We’ve compiled this resource list to help our members plan ahead for craft shows We’ve combed the web to find solid advice on the most troublesome aspects of in-person selling. Whether you’re a newbie or a veteran of the craft-show circuit, you can always benefit from the experience of others.

One of the first places to look—and to linger awhile—is on the series our own Cat Therien (IPCA Recording Secretary) published on her blog. Cat’s Evolution of a Show Booth is a journal of what she learned about booth design, display, and retail sales between 2006 and 2008. These were lessons learned by experience, research and observation, and Cat records them meticulously with a wealth of photos.

We’ve broken the huge topic of craft shows down into several topics, including choosing a show, planning your inventory, displaying your work, pricing your work, what tools and supplies to bring, what to wear, how to deal with difficult customers, and accepting credit card payments. Of course this resource list represents only a fraction of the information that’s available on the topic, but we hope it’ll provide you with some good suggestions and food for thought.

Please keep in mind that IPCA offers downloadable logos on our website, which, as a member of the IPCA, you’re encouraged to use on your business cards, signage, and promotional materials.

General

Here's an excellent countdown list of what you should be doing from 2 to 3 months in advance of a show up to the event itself. This article also includes tips-lists concerning your booth, your work, you, and security.

This is the ultimate guide to preparing for outdoor shows : tents (including how to make tent weights!), your own comfort, and payment options (credit cards, etc.).

A First Time for Everything

Guidance for the first-time craft vendor on tables, tents, and weights .

Ten tips to make preparing for a craft show less scary and more-productive for first-time craft show participants.

Choosing a Show

Here's a description of the different kinds of shows that are you may consider: Bazaars/Flea Markets; Festivals/Fairs; Arts & Crafts Shows.

Some solid advice about how to choose a show and what to beware of.

63 questions to ask when choosing a show, and who to ask.

Indoor vs. outdoor : this article points out all the risks of outdoor shows, but concludes that both kinds have their benefits.

How Much to Bring? Planning Your Inventory

A formula for deciding how much inventory to bring.

A more-is-more approach to inventory that observes, "a booth which is scarce of products will also be scarce of customers."

Planning Your Display

A great video on how to make the most of your available space (indoor show).

Rena Klingenberg shares a wealth of jewelry display ideas and crafty packaging tips. She also offers The Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth as a downloadable e-book.

Pricing Your Work

This article offers a pricing strategy and cautions against reducing your prices for last-minute sales.

This page presents a very detailed worksheet to help you  find out the true cost of making your craft items. Part II addresses the all-important question of what to do if  your true cost is higher than the market will bear.

The Frugal Mom examines pricing strategies much more thoroughly than you might expect from a site with this name. It's an excellent discussion of positioning and demand pricing.

What Tools and Supplies to Bring

A good discussion of what to bring , including a photo of a well-equipped tool box and a helpful checklist. Although this article is written for clothing vendors, the general advice is very useful.

An exhaustive list of 160 things to bring.

This article contains a discussion of "Being Comfortable and Busy "--what to bring to keep yourself occupied during slow times.

Human Behavior--Yours and Theirs

A helpful guide to dealing with difficult shoppers.

Ten tips for being a good craft-show neighbor. Don't you wish everybody read this?

Getting Yourself Ready to Go

A discussion of dressing for a craft show , written by a jewelry artist.

How to dress for an outdoor show , approached from a very practical angle. It considers such important factors as bees and sunburn!

Accepting Credit Card Payments

E-How offers a general guide to accepting credit cards by using your cell phone. This is a more comprehensive discussion of credit card sales, with some helpful video links.

Here's a description of "Square ," a device that plugs into the headphone jack on your smartphone. You download the app and sign up for the service all on your phone; then you just swipe the card.

What if the Show Doesn’t Go as Planned?

This article gives advice on surviving what we don’t even want to think about--rain !

What can you do if you realize too late that this show wasn’t right for you? Here are some ways to use your time to good advantage. Here are some tips for picking yourself up and moving forward after a disappointing show

We sincerely hope this information will be helpful to you in making business decisions about selling your polymer clay art work at craft shows. This article shouldn’t be considered an endorsement by IPCA of any commercial product or service that may be mentioned in any of these online resources.