(I wrote this blog post with markets in mind but I think these ideas would be great for your online stores as well if you have one!)
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| Image by Fang Liu via Pexels |
Markets are a great way to sell your products in person. They’re very popular events, especially in the summer and holiday seasons. You may be interested in selling in a market but not sure what all to bring.
Of course, bring your woven wall hangings! But what else? One option is to make sure you have items at multiple price points.
Before you read this list please know that while I have not sold in markets I have definitely seen the value in having multiple price points in my online shops.
Below are some ideas of what I would be looking for as a customer who wasn’t quite ready to buy a larger woven wall hanging. Tutorials linked under images.
Woven and fiber art items at multiple price points
- Bookmarks
- Coasters
- Woven bracelet
- Mini wall hangings
- Tassel earrings
- Woven necklace
- Woven hatband
- Woven placemats
My suggestion is just to cover multiple price points so that if someone finds your work and loves it but can’t purchase a larger piece at the moment they can still engage with you and your work.
Some people may walk in ready to spend on a large piece but if they’re not able to do that at the time of the market they may still want something of yours!
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Woven Bookmark image via Lucy Rowan |
Woven Coaster image via Never Skip Brunch |
Another way to determine what to bring to a market is to keep in mind what kind of customers the market you are at caters to.
Is it a themed market like Valentine’s Day or Christmas? Is it primarily an artisan market where the customers are coming expecting to purchase artisan goods? Or is it a market at a festival that may have a lot of attendees but not a lot of shoppers for your specific items?
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Woven Bracelet image via Misty Mawn |
Small Woven Wall Hangings image via Wear & Woven |
Are you expecting a certain age range in attendance? If it is an older crowd they may not be as interested in more trendy objects but may like handcrafted items for their home like woven placemats or pillows.
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Tassel Earrings image via Wear & Woven |
Woven Necklace image via Rachel Denbow |
If possible, get an idea of who attends or who you think will attend so you can tailor your products to your prospective shoppers.
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Woven Hatband (make using woven bracelet tutorial) image via Willow Lane Hat Co. |
Woven Placemat (use woven coaster tutorial and make it extra large) Image via Sterling Harper |
Other than items for sale I’d recommend having cards and a signup sheet for your email list.
Someone might not be ready for a large piece now but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in the future, especially if they join your email list and start seeing your beautiful work show up regularly in their inbox.
You’ve got shoppers right there in person, that’s the perfect time to get signups on your email list rather than hoping they find you through social media.
Have a fantastic market season! Let me know if any of these ideas worked for you!