Don't Forget List For Trade Shows

gemstone beads, jewelry supplies, freshwater pearls, seed beads, delica beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystal, metal beads

Have you simply got too much jewelry? Did you get carried away with your bead habit and need more money to buy more beads? Then selling your jewelry creations may make sense.

Selling at trade shows and craft fairs is an option for anyone who lives near a substantial population center or is willing to travel to one. There is usually a table fee and sign-up contract, and in some cases the work is selected by a jury of judges. Regardless of the entry requirements, we thought it may be helpful to provide you with a list of things you may want to take along to the show. Certainly, not everything on the list will apply to every show or every vendor, but at least you won't forget the important things if you review this list before driving off to the show.

credit card/check acceptance sign (You want your customers to know what kinds of payment methods you accept.)
mirror (Your customers will want to see how your product looks against their skin and hair.)
shopping trays (Don't let buyers drop your stuff - give them a tray. Disposable food containers work great for jewelry; they are small, light weight, and cheap.)
manual credit card processor and transaction slips (If you accept credit cards, don't forget the knuckle buster in case your wireless machine won't work.)
price list (Even if everything is labeled, labels can come off. I put my price list on my PDA, but paper works fine. It's just a back-up anyway.)
change (You should have at least $100 in paper money and coins.)
receipts (Whether you use a printer or a hand-written notepad, your customers should get a receipt of their purchase. Try to have your company name and contact information on the receipt.)
signage (Some shows limit what signs you can put up, so check on that before you buy a sign.)
business cards (Take a ton of them, and give them to all who stop by.)
display cases (You may not use display cases, but they help keep your product safe and can serve as a hard surface for the customer to write on as they pay.)
tent (Not every show is outdoors, but if it is, don't forget you and your customers will need shelter from sun and rain.)
lights and extra bulbs (If power will be available, you need lights to sell jewelry. The more the better, as good lighting allows the jewelry to shine. We use full spectrum bulbs, so the color of our product is true.)
light bar (This can be any number of materials. Ours is PVC pipe. It's simply something self-supporting to hang your lights from.)
sissors (You'd be surprised at how many times you need to cut something.)
stapler and extra staples (Sometimes customers want to staple their receipt and credit card slip together or close up their merchandize bag with a staple.)
money drawer (Some people prefer a fanny pack which they wear in front to keep their money, and that works fine. You just need a secure place to keep your money.)
table (Most shows provide tables, but if they don't, don't forget yours.)
fire retardant table cloth (If you are not using your own table, make sure you know how big the table cloth needs to be. Some shows use 6 foot tables, others use 8 foot tables. Most shows require that the table cloths be fire retardant, so don't waste money on one that isn't.)
product (Your product is why you are going to the show. You would be surprised at how easy it is to forget this most crucial item.)
windex (If you have display cases, you will need to clean them often.)
towel (Even if you don't need to clean display cases, you or a customer may spill a drink, so take a small towel or two.)
cell phone (Of course this is optional, but it is certainly handy if your credit card machine won't work or you need to call someone to bring you something.)
cooler with ice, drinks, water, lunch and snacks (You will get hungry and thirsty, and leaving for an hour lunch is usually not an option at a show.)
business license (You may need to show the promoter or tax authorities that you are a licensed business.)
tax-free resale certificates (Your state may not require a tax-free form, but if it does, take some for wholesale buyers who forget them.)
kleenex (You would be surprised at how many times you will need a kleenex.)
merchandise bags (We take bigger ones for purchases and little zip lock bags for broken bead strands or small items.)
boxes (You will need some boxes to stash your stuff under the table, as well as to carry things back and forth to the car.)
chairs (The show may provide a chair or two, but make sure you don't have to stand all day.)
extension cords and outlet strip (Take more than one, as the outlet may not be within a convenient distance from where you need it, or you may have more plugs than you have places to plug into.)
3-prong adapter (Sometimes your plug has 3 prongs, and the outlet has just 2 slots.)
rubber bands (These can come in handy for a number of different purposes.)
twisty ties (These are like the paper wrapped wire that you find in the grocery store for closing bags. They can help manage your cords, attach things to rack displays, group bunches of bead strands together, etc.)
measuring tool (Sometimes people want to know how long a necklace is or how big is that bead.)
tape (I know you'll need tape, I just can't tell you in advance what for.)
calculator (Unless you are a total math wiz, don't do it by hand.)
paper towels (If you take several cloth towels, you can skip the paper towels.)
note pads (You may need to write down something. Give yourself something to write it down on.)
pen (You probably always have one. Just make sure it works.)
sheets for overnight cover-up (If the show is more than one day, people leave their product in the hall and cover it up overnight.)
rug (This is optional, but very nice on your feet if the floor is concrete.)
credit card terminal and extra paper for it (If you have a credit card machine, don't forget it. It should be a wireless one, as you won't be able to plug into a phone line at most shows.)
barcode scanner (You only need this if your labeling is all high-tech and automated, like ours.)
laptop (This is optional, but we use it to run our cash register program.)
printer (This is optional. We use a small thermal receipt printer.)
comfortable shoes (You'll be on your feet most of the time. Don't let your feet become barking dogs.)
a good attitude (It's hard to stay in a good frame of mind at trade shows, as it's a lot of work to get set up and there are periods when sales are slow, but a good attitude goes a long way to making the show successful.)