GOOD BOOTHS GONE BAD Create the best craft show environment for selling your work
GOOD BOOTHS GONE BAD Create the best craft show environment for selling your work
This series is based heavily on my own experiences putting together my own craft show booth and from observing the booths of other artists and craftspeople. And what I’ve learned from shopping. I’m a craftsperson. I’ve been selling my artwork for almost two decades now. I started quite small—a folding table covered with a tablecloth, at a local school fair. Within a few years, I was exhibiting at some of the top fine craft markets in the country. Because I’m a recovering perfectionist, I always strove to have the perfect booth. Rest assured, there’s no such thing. A show booth, like your art, is always a work in progress. There’s always room for improvement. But striving for perfection meant I spent—and often still spend—hours upon hours on research and experimenting with flooring, lighting, display and signage for my booth. I’m also a highly evolved hunter-gatherer. I LOVE to shop. I will shop anywhere. From picking up pretty pebbles at the beach and funky sticks in the forest, I have frequented thrift shops, antique malls, big box department stores and yes, hardware and paint stores. I was temporarily daunted once by an electrical supply store, until I discovered vintage radio resistors. Not only am I good at shopping, I’m very good at noticing when it’s HARD to shop. I’m frustrated when I can’t reach an item to look at, or when I can’t see the price easily. I believe every truly awful booth has the potential to become a good booth. It doesn’t always take too much time, or energy, or money. It just takes an open mind and a willingness to change. Learn from my mistakes and those of others. Make your booth a great place for your customers to shop!