You're already making aromatherapy products. Maybe you're giving them to friends and family or even selling the occasional scent to a woman at work. Now you are ready to take your business to the next level: selling at craft fairs. It can be a big and scary step, but do your research and plan ahead and your craft fair vending career can be the most fun you've ever had at work.
Sometimes, you spend so much time planning the show beforehand that you forget the keys to success while at the fair. First things first, arrive early. You will want lots of time to get the lay of land, sign in with the organizers, and get your vendor booth set up. Selling aromatherapy products involves a large inventory, so there will be a lot of boxes to carry into the venue. Bring help: your spouse, your kids, your friends. Make your aromatherapy business a family affair.
Craft fair vending means long days, and sometimes long weekends. If you have someone with you at your vendor booth, it can make the time easier and more fun. Bring a friend who loves to use your products. She can talk you up and offer testimonials to your customers. A knowledgeable companion can be a person you trust to leave alone at your booth. While you run to the bathroom or grab some quick change to refill the money box, you need someone who can answer any questions your customers might have.
Customers at a show will have plenty of questions. They will expect you, the fair vendor, to be able to answer them. Know your product. Be ready for questions about ingredients, how things are made, what each product can be used for. Offer samples for women to feel and smell. Encourage people to get up close to your table, to pick up and touch the products. Especially in the bath and beauty business, it is important that customers are allowed to interact with the product before they buy.
When your table is just a table, you must add something beyond the products to draw your customers in. Height is the easiest way to get attention. If your products are small pieces, stack them up on old cake stands or vintage curio cabinets. Fill big glass bowls for people to dig through. Create a laundry line between too tall stands and hang lighter items from above. If your booth is against a wall, use that space. Make a large and colorful banner with your business name and hang it up behind you.
Selling aromatherapy products is about creating a special kind of environment for your customers. Your booth must reflect this. As a craft fair vendor, this atmosphere can be difficult to maintain. If your neighbor sells toys, you might find your area of the venue overrun by children. Don't worry. Your booth is the calm center of the craft show. Every mother passing by will recognize your table as a place to pause and take a breath. Seize the moment and sell.
