Are you interested in attending a local art show or craft fair as a vendor? If so, there are a few things you should know before you attend. Here are some essential tips for selling your art at local art shows, whether you’re a first-time attendee or a veteran vendor.
Choose Which Products To Sell
The first thing to decide when you sign up as an art show vendor is what products you’re going to sell. Many artists use art shows as a chance to promote their work by selling original artwork, prints, photographs, handcrafted items, and more. If you’re selling prints and reproductions of your original pieces, you must decide which materials you want to print them on. Don’t forget these tips for creating the best custom canvas prints if you’re creating large-scale prints or boards.
Engage Your Potential Customers
If you’ve ever been to an art fair or craft show, you may have picked up on some of the etiquette involved. Art fair booth owners need to be energetic and engaging if they want to attract customers to come and view their wares. One of the best ways to do this is to share the stories behind your art pieces and crafts. People love artwork with a story or message behind it, and every artist has these stories to tell. If you have a unique process for creating your works, tell your story and how you create each piece as your visitors browse. Doing so helps you form a connection with your audience, building engagement.
Market Yourself and Your Business
You should always encourage visitors to follow up and connect with your business in the future, regardless of whether they make a purchase. Many artists do this by printing business cards that contain their website link, social media handles, and other contact information. Set these cards at the front of your stand so that passing customers can take one as they browse. Providing your business cards allows event attendees to look up your art in the future and make remote purchases if you have an online store.
These are some of the biggest tips for selling your work at a local art show. Keep them in mind as you cultivate your product selection, set up your booth, and interact with customers at the event itself.