What’s the secret to success when you’re selling at craft shows?
And does it make sense to add online selling to the mix? Jeannie Olsen, founder of Vibe Jewelry Co., joined me on this episode of the How to Sell Online podcast to talk about both.
I met Jeannie at one of my FAVORITE vendor/craft fairs—it’s held every year in Midway, Utah. Mountain setting, tons of great food, amazing things to look at…it’s awesome.
Jeannie’s booth was one that immediately drew my attention because it wasn’t the kind of jewelry display I was used to. What she delivered was an interactive experience, with me getting to choose unique stones, charms and other pieces that would make the necklaces I was buying unique.
This aspect of her business allowed her to take selling at craft shows to a different level. She calls it a party, and she is right! It was so easy to see how she could sell five figures at just one event.
Principles for success selling at craft shows and selling online
Okay—I tried selling at craft fairs before I started my first online store. My friend, it was HARD! You have to prepare everything you’re going to sell, get it all packed up, and shlep it to the event.
Then you set everything up, crossing your fingers that you didn’t forget anything and hoping that your displays don’t come tumbling down. And when those event doors open, you have to be on your “A” game, greeting people, showing them your products, and getting them checked out (if they decide to buy.)
As I share in the podcast, at one event I had my cashbox stolen—someone literally walked off with thousands of dollars. I didn’t just WANT to cry…I DID cry!
Jeannie Olsen is proof, however, that you can be successful selling at craft shows and vendor events.
It’s still not easy, but she has tips that can help. And as it just so happens, the steps she takes are also perfect for online selling too.
Have a system.
Jeannie has created a system for Vibe Jewelry Co. to make sure things run as smoothly as possible. For example, she plans out events months in advance so she knows exactly what she’ll need—from the products she’ll need to create custom jewelry pieces to how to move those products into the event space. And (this one’s a big one!) she hires people to help her get things done.
You can do the same, whether you’re selling online or off. Putting systems in place allow you to easily replicate the work you do and make it more efficient. Just like Jeannie spends months planning for the craft shows she attends, you could plan out a year’s worth of offers for your online store. And like Jeannie, knowing when you can and should hire someone to help you should be part of the system and plan you create.
Know your audience.
Have you ever gone to a community event that happens to have vendor booths? If so, you know that a lot of times people aren’t there specifically to focus on the craft booths—they may just want to stroll through the park and enjoy an ice cream cone.
Jeannie chooses very specific, vendor-focused events to attend. Like the huge Utah craft fair I mentioned above, the people who attend the events are planning to shop. And then she creates her space to attract the kind of people who’ll love her products (I’m raising my hand right now, you just can’t see me.) A great event + a great space + great customers = likely sales.
How do you apply this principle to your online store? Consider the platforms you’re selling on. Do they take more time than they’re worth? Are you products better suited for Etsy or for Jane? Answering those kinds of questions can make selling more efficient (and lead to more sales.) And don’t forget: your online store should look and feel like a place where your ideal customers will want to spend their time and their money.
Be passionate about what you’re doing.
Jeannie loves the products she sells—and she loves the process of HOW she sells. She has a passion for helping and serving her customers. She wants them to have an incredible experience every time they walk into her craft booth. If you visit the Vibe Jewelry Co. site, you’ll see how she does it there, too.
You can bring that same kind of passion whether you’re standing in front of your customers at a craft fair or you’re offering them products online. Loving what you do shows, and your customers will love it.
Why have an online store too?
As mentioned above, Jeannie has an online store for her business too, VibeJewelryCo.com. Having that store, in addition to doing live events, allows customers who have a great experience with her in person to buy from her again later—which is what every business owner wants, right? And Jeannie’s taken it a step further, not only allowing her customers to purchase individual pieces but also to sign up for a subscription box.
You’ll want to give this podcast episode a listen to learn more about Jeannie Olsen, her craft show success, and of course, about Vibe Jewelry Co.
Top 10 Takeaways (that work online and off):
- Offer multiple ways for your customers to pay for purchases.
- Ask for help with set up (whether it’s a booth or your Shopify store.)
- Work with others offering complementary products.
- Do live sales, then send to Shopify.
- Have upsells ready to offer your customers.
- Find what you’re best at and hire out the other stuff as soon as you’re making sales.
- Sell subscription boxes to help bring in consistent cash flow.
- When you work to attract your perfect customer, you’ll repel the ones that aren’t.
- When you have passion around what you’re selling, it’ll make it a lot easier.
- Why would you not start? Just make it happen.
Additional Resources
Connect with Jeannie Olsen:
- Shop VIBE Jewelry at https://www.vibejewelrycompany.com/
- use code icanfam20 for 20% off your purchase (for a limited time)
- On Instagram @vibejewelryco
- On Facebook @Vibejewelryco
Connect with Alison:
- On Facebook:@alisonjprince
- Instagram: @alisonjprince
- Get your free Because I Can planner (you just pay shipping) at https://go.alisonjprince.com/life-planner-order2
- Learn about the 0-100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/master-class-reg-page
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Podcast episode with Mandy Sawchuk
- Podcast episode with Rebeca Miller – first episode and second episode
