General advice with exhibiting at craft events

Stall finder advice

Finding and Booking Events

Many events are found via word of mouth, in local press, the internet or on community noticeboards. For an up-to date list of UK events and local events, you can use Stallfinder to find events by county, find events by type or find events by month. If, having found where you wish to craft using stallfinder.com, because all us crafters are courteous folk, leave a mention of where you found the information, thankyou.

A valuable source of information regarding most subjects concerning crafting and events will be found at http://www.stallfinder.com/

Booking Events
 
There are a number of things that need to be considered when booking into an event.

·         Is anyone else going to be selling similar products? 

·         Is the event suitable for your products e.g right target market, handcrafted/handmade items only  

·         How much is the fee or commission rate?

·         Booking form - if possible, doublecheck cancellation/refund Ts and Cs and any deposit details.

·         Is a raffle prize required?

·         Is a stand/table provided and if so how large?

·         Are there any arrangements for parking and unloading?

·         Are directions available to the venue?

·         Is there an estimated  number of attendees?

·         Advance publicity - how well has the event been advertised? Can you help to display/distribute any flyers etc.?

·         Is access to power available if needed?

·         Have you exchanged contact numbers in case of any questions or problems either before or on the night?

·         Is public liablity insurance required? See below for more details on this.

Public Liability Insurance

Many larger events and venues now insist that all stallholders provide proof of Public Liability Insurance coverage.

If members of the public or customers come to your premises or you go to theirs, you should consider taking out public liability insurance. This type of insurance covers any awards of damages given to members of the public because of an injury or damage to their property caused by you or your business. It also covers any related legal fees, costs and expenses as well any hospital treatment costs (including ambulance costs) that the NHS may claim from you.

If you work from home, and customers or members of the public visit you there, you may also want to think about taking out public liability insurance.

Premiums depend on the type of business you run, your turnover and the number of employees you have. There are many conditions, exclusions and warranties that can be applied to public liability policies so it is important to discuss any that are applicable to your policy with your insurance advisor.

Making the Most of an Event

There are many ways to make the most of an event or booking and promote both yourself and your business in a positive way. Events are an opportunity to promote you, your company and your goods and services to a new customer base. You will hopefully get sales on the day but also repeat business in the longer-term.

·         Be positive about your business when dealing with customers, organisers and other stallholders.

·         Smile, look approachable and be polite.

·         Move around and mingle - don't sit behind a table looking fed up if the event is quieter than you'd hoped.

·         Exchange business cards, publicity etc. with other stallholders.

·         Take a diary and try to get event/party bookings.

·         Display publicity, business cards etc prominently on your stall.

·         Have a visitors book or clipboard for customers to leave their details in order to receive further information, brochures etc.

·         Chat to the event organiser and ask to be considered as a stallholder for any future events.

Preparing for an Event

Preparing for an event really is just a matter of making sure that you are ready to show off your goods and services to their best advantage. Obviously you need to ensure that any stock required will be available in good time for the event. You may want to cellophane or package items to protect them or display them more attractively. You should think about how you intend to display items and whether you have the necessary stands or baskets etc. You might find it useful to practice your display and take a photograph which you can then use to recreate it - useful for a quick set-up under time pressure.
Doublecheck that you have all the contact information, timings, venue details and directions that you need. It may be worth a quick phonecall to the organiser a day or two before to make sure the event is still going to plan.
What to take to events

There are a number of things that are useful, if not essential to take along to events e.g. 

·         Own table if not provided

·         Tablecloth - often useful to have a spare in case of extra, large or unusually-shaped table

·         Cash tin, float and calculator

·         Notepad, pens, bluetac, Sellotape, scissors

·         Bags

·         Receipt pads and order forms if applicable

·         Display equipment, baskets or stands

·         Flask and refreshments

·         Business cards & publicity

·         Price signs

·         Brochures or leaflets

·         Stock

·         Clipboard or visitor's book

·         Diary

·         Canopy, gazebo, all weather protection

·         Sunscreen and hat

·         Chair if not provided

Networking

Networking basically involves making connections and building relationships both socially and commercially. There are many online communities, local business and social networking groups that you can join and extend your network. Well known networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo and Linkedin and Ecademy.

There are many other sites which have forums specifically aimed at small business owners or parents working from home such as Netmums, Mumsclub, Mumszone, Giant Potential, Webmums, ivillage, Mumsnet, and BabyCentre where you can exchange ideas and information.

You may find local business networking groups who meet regularly in your area and events such as this are a very useful way to make contacts and build your business locally.
 Events are an excellent way to network as, even if you haven't managed to book a table or stand as a stallholder, you can try and chat to the organiser and ask to be added to their list of potential stallholders for future events. You can also hand out your business card and chat about your business to as many people as possible.

Family, friends and work colleagues are a great basis for forming a network of potential customers or useful business contacts. Try to think of everyone you know and who they know and so on. Talk about your business to as many people as you can and look for opportunities to promote what you do.