Fab-U-Craft

You have your first craft show coming up.  How do you know how much inventory to bring?  You've never done the show, so you don't want to sell out.  But you're not sure how much you should be making just in case it's very busy. 

This is a great question.  Whenever you sign up for a show, you are allotted a set amount of space--a 6- or 8-foot table, or maybe an 8 by 10 booth.  Whatever size space, you need to fill it with merchandise or display props.  It is a good idea to have a dozen or more pieces as back stock.  As you sell down, you'll need to fill in.  But when you're running out of jewelry (never a bad thing), you'll need to fill in with more postcards or business cards or mirrors or more display props.  You can't afford to have the table look sparse, because that gives the impression that all the good stuff has been sold, and you won't sell the rest.  Over time, you'll become an expert at making a 6-foot table look amazing no matter what your level of stock.--

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Everyone always says they love your  jewelry, but no one in your area seems to want to pay for it.  Everyone wants a deal.  It's very frustrating. 

We're just marketing to the wrong people.  Often our friends, family, and co-workers are not our best customers just because we know them.  We might need to approach stores or shows that are out of our area that are a better fit for our jewelry.  Even though it's more work, it's often worth the effort to achieve bigger sales.  Plus, these people will only know you from your business, so there is no expectation of special favors.--

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