Hello Lovelies,
So I have finally got round to writing up this blog post that I promised a while ago....
A little while ago I held a stall at the Cowbridge food and drink festival.It was the first big craft fair I had done.So I was slightly nervous. It sounds odd but when I was laying all my pieces out on my display. I felt as if I was putting all my thoughts and feelings out for everyone to see. It was a big step for me. But I knew if I wanted to take Eastern Sapphire Designs where I imagined it...Then I needed to do it. So I full on chucked myself out there for everyone to see. I kind of felt like that moment when your on a roller coaster just before it's about to tip into the first big drop and you get that miniature pause while they tease you before you drop. I felt like that....
Anyway...I found that having a box of "essentials" and things that would make the day run a whole lot smoother really helped me and I wanted to share them all with you. Because it really helped me out have a box I could access quickly with the bits I needed. There's nothing worse then rifling through all your stuff when there's a customer standing there watching you....
What's in the box......I here you say.....
I'm just going to chuck a list here because I can't think of a "nice" way to lay it out....
1- Business Cards-Definitely a must! I handed out loads at the event.I also had them out on my stall but I found it really hand to have some to hand myself. I also made a rookie error with mine. My website and social media is on them.But I stupidly forgot to put my email address on them.So make sure all your details are on them.
2- Sellotape | Blue tac | Spare screws or nails if your display involves wood etc- I found these few bits lifesavers! You never know when you might need one of them. Or when one of your fellow crafty friends might need a helping hand. Most of my stand was made with reclaimed wood. I did a dummy run at home. But found when I got there and set up. That I needed a few extra screws and nails to make it extra safe. I have public and liability insurance. But I didn't want to use it!
3- Phone charger- Whether we like it or not....the world is becoming more and more dependent on the electronic world. I found myself heading to my phone quite a lot to link up with fellow creatives or other fairs/markets. Or showing people process videos of my work. You don't want to get caught out. And I found myself giving my phone some go juice when it was quiet.
4- Your Public and liability insurance documents- You might not need to show them to anyone. But it is always handy to have them with you just in case someone asks. Or if you need to refer to them if anything happens ( which hopefully it won't )
5- Notepad and pen- This was super helpful! I used it to write down customers email addresses for my workshops. But I also used it to write down potential customers contact details or markets and fairs that people were recommending. There's nothing worse then scrambling round for a pen and a piece of scrap paper while a customer is already reading out their contact details. Plus it looks a bit more organised | professional if you have a little notepad and pen. I also used it to pop peoples business cards in to.
6- Spare price tags - This was helpful to! Some of my price tags got bent up while I was moving my stock. So they needed changing when I got there. It's also really handy if you change your prices towards the end of the day. I wasn't too keen on having one price crossed out on tags. I felt it made me look like I was trying to get rid of stock.
7- Snacks | sweets | drink and mints- Boy am I glad I chucked some of these goodies in! If your heading to the fair on your own then you might not be able to leave your stall. You could possibly get one of the other stall holders to watch your stall while you nip out...But I was worried that I might miss a potential sale if someone asked a question that the person watching my stall might not be able to answer. I as lucky and wasn't on my own. So I could get people to grab me something. A drink to keep you hydrated and alert! and of course sweets! I definitely have a sweet tooth and love a sugar fix! So if your anything like me then you'll want some sweeties to nibble on. And definitely mints! There's nothing worse then talking to a customer and being paranoid that they an smell the cheese and onions crisps you had for your lunch! Plus if your feeling a little lethargic....a strong mint can give you that little bit of refreshing energy!
8- Diary- Last one! ( I think ) Another must have! always take your diary in case someone asks if your free on such a such date for a potential work shop or event. That way you can also pencil the dates in your diary to!
I think that's it! I will probably think of a couple more after I've posted this.....but hey ho! I hope they help you like they helped me! Attending craft fairs and events can be stressful enough without having to rummage through random bags to find the stuff you need. Having it all in one box ready to go just helps.
Feel free to pop me an email through the contact tab if you have any questions or queries! I'm a friendly gal. Plus it makes me happy knowing that people are actually reading what I ramble on about here and that I'm helping them.
I'm off to snuggle my pooch and procrastinate a bit!
Rach x