nice looking booth, nice looking profit

by Sherri
(Medina, OH)

When I first started doing shows my "booth" was nothing more than a craft table, a table cloth, a mini Christmas tree (2 feet) and a box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.

The space was 10x10 so naturally I must have looked ridiculous. Everyone around me had such professional looking displays even though it was just a high school fair. I was embarrassed and made sure I improved the look of my booth the next time around.

You should always have a pop up tent (usually 10x10) whether the show is inside or out. You need to make sure you will have access to electricity as well, because lighting (even simple twinkle lights) can make all the difference. Also, set up your display at home and arrange it so that it looks inviting and professional to your potential customers.

A simple table skirt can make all the difference and it can be created using nothing but a table cloth and some Velcro to keep it in place. Another "layover" cloth should be put on top of that, giving your table a professional look. You can add scarves, laid flat, across the top of the table for a decorative look or bring props such as flowers to add some cheer. This also takes up room on your table so you don’t have to fill it with so much product. Take a picture of your desired set up and bring that with you to shows. This will help you set up quickly and efficiently the day of.

Do some price comparisons with other booths that are selling similar products. This will allow you to give a fair price to your customer and also allow some haggling room for those difficult penny pinching customers.

Have fun, and keep a smile. A friendly vendor always outsells the competition.