Using Displays to Stand Out at a Craft Fair

Craft fair season is upon us! As local artists and craftspeople gear up to sell goods at these shows, it’s common to wonder exactly how to get noticed by shoppers in a bustling venue. Seasoned artists are aware that they only have a few seconds to capture a shopper’s attention as they peruse the fair – to take advantage of that short window of time, it’s important to set up a booth that encourages shoppers to stop and take a closer look at your art.

 

One of the best ways to capture a shopper’s attention is to observe tactics commonly used by visual merchandisers in the retailing industry. As an artist, a lot of the more intuitive aspects pertaining to visual merchandising, including harmonious design and color schemes, should come rather naturally. However, an effective approach to visual merchandising should also rely on marketing knowledge to spark interest in shoppers. Let’s take a closer look at how craft fair displays can provide the visual interest needed to boost sales at your next craft fair.

 

craft fair booth with risers

 

9 Visual Merchandising Tips & Tricks

When preparing for a craft fair, there are a few visual merchandising tips to keep in mind to help guide your display efforts.

 

    1. Easy to Pack Displays: It’s advisable to use products that can be packed away and transported, like collapsible pedestals or foldable tables. Avoid using wood and metal materials as these are unwieldy and heavy. Plastic is the preferable choice because it’s lightweight and will easily fit in your truck or trailer.

 

    1. Place at Eye Level and Waist Level: Putting products at the eye and waist level make it much easier for customers to see, touch, and notice your crafts.

 

    1. Odd Numbers Create Harmony: Having an odd number of products or displays creates visual interest. This is why many displays are grouped by threes – but grouping by five or seven is acceptable, too.

 

Step riser

    1. Repetition: To add even more visual interest, use repetition and alternation when grouping products. For example, display an orange scarf, a blue scarf, and then another orange scarf.

 

    1. Branding is Key: Chances are, many people at the craft show you’re attending will return in the future. As your products and themes change, your brand should stay static so it may be recognized. Don’t forget to make business cards that list your social media, website, contact info, or other important information.

 

    1. Design Around a Theme: When designing a craft fair booth, it’s important to think of a theme first. The theme should either adhere to your brand or be on-trend, then displays should be selected to support the theme. An example of a theme could be “fall activities.” To support this theme, consider purchasing a backdrop that displays colorful leaves, and use products like wooden barrels or wood veneers to emulate the appearance of a sugar house.

 

craft show display with wood veneer
Source: Seedling Clayworks

 

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    1. Use Signage Effectively: Signage is critical to communicate what your brand is, as well as the key benefits of your crafts. However, it’s imperative to keep messages succinct since too much messaging will fail to catch the attention of shoppers. So, spend some time brainstorming what makes your crafts truly unique. For example, if you sell lotions, are they all-natural? Do they use a special kind of oil? Do they use essential oils? These key selling points should be communicated alongside your branding.

 

    1. Take advantage of posters: If you sell small items like trinkets or jewelry, consider using signage that uses images instead of words. Just feature a picture of your most popular, star product and display it on a large, poster-sized sign. This will help visitors notice what products are on sale at your booth without needing to get close enough to inspect the small items.

 

Clear poster-size sign with farmers market flyer.

    1. Stack products in a pyramid display: Multileveled displays, such as acrylic risers, will help tie together the composition of your booth. This is especially true if these products are stacked into a pyramid. Simply place an attention-grabbing product on top of the pyramid, and then place similar, grouped products beneath it. Since people’s eyes naturally follow diagonal lines, they’ll begin by looking at the top of the pyramid, and naturally avert their gaze along the side of the pyramid. Overall, this will help create an interesting product display while making the most of available counterspace.

 

craft fair booth with multi-tiered risers
Source: Paperlaced

Final Thoughts

Displays are a key piece of any eye-catching craft fair booth. Since attendants will have access to a wide range of vendors, it’s important to stand out and capture their limited attention as effectively as possible. By harnessing these design and marketing tactics, your crafts will have a better chance of being noticed by shoppers, even at the most crowded craft fairs.

If you’d like to take a closer look at displays for your next craft fair booth, take a look at our page for retail displays and fixtures. Or, if you have questions or custom requests, contact us today.