey (Sep 13, 2009)

YAY! That's awesome! I love the pics. I was wondering about you all day today!


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## donniej (Sep 13, 2009)

Your table looked great!  Very professional, I'd never guess it was your first!


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## AK_Homesteader (Sep 13, 2009)

I'm glad to hear that your show went so well!  You did awesome!  Your table looks very professional - thanks for sharing pics.  Glad you had such a good time.


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## SilverMaple (Sep 13, 2009)

That's so awesome!  That gives me hope that the small show I'm doing in a month may be worth the time and effort 

Your table looks great!


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## nickjuly (Sep 14, 2009)

Congrats! Lovely looking set up.


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## kwahlne (Sep 14, 2009)

Congratulations Ashley!!  What a beautiful display!


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## cwayneu (Sep 14, 2009)

Congratulations. It looked and sounded wonderful. And thanks for taking the time to give us a such a nice report. 

Seemed like a fabulous party.


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## Bnky (Sep 14, 2009)

AshleyR:  I am sooo excited for you!   Hearing the story of your success is very encouraging to me as I have been so afraid of craft shows.   CONGRATULATIONS, I am so happy everything went well for you!


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## AshleyR (Sep 14, 2009)

Bnky said:
			
		

> AshleyR:  I am sooo excited for you!   Hearing the story of your success is very encouraging to me as I have been so afraid of craft shows.   CONGRATULATIONS, I am so happy everything went well for you!



Don't be afraid! I was really nervous too, but it ended up being so easy! In my area, the most important thing to customers seemed to be the scent - and I had a few people walk away because they didn't find a scent they liked. Hardly anyone asked me about the ingredients or how the soap was made. I am confident in my products, but I was worried I'd freeze up if someone started drilling me - luckily it didn't happen! 

It was actually very fun, and the time went by really fast. I can't wait to do the next one!


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## topcat (Sep 14, 2009)

See?  You were awesome!!!  Your display looks amazing - I am not surprised that the other vendors were over there straight away.  You are well on your way now lady!  Congratulations, I am heart glad for you.

Tanya


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## chrisinflorida (Sep 14, 2009)

Congrats.  Your experience makes me a little less nervous for my first craft fair, which comes up in October.

Your booth is awesome.  Here's to more sales!!!!

Chris


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## LJA (Sep 15, 2009)

YAAAAAAAAAY!!!  Omg, your table looks FABULOUS!!!  I'm so glad you did well.  How fun!!!  Congratulations and every time you guys post your experiences, I get motivated to get my crap together to do it myself.  (SO SCARY!)

Just awesome.    You go girl...


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## Ishbel (Sep 23, 2009)

Ashley thats such good news, well done!  I think your table looked wonderful and it could not fail to impress people.  Very professional and, as I have done it too, it was good that you did do all the work first i.e. your lists etc.  If someone had asked you, you would have been able to answer immediately, I think it always pays to be prepared, it gives you confidence and confidence sells!!  Brilliant


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## rubato456 (Sep 23, 2009)

congrats! your table looks A#1! thanks for the pix and the report! you go girl!


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