The Biggest Mistake to Avoid When Deciding What to Sell at Craft Shows

You know you want to sell at markets, but you can’t quite figure out what to sell. So, you decide to hop on Google or Pinterest and type ‘what to sell at craft shows’ or ‘(insert your craft/skill) ideas to sell at artisan markets.’ That’s your first mistake.

Here’s the deal: when you do a search like that, you are doing the same thing as everyone else who doesn’t know where to start.

The problem with this method is that you’re stumbling upon a trend. You don’t know if this trend has run its course. It’s not a long-term, sustainable model for running your creative business, and you’re likely entering an overly saturated market.

Have you ever gone to a show where it seemed like every other booth was selling the same thing? Me too, and I want you to avoid that mess. While a little healthy competition is good, you also don’t want to consistently battle multiple vendors selling the same thing at every event. You’ll start to face some serious burnout and feel defeated.

So, what can you do to ensure you don’t fall into this trap? Good question!

1. Don’t follow similar creatives who do what you do. Even if you’re not trying to, your subconscious mind might start to pick up on their designs and try to re-create them.
2. Stay in your lane. Know what you’re good at and make it the best it can possibly be. Improve your craft skills and the quality of your products. It’s easy to think the grass is greener on another product, but what you’re doing is starting from scratch each time you add a new product to your line. Instead, dive deep into what’s already working for you. Listen to what your customers are saying and spend their money on. Then, dive deeper into that top-selling product.
3. Look for inspiration outside of your craft. Think nature, retail stores, food, experiences, etc. This is where the money is and where you begin to stand out. Create an inspiration board on Pinterest and visit it each time you go to buy materials or design your products. You’ll end up pulling inspiration from your pins and staying on brand instead of recreating somebody else’s design.  I have also heard the thirds rule, to never use more than one third of an original design in your own.  But I don't fully love that concept as it can become a slippery slope where you end up recreating someone else's work.

If you’re looking for more guidance and really want to nail down your unique product line, you can sign up for my Product Design Challenge now.

I look forward to seeing your product line evolve to be the best it can be! Be sure to follow @makeyourmarklabs on IG for more tips to help you successfully sell your handmade goods at markets.