You and Your Hobbies: How to Sell Your Jewelry Like Crazy at Shows, Fairs, and Festivals

How to Sell Your Jewelry Like Crazy at Shows, Fairs, and Festivals

Discover every strategy and secret I've learned from years of selling my handcrafted jewelry at shows.

Hi, I'm jewelry artist Rena Klingenberg.
There are hundreds of things you can do to make a tremendous difference in your success and income at shows, fairs, and festivals.
"Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth" details everything I've learned for squeezing the maximum profits out of your jewelry booth.
I've written this book as a step-by-step information resource to help you succeed in selling your handcrafted jewelry at shows, too.
This is THE reference book for every jewelry designer who has ever set up, or is considering setting up, a booth at a retail event.
Rena covers everything: show prep, display, jurying, pricing, marketing, and so much more.
I’ve been doing shows for several years, and found several tips in this book that will make my shows even easier. It’s like having a great business partner by your side!
Jill SharpBlue Piranha Jewelry
Rena has included everything you need to know about selling jewelry at fairs and markets in this book. If you follow even just a few of her tips and suggestions you will be more successful!
Marie Cristine KnuffMarieCristine.com
How did I discoverthese strategiesfor selling handcrafted jewelryat shows?

Me (far left) in my booth, writing up a jewelry sale at a recent show
During the first few years of my jewelry business, I worked hard to sell my jewelry at shows - but I didn't make very much money at it.
It was frustrating to put so much effort into getting ready for a show, and spend an entire day in my booth - and then come home with only a small profit after expenses.
But I didn't give up. I persevered, trying new things, observing successful artists, and applying the lessons I learned from each show.
Through trial and error I gradually developed a more professional - and far more successful - approach to selling my handcrafted jewelry at shows.
As I began to use and refine my new winning approach, I experienced a big increase in my booth traffic, jewelry sales, and the money I earned at each show.

Here's one example of the results I'm getting,using the strategiesI share with you in this book:
In a recent juried show of 40 artists, my jewelry booth was unfortunately located on the second floor of the venue, instead of on the main floor where most of the action was (including several other jewelry artists). But despite my less-than-prime booth location, my sales accounted for 1/8 of the total sales for the entire show. In other words, out of the dollar figure representing what all 40 artists together sold during the show, my sales alone were 1/8 of that total - from my booth that was off the beaten path! (There was one central transaction station for the show, and afterward the organizers provided the total sales figure.)
I didn't share this to boast, but to give you a concrete example of the results I'm getting with the tips and techniques I detail for you in my book.
I've tested and honed these jewelry marketing strategies so that they really work.
Much of the information in this book has never been published anywhere else before. And I've held no secrets back - "Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth" is your complete, 176-page, step-by-step success guide to selling your jewelry at shows, fairs, and festivals.
You don't have to re-invent the wheel and go through the same learning curve I did to figure out what really works. I've already done it for you.

This book is amazing! Rena is a seasoned jewelry artist with years of real world business experience, and she shares it all in The Ultimate Guide to your Profitable Jewelry Booth.
As an experienced jewelry designer myself, I was amazed at all the great new ideas I found in this book — showing that there’s always room to learn new things! I’ll be implementing some of her ideas at my next show. This book is a must have if you plan to sell jewelry at shows - it is jam packed with useful information that will increase your sales, help in selecting the right shows (and avoiding the wrong ones) and so much more.
Wow, what a great resource - I wish I'd had a book like this when I was first getting started!
Thanks, Rena!
Lorri Elyjewelry designer and owner ofMaking Jewelry
What You'll Learn in This Book:
Section 1 - The Paperwork Stuff
Sales Tax and Business License Requirements for Shows -How Much Sales Tax Do You Charge?; What Licenses and Permits Do You Need for Shows?; Tax and Paperwork Issues at Shows in Other States; Don't Be Scared of Paperwork!
Jewelry Business Insurance -Getting Jewelry Business Insurance Coverage; Money-Saving Insurance Tips; What Kind of Coverage Do You Need for Your Business?; Make Jewelry Business Insurance Claims Easier
Section 2 - Money Matters
Pricing Your Jewelry to Sell Profitably -Are You Pricing Your Work Too Low?; Pricing and the Perceived Value of Your Jewelry; Your Retail Pricing Should Allow You to Wholesale/Consign; Increase Your Profits by Cutting Your Costs; Make Sure You're Not Losing Money with Your Pricing; Sell More Jewelry by Offering Volume Discounts; Should You Put Price Tags on Everything?; A Tip for Selling High-Priced Jewelry; A Final Word on Pricing Your Jewelry
Managing Your Transactions at Shows -Keeping Your Money Safe; Set Up an Efficient Checkout Station; Pros and Cons of Different Types of Cash Boxes; Tips for Accepting Cash; Tips for Accepting Checks; Tips for Accepting Credit Cards; Important Tip for Processing Credit Card Transactions; Keep Your Earnings Secure at Shows
Prevent Shoplifting at Your Booth -Tactics of Experienced Jewelry Shoplifters; 8 Ways to Protect Your Jewelry Booth from Shoplifting; Another Way Your Jewelry May Disappear
Section 3 - The Jewelry Artist in Your Booth
Taking Care of Yourself at a Show -Food and Drinks; Medications; Comfort in the Summer; Your Personal Show Survival Kit
Whatever Shall I Wear to Jewelry Shows? -Clothes to Wear While Setting Up Your Booth; Your Jewelry Artist Outfit; Keeping Your Feet Happy at Shows; Are Your Jewelry Show Clothes Tax-Deductible?
Can You Work Your Booth Alone? -Tips for Doing Shows Without Help; Build Some Muscle; Be Prepared
Section 4 - Your Blueprint for Profitable Shows
How to Find Good Shows for Selling Your Jewelry -The Main Ingredients of a Bad Show; Art and Craft Show Listings; Other Free Sources of Local Show and Event Listings; 4 Important Tips for Researching Shows Online; What You Can Learn from Other Vendors; What Juried Shows Are, and How to Apply for Them; Smaller Venues - Craft Fairs, Bazaars, and Church / School Fairs; How Do You Know Whether a Show Will Be a Good One?; 7 Questions to Ask a Show Organizer Before Applying
How to Find Shows with No Other Jewelry Artists -Local Expos and Events; Your Own Shows
Tips on Applying for Shows -10 Tips for Filling Out Show Applications; Getting Good Photos or Slides of Your Jewelry Booth; Photographing Your Jewelry for Applications; Make Sure What Format of Photos the Show or Jury Requires; Other Tips for Your Application Photos; Other Considerations When You Apply for Shows
Profiting at Small Local Festivals
Your Jewelry Inventory for the Show -Gear Your Inventory to the Show; What Inventory Do You Need for Your First Show?
Prepare for Success -Do a Full Practice Setup at Home; Why Do the Full Trial Run?
How to Promote Your Booth for an Ultra-Profitable Show -Huge Profitability Tip; My Marketing Success Secret; Build Your Customer Mailing List; More Ways to Let Customers Know About Your Upcoming Shows
Section 5 - Manage Your Booth Successfully
A More Profitable Booth Space -Your Booth Location; The Layout of Your Jewelry Booth; Booth Layout for Outdoor Shows; Organize Your Booth Space for Profitability; Defining Your Booth Space at Indoor Shows; Plan Your Booth for Safety
Should You Leave Jewelry in Your Booth Overnight? -Some Jewelry Artists Do; Others Don't; Most Shows Provide No Loss Coverage; An Easy Solution
Tips for Tents and Canopies -Tent / Canopy Recommendations; Can You Use a Backyard Shade or Beach Umbrella?; Anchor Your Tent Securely; The Rundown on Different Tent Weights and Stakes; Sidewalls for Your Tent; Do a Practice Run with a New Tent; Sources for Tents and Canopies; How to Make Your Own PVC-Pipe Tent Weights
Weatherproofing Your Booth at Outdoor Shows -Prepare Your Tent for Sudden Inclement Weather; Weatherproofing Supplies to Have at Your Booth; Protect the Contents of Your Booth from the Weather; Protect Yourself from the Weather
Section 6 - Display Your Jewelry for Maximum Profitability
Your Ever-Evolving Jewelry Display
Designing Your Successful Jewelry Display -Modular Tables and Display Units; The Power of Grouping Your Merchandise; Make a Strong Impression; Displaying at Multi-Day Shows; Merchandising Jewelry as Sets; Keep Displays Well-Stocked, but Create Urgency; Should You Display Multiples of the Same Design?; The Appeal of a Simple Display System; Let the Rummaging Begin!; Tips for Extra Booth Decorations; Other Jewelry Display Tips; Acquiring a Jewelry Display Stash; Ideas for Making Your Own Jewelry Displays; Sources for Manufactured Jewelry Displays
Tips for Jewelry Display Tables -What's the Best Table for Displaying Jewelry?; The Table Height Dilemma; Jewelry Display Table Shopping Tips; Table Covers; Does the Show Have Specific Requirements for Table Covers?; Choosing Your Table Covers; Ways to Prevent Your Table Covers from Flapping in the Wind; Flame Retardant Table Covers; Home Recipe for Flame Retardant Table Covers
Adding Height to Your Display -Display Ideas for Adding Height to Your Jewelry Booth; Cautions About Do-It-Yourself Jewelry Displays
Lights: Your Best Friend for Selling Jewelry -What Kind of Lighting is Best for Jewelry?; Ideas for Lamps to Light Up Your Jewelry Booth; Recommended Light Bulbs for Jewelry Displays; Safety Tips for Adding Light to Your Booth; Transporting Your Lights; More Booth Lighting Tips
Banners and Booth Signs -A Banner for Your Booth; What Should Your Banner Say?; The Best Place to Mount Your Banner; Create Effective Signs for the Inside of Your Jewelry Booth; Where to Have Banners Made
Booth Flooring -Types of Floor Coverings for Jewelry Booths
Section 7 - The Secrets of Selling More Jewelry
(this entire 24-page section of the book contains nothing but loads of tips specifically on how to actually sell your jewelry at shows)
How to Sell a Lot of Jewelry in Your Booth -The Secret to Selling Jewelry; Tips for Interacting with Your Customers; Positive Words vs. Negative Words; Tips for Helping Your Customers Interact with Your Jewelry; Sell More Jewelry by Educating Your Customers; Interacting During the Transaction; Keep a Clean, Tidy Booth
Two of the Most Profitable Times at Every Show -Nope, I'm not even going to hint about them here - but every detail you need to know to really cash in on these two times is in the ebook!
One Way to Attract Customers to Your Jewelry Booth
Earn Big Profits from Impulse Items -Jewelry Items Under $20; a Profitable Add-on
Making Jewelry at the Show - a Big Profit Center -Demonstrating Your Craft; Customizing Jewelry at the Show
Uniqueness Sells Jewelry -Facets of your Business You Can Make Unique; Tips for Making Unique Jewelry that Yields More Sales
Section 8 - Fast Track to Success
Experiment, Evaluate, and Improve -What to Evaluate After a Show
Show Evaluation Form
Rena Klingenberg's book "The Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth" is a must read for anyone who desires to succeed at selling their jewelry at craft shows and fairs.
It captures the reader from the very start, and is practical, inspiring and motivating. It makes the reader realize that selling their beautiful creations is not so difficult when you have her new guide at your side.
She offers expert tips and techniques and explains to you exactly what to do and how to do it, and why you should; leaving no stone unturned. After reading this 176 page guide, you are prepared properly to succeed at your show. You can be successful and make money selling your jewelry after reading this very valuable and informative guide.
Learn from someone who has already succeeded and shares her experience with you! A very valuable asset for all beaders, jewelry makers and crafters.
Cheryl Coccarojewelry artist and author ofEasy Internet Selling
You'll also receive these2 bonus resourcesthat are essential to your success:

Bonus #1:The Master Checklist for Jewelry Shows
This huge master checklist (which fills nearly 7 pages!) includes more than everything you'll ever need to bring when you do a show or festival.
Some jewelry artists' booth setup and personal style require more supplies, while other artists prefer to pack lean and mean.
So pick and choose from this master checklist to create your own customized list that you can print out each time you get ready for a show.
Stick to your list and you'll have everything with you that you need to succeed!
Bonus #2:Success Timeline for Preparing for a Show
Good preparation is a critical element of successful jewelry shows.
This timeline is an essential resource for making sure everything gets done, that it's all done in the right order, and in plenty of time before the show.
This schedule is one of the most important tools I use to prepare for successful shows.
It lists the items you need to take care of at each stage, with individual punchlists for:
two weeks before the show
one week before the show
the day before you leave for the show
while loading your vehicle for the show
at home again after the show
on an ongoing basis.
Just follow this timeline for every show you do, and you'll see a definite improvement in the efficiency, simplicity, and success of your shows!
For your convenience,both of these Bonus Resourcesare included in the beginning of the book,in the section titled "Handy References".

In this top-to-bottom guide to selling handmade jewelry, Rena examines every aspect of the complex topic of selling at shows, from advanced preparation to post-show evaluation and everything in between.
And she tells you, literally, everything you need to know to do it right. She does that in a straightforward and easy to understand way that will benefit everyone from the complete beginner to the well-experienced jewelry seller.
Dr. David WeimanMarketing Director,Lapidary Journal and Step by Step BeadsAuthor ofMarketingJewelry.com

Learn how to sell your jewelrylike crazyat shows, fairs, and festivals. . . for just $39
This book is loaded with proven strategies, tips, and years of experience that you won't find anywhere else!
You can access "Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth" for only $39 - about the same price you'd pay for a few strands of beads.
If all you do after reading this book is sell one or two extra pieces of jewelry, you will get your money's worth.
But I'm certain the information in this book will do a lot more than that for you.
I think you'll be inspired by this guide - and that when you begin using these strategies to sell your jewelry, you'll find it's the best $39 you've invested in your jewelry business this year.

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This is one of the most complete and comprehensive guides for jewelry vendors I’ve ever read.You cover all aspects of the jewelry business. It’s well thought out and has a good flow order.I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable jewelry vendor, but this book offers tips and tricks in detail that even the most seasoned vendor could use. You have some new and innovative ideas I’m anxious to try.Your checklists are complete and helpful under each category. You have paved the way for any newbie starting out in any craft endeavor.... I can’t tell you how valuable that little piece of information is whether you are just starting or a seasoned veteran.

Without using my checklist of everything I take to the shows, there would always be at least one thing that was forgotten! You learn very quickly that it’s a tool you can’t do without. And I feel you stressed the importance of that by the completeness of each list.I have to relate this near disaster to you. (It really has several of your processes in it.) I was doing a one-day show in another part of town. One-day shows are the hardest because of the obvious. I was loading my car the night before without a list.

When I got to the show and was just about finished setting up, I discovered I had left two showcases of wire wrapped pendants at home on the counter. That was the bulk of my display!! Fortunately, I had arrived early and had time to spare. I got the promoter to watch my booth (filled with other jewelry) and raced home to get my jewelry. I couldn’t imagine forgetting the main source, but it happened!!Two things I read in this book that made me smile because they hit so close to home. One was stop making jewelry days before the show. Sometimes I just go on and on in a panic thinking I need “just a few more pairs of earrings”. But you know what, you have to trust what you have is enough and focus on gathering yourself together and prepare for selling!
The other is getting a good nights sleep before the show. I rarely sleep well before a show anyway because I’m one of those people that have trouble letting go of their thoughts and everything keeps playing through my mind.
But if I’m up late packing, or making lists, or shopping for food, or just doing last minute things, then I really won’t get enough sleep. It’s important to give ample time before the show to start preparing yourself. It just makes the end result so much easier. I am so much more relaxed when I arrive, if I’ve given myself enough time for preparation.

I agree with your segment on uniqueness and new designs. It certainly keeps your repeat customers coming back. I always try to add at least one new item every year, whether it’s a newly designed style of bracelet or a whole new product line like dichroic bottle stoppers. It’s also a great way to start conversations. When a person takes interest in the new product, it’s a great opportunity to mention that and then ask their opinion.Your evaluation form is a simple yet clever idea. I always go over in my mind some of those points you mention, but never thought of writing them down and using them. It’s a good way of keeping your scope of business on track. The best part is if you did a marginal show and a new show came along the next year at the same time, you could evaluate whether taking a chance on the new show would be worth your while. This is definitely something I will implement into my regime.And finally, I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it. You turned me on to the “treasure chest” theory and I watch it work it’s magic at every show I do! I even have two.
One has odds and ends, say “leftovers” of items I no longer make. Because you’re right about “grouping”, if you don’t have enough of a particular item, it just gets lost and never sells. The prices in that box are reduced from their original selling price, which makes them even more appealing.
I’m a wire wrap and dichroic glass artist. So the second box has various sized, unwrapped dichroic pendants. With these I offer a “free satin cord”. This way they get something “free” with their purchase and it’s a complete wearable necklace. I can never thank you enough for this technique that quite often makes my booth cost!I really found helpful the section on insurance. I just looked at a show application that required insurance. I had never encountered the need for insurance yet, and you have pointed me in a direction to take action. You offered several suggestions that I had never thought of.Your book has helped me refine some of the processes I already use. It has inspired me to take it a step further. I truly enjoyed reading it and feel it will be a great resource to refer back to often.
This business is truly ever evolving as you have pointed out in your book. Everything you discuss gets better with practice and time. Sharing your experiences with others will help assure their success.
Thank you for publishing this book!
Cindy CherringtonCCCreations

Learn how to sell your jewelrylike crazyat shows, fairs, and festivals. . . for just $39
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