Here is a list I made up for some friends who wanted advice on doing craft fairs.
I only do indoor craft fairs, so these suggestions are for those only.
First of all, I would suggest that you go to a craft fair and look at other vendor's set ups. What looks good to you? How do they use their space? What kind of table covering do they use? Which booths draw you in, and why? Which booths are not pleasing to the eye? Take notes, then go home and come up with your own design, using what you've learned. You'd be surprised at what a difference your set up can make on how successful you are at the fair. A neat, professional looking set up will do better than a messy, poorly planned one, every time.
The basic items you'll need for your booth are a table or tables, table coverings and display items like shelves. When you sign up for a craft fair, you will be told how big your space is. In all craft fairs I've done, each space is marked out on the floor, usually with masking tape. Make sure your display fits within these boundaries. Vendors can be picky about you going over your boundary into their space, after all.....they've paid for it. On the other hand, my set up isn't very large, and I've often offered vendors to overlap my space if they've needed the room. This kind of offer is much appreciated and creates good relationships with your neighbors.
Back to the equipment. Your table. If you do craft fairs on your own, be sure you can lift and carry the table by yourself. Be sure it's sturdy enough to hold whatever you sell. If it's not tall enough, you can add pieces of PVC pipe to the legs to make it higher.
Table coverings. Many venues require a table covering that comes to the floor on all sides. It just looks neater. Personally, I prefer a solid table covering rather than a patterned one. I think it's less distracting. Make sure your covering is clean, and not too wrinkled. I've used various table coverings over the years and finally settled on one made of a polyester knit. I can just ball it up and throw it in the box I use to carry it, and there's never a wrinkle in sight. I made it like a slip cover for the table and it has a slit down the back side so that I can easily hide and access my boxes and hand truck etc. under the table, and everything is neatly out of sight.
Shelves, or display pieces. Again, make sure they are convenient to carry and set up and that they compliment the overall look of your design. Do a practice set up to make sure that if someone bumps your table, they don't fall over, or collapse under the weight of your product.
Some venues provide a chair, if not, bring your own.
Then there's signage. A banner really is a must. It's good to have one large enough to be seen from a distance, to draw customers to your booth. If you have a wall behind your booth, and are allowed to attach your banner there, it's great to use the height to add visibility. If not, the front of your table will do. You can make your own banner, or purchase one ready made. They are worth every penny you pay for them. You'll also need signage for your products. Many customers hate to ask the price of an item, so be sure prices are prominently displayed.
If it's your first craft fair, do yourself a huge favor and do a trial set up at home first. I can't emphasize how important this is.Tape out the size of your booth on the floor and set up everything......every little thing, just as you would do it on the day of the fair. Time yourself to get a general idea of how long it will take you. Remember, you also need to add time for unloading your vehicle, getting all of your stuff into the venue and finding your space. When you do your trial set up, step back, tweak it until you're happy. Ask a friend for an opinion, sometimes when you've looked at your work too long and hard, it's hard to really see it with a fresh eye. Once you're happy with it, TAKE A PICTURE. This is important, because the day of the fair, you will not remember where everything goes and you'll have the picture to refer to.
Load your vehicle the night before. DO NOT wait til the morning of, thinking it won't take you that long. Especially if it's your first time, you're going to be nervous, and if your car is already loaded, that's one less thing to worry about. When you load your car, try to think about what you'll need first, and load that last so it will be on top. Chances are it will be some kind of hand truck, or dolly that you can use to move everything. Make as many trips as necessary, til you have all of your stuff unloaded in your space, then move your car to the vendor parking area.
If you get to the venue as early as possible, you won't have to worry if there are glitches in your set up. You can take your time instead of rushing. You'll have time to make sure every little thing is just the way you want it. And you'll have time to get to know your neighbors. I've always found craft fair vendors to be a very friendly bunch. As vendors, we have a lot in common, no matter what we sell, so there's always something to talk about. Many times vendors may offer to trade with you, or give you a deal on their products. I've traded soap for many items from other vendors over the years. Most venues offer free coffee to vendors during the set up period, some may also offer donuts or bagels, etc. They will give you this info when you get your acceptance letter, so you will know whether or not you should stop for coffee on the way, or if you will be able to get it once you're there.
Other items you'll need to bring. Cash box to hold your money and checks. Always bring more than you think you'll need. Sometimes craft fair staff may come around to see if you're short on dollar bills and need some, but don't count on it. And don't count on fellow vendors to help you out, they need their smaller bills, too. I've had the first customer of the day want to pay for a small purchase with a hundred dollar bill! In that case, you can decide whether you want to lose a sale, because it's going to make you short on change for the rest of the day, or just bring plenty with you in the first place so you don't have to worry. Other things I always bring are scissors, permanent marker, safety pins, kleenex, tape (Scotch and duct), paper and pen, band aids, aspirin, water, some kind of neat snack I can put down quickly if a customer comes along, power bars are good for this.
Bags, don't forget bags to put your customers purchase in. Business cards if you have them.
Most of all....smile, be engaged. Don't pounce on customers, but let them know that you're available to answer any questions. And have fun!
