Your first craft show is coming up, you're excited and anxious...
You have all this product, but what the heck are you doing and where are you going to put it?!
Every scenario is running through your head: what if I have too much stuff, what if I don't have enough, what if can’t fill my space, what if it looks stupid…? STOP!!
Here are 6 easy things you can do to ease the pre-show jitters…
1. Rehearse your set up
Find a space at home to create your FULL set up. Anywhere will do: kitchen, backyard, garage. Wherever it fits!
If you are NOT doing an open concept booth, make sure to leave room behind your table for YOU as well as walking space so you can interact with your customers
Introvert tip: Create a "safe space" for yourself. I always leave myself a space behind my product to take a breath. I'm not saying you should hide, I repeat, NO HIDING. But it is beneficial for you to have a place not in direct view from customers to take a mini-moment for yourself to recharge.
Don't forget to go through your POS sign in and connection. Whether you're using Square, Moneris, or cash only with manual inventory tracking, you want to make sure you have everything you need in a convenient and accessible place. ex. cash float, sign in information, charge cords, pen/pencil, inventory sheets, sales sheets, custom order forms, etc. You can find some of these helpful items here
2. Take a Photo!
You will not remember exactly where you placed everything. Make it easier by having a visual reference!
3. DO IT AGAIN!
Time yourself so you can plan how long it will take you. Always remember to give yourself a time buffer for anything that may come up
Practice may not always make perfect but it certainly makes you more confident.
4. Prepare to make adjustments
You don't always know what your neighbor's set up will look like, and sometimes you need to be able to adjust to get optimal visibility.
5. Load up your vehicle the NIGHT BEFORE
Go through your checklist and make sure you have packed everything you need. (make it even easier by using this sheet for organization)
Pack your vehicle! This way you know everything is going to fit, and you'll have a more restful sleep.
6. Don't take it too seriously, and have fun!
These few steps will prevent scrambling the morning of your event, eliminate most big decisions, and streamline your set up process. HOWEVER, you can't control everything! For example, you could be partially set up, and the organizer wants to move your booth. This would be irregular, but still possible, and has happened to me on more than one occasion. So give yourself extra time and try to go with the flow, it's all going to work out just the way it was meant to!
Remember, every step you take (no matter how small) to make it easier for yourself is going to make you more CONFIDENT!
I sincerely hope this was helpful to you; I've learned all of this the hard way and my goal is to save you some trial and error so you can get out there and grow your business!
If you have found this helpful feel free to follow me on Instagram @the_introvert_maker
Want to Save this article for later?? Pin it using the graphic below!
Comments