Art markets: let's talk about them.
I've been selling at markets for a few years now and they can be a great source of income and meeting longer-term customers. Some of my friends even do it full-time, heading somewhere different every weekend and just making during the week.
My first fair was in 2019, inside the gym of the high school I graduated from two years prior. I laid out my modest selection of prints flat on a low 4-foot-long table and took what sales came. I didn't give it much thought and I wasn't sure that I was interested in markets as a way to make income.
My first ever craft fair display. It leaves much to be desired, but it was enough to make a handful of sales.
After graduating from art school in 2022, I started participating in more fairs. This time, I practiced my setup before the big day, but I still didn't have much money to invest in quality display materials. I spent everything I could on the cheapest tent money could buy, and for everything else in my display, I used old retail displays my mom had once put her photos in and items I scoured from Facebook Marketplace. These humble beginnings helped me to build enough income to invest in a higher quality display later on.
So that makes for our first DO: Use what you've got. Think about all the resources you have available. Get creative!
- Do you have a friend or family member with a 10x10 tent you could borrow?
- Is there a business owner in your life who might have an extra display rack they're not using, who would loan it to you for the weekend?
- If you're handy, maybe you're able to check Pinterest or Etsy for some DIY display patterns, like an A-frame print rack.
- What do you have in your home that would work for something? For a while, I brought my tabletop painting easel to shows, so I could display an eye-catching painting. Or maybe you have something else you could lean a painting against?
- Check sources of free or low-cost fixtures- like buy-nothing groups, the thrift store, or Facebook Marketplace- regularly to see what might pop up.
It takes a while to build up to a display you're truly happy with, and unfortunately it will take some financial commitment too. Try doing some markets with what you already have, and make sure that you can handle the physical and mental strain of building, operating, and deconstructing your own store all in a few hours. If it's not for you, you'll know before dropping big bucks!
DON'T make them guess your prices
Put yourself in the shoes of the shopper. You're exploring a display of beautiful handmade goods and find something you really like. But no matter how much you love it, price is a factor in your buying decisions. Do you ask the maker what the cost is? If you're like me, an anxious overthinker, then you put it down and walk away rather than face a potentially awkward situation.
Sure, some people will ask. But to catch all your potential buyers, you need clear and obvious signage, price tags, or both.
DO use vertical space.
People should be able to clearly see what you sell from outside the booth- this is why they come in! Some ways you can get your product to eye level might be:
- Easels- tabletop or floor-standing
- Grid walls or pegboard
- Stacked wooden crates
- Depending on your product, even a mannequin or hanging things from the roof might work.
Try searching a site like Pinterest to see what others making your product are doing.
DON'T Forget about the wind.
At an outdoor market, your greatest enemy will not be the rain- it will be the wind. (Though rain can hurt sales, but at least it's easy to just cover everything to keep it safe.) I have seen tents go airborne, mangle their metal poles, and cause a huge loss.
You will always need to weigh down your tents, usually 25-40 lbs each leg, but I've seen as high as 50 lbs required. I recommend ratchet-strapping your weights to the top corners of your tent so the wind doesn't sway it around. Weights are super important because your stuff flying around could damage another vendor's stuff or hurt an attendee, both of which I have seen. (Speaking of, get crafter's insurance like ACT if you do more than a handful of markets each year.)
In light wind, using walls can help keep a breeze from toppling your products... but in heavy winds, they make a good kite. Whether to use them will be a decision you have to make each time, and be prepared to switch it up mid-day.
Keep lightweight products held down by the way they're displayed or with paperweights. If you have any displays or fixtures that are vulnerable to wind, find a way to secure them too.
And if the wind is extreme (40+ MPH), it might be safest to stay home. Check the cancellation or bad weather policy of the market, and if the rules don't allow you to skip it, think about whether that bridge is worth burning for your safety. Many rain-or-shine markets make an exception for extreme and dangerous weather- as they should. When they don't, it affects my decision to apply next time.
DO Diversify your price range.
If I was just starting out, I might think that I have but one product: my paintings! For what I consider a normal size, these are easily $1-300+ items. That can be a hard sell for someone meeting you for the first time.
Absolutely bring these (you never know- I've sold dozens of paintings at markets now) but if you want to make more money, I highly recommend diversifying your price range so more buyers find you within their budget. For me, this has looked like:
- Smaller, quicker, cheaper paintings
- Prints of my best paintings
- Cards (with a quantity discount)
- Stickers (with a quantity discount)
- Magnets
- Pins/buttons
Especially when you consider print-on-demand product companies, the options are plentiful without having to devalue your one and only original. With my prices at $3-$5, bundles at $10-12, and prints for $25, I have something for most people who've taken an interest in my art- even kids!
DON'T make your product range too broad.
You'll notice the products I offer all stay pretty similar in an important way- they all provide a representation of my paintings, even at various price points. Fun fact: I minored in ceramics when I went to art school, but you won't find any cups filling my booth. That's because they're too different from everything else I do. Overcomplicating your offerings makes decisions more difficult for your customer and sometimes makes them question your expertise in any of your offerings (even if you're a Jackie of all trades!) And the longer they're standing there thinking, the less sure of their decision they feel... plus, they're standing in the way of other people entering your booth!
This is something I'm still working on. For example, right now I have a spinning card display of 24 designs, plus an overflow bin. It's too much for me to keep track of and it's a lot for the customer. I'm working on niching down and sunsetting some older or less popular designs. A visitor should feel instantly that they know what I'm about, that it's easy to see and consider everything, and they know exactly what they would buy. Making that choice quickly makes it feel like they're already halfway to the purchase.
DO dress the part.
It's odd to think about, but with all the consideration you give to your layout and branding and product selection, you might fail to realize that you're a major part of the display! Especially as an artist, people often fall in love with the person and their story behind the art- so you should be someone they want to engage with.
I have some go-to outfits that fit the message I'm trying to send in my art. So far, I've mostly sold landscape and chicken pictures, so I feel like I can look a little farmy. A pair of jeans, a flannel and my hair up in a bun sends the message that I put the hens away just before arriving (even though I don't actually have chickens.)
When I'm going for more of the free-spirited artist vibe, I have a pair of splattered-looking overalls in mustard yellow and navy blue that definitely catch attention.
