Marketing your craft fair booth isn't just about showing up with great products and hoping people find you. The most successful vendors treat every event as a full marketing campaign — with promotion before, engagement during, and follow-up after the fair.
Whether you're a seasoned vendor or just getting started, these strategies will help you maximize every craft fair appearance and build a loyal customer base that keeps coming back.
Why Marketing Matters for Craft Fair Vendors
Think about the last craft fair you attended as a vendor. How many people walked right past your booth without stopping? If you're like most vendors, the answer is a lot.
The difference between vendors who consistently sell out and those who barely break even often isn't the product — it's the marketing. A vendor with good marketing can:
- Drive targeted traffic to their booth before the event even starts
- Convert browsers into buyers with strategic engagement during the fair
- Turn one-time customers into repeat buyers with smart follow-up
- Build brand recognition that compounds over time
Let's break down exactly how to do this at every stage.
Before the Fair: Building Anticipation
1. Announce Early and Often on Social Media
Start promoting your next craft fair at least 2-3 weeks in advance. Post about it multiple times across your platforms — not everyone sees every post.
Here's a content calendar that works:
- 3 weeks out: Announce the event with date, time, and location
- 2 weeks out: Share a sneak peek of new products you're bringing
- 1 week out: Show behind-the-scenes prep (packing, making inventory)
- 3 days out: Remind followers with a "coming this weekend" post
- Day before: Final reminder with booth number if you have it
2. Create an Event-Specific Promotion
Give people a reason to seek you out specifically. Ideas include:
- "Show special" pricing on select items
- Free gift with purchase over a certain amount
- Limited-edition items only available at this fair
- First 10 customers get a bonus (creates urgency to arrive early)
Mention these in every promotional post to give people a concrete reason to visit your booth.
3. Use the Event's Official Channels
Most craft fairs have their own social media pages, websites, or email lists. Take advantage:
- Tag the event in all your promotional posts
- Share the event's posts and add your own commentary
- Connect with other vendors — cross-promotion benefits everyone
- Ask the organizer if they feature vendors on their page
4. Email Your Customer List
If you've been collecting emails (and you should be), send a dedicated email about the upcoming fair. Include:
- Event details (date, time, address, parking info)
- What you'll be selling
- Any special promotions
- A personal note about why you're excited
Don't have an email list yet? This fair is the perfect place to start one.
5. List Your Appearance on Your Website
Add an "Events" or "Find Us" page to your website listing all upcoming fairs. This helps customers who discover you online find you in person — and it's good for local SEO.
Tools like TheCraftMap make it easy for customers to discover which fairs you'll be attending.
During the Fair: Maximizing Every Interaction
6. Create an Instagram-Worthy Booth
Your booth design is marketing in action. People are more likely to stop at (and photograph) an attractive display. Key principles:
- Height variation — Use risers, shelves, and hanging displays
- Cohesive branding — Consistent colors, fonts, and signage
- Clear pricing — Don't make people ask; it creates a barrier
- One hero product at eye level that draws people in
Want more display ideas? Check out our guide to craft fair booth display ideas for inspiration.
7. Collect Contact Information
This is the single most valuable marketing activity you can do at a craft fair. Every contact you collect is a potential repeat customer.
Methods that work:
- Fishbowl raffle — Drop a business card to win a free product
- QR code sign-up — Link to a simple email form
- Discount incentive — "Sign up for 10% off your next online order"
- Paper sign-up sheet — Old school but effective
Aim to collect at least 10-20 emails per event. Over a season of 15-20 fairs, that's 150-400 new contacts.
8. Post Live Content During the Event
Show your social media followers what they're missing:
- Stories/Reels of your booth and the crowd
- Product demos or behind-the-scenes content
- Customer photos (with permission)
- "Selling fast" updates to create FOMO
Tag the event and use relevant hashtags (#craftfair #handmade #shoplocal plus city-specific tags).
9. Have Professional Business Cards Ready
Every customer who buys (or browses) should leave with your card. Include:
- Your business name and logo
- Website/online shop URL
- Social media handles
- A QR code linking to your site
- Your next upcoming event (if known)
10. Network with Other Vendors
Other vendors are potential collaborators, referral sources, and friends. Introduce yourself to neighbors, swap business cards, and discuss upcoming events. The craft fair community is tight-knit, and relationships matter.
After the Fair: The Follow-Up That Most Vendors Skip
This is where the real money is. Most vendors pack up and don't think about the event again until the next one. Don't be most vendors.
11. Send a Follow-Up Email Within 48 Hours
Strike while the iron is hot. Within 1-2 days of the fair, email everyone who signed up:
- Thank them for visiting your booth
- Remind them of your online shop
- Include a special offer — "Thanks for visiting! Use code FAIR15 for 15% off"
- Attach photos from the event
This single email can generate significant post-fair online sales.
12. Post a Recap on Social Media
Share highlights from the event:
- Best moments and favorite customer interactions
- Products that sold well
- Thank the organizer and tag the event
- Mention your next upcoming fair
This content performs well because it's authentic and shows the human side of your business.
13. Track Your Results
Good marketing requires measurement. After each fair, record:
- Total sales (gross and net after expenses)
- Number of contacts collected
- Social media engagement from event posts
- Online sales generated from follow-up emails
- Total cost (booth fee, travel, supplies)
Use the vendor dashboard on TheCraftMap to track expenses and compare events over time.
14. Request Reviews and Testimonials
Happy customers are your best marketers. After the fair:
- Ask satisfied buyers to leave a review on your social media or website
- Screenshot positive feedback for future marketing
- If applicable, leave a review of the craft fair itself to help other vendors (you can do that on TheCraftMap)
15. Plan Content from Fair Photos
Every craft fair generates content you can use for weeks:
- Customer photos with your products (with permission)
- Booth setup shots for display inspiration posts
- Product-in-context photos that look more authentic than studio shots
- Behind-the-scenes content of loading/unloading
Building a Year-Round Marketing System
The best vendor marketing isn't about any single fair — it's about building a system that compounds over time.
Create a Marketing Calendar
Plan your marketing around your craft fair schedule. For each event:
- Block out promotional posts 3 weeks before
- Schedule live content for event day
- Set a reminder for follow-up emails 1-2 days after
Our seasonal planning guide can help you map out your entire year.
Build Your Email List Relentlessly
Email is the highest-ROI marketing channel for small businesses. Unlike social media, you own your email list and aren't at the mercy of algorithms.
Aim to grow your list by 10-20% at every fair. After a year of consistent effort, you'll have hundreds of engaged subscribers who buy from you repeatedly.
Invest in Photography
Good photos are the foundation of all your marketing. You don't need a professional camera — a modern smartphone is fine — but invest time in:
- Learning basic composition
- Shooting in good lighting (natural light is best)
- Editing consistently (pick one filter/style and stick with it)
- Photographing products in use, not just on a white background
Cross-Promote Online and In-Person
Your online presence and craft fair presence should feed each other:
- Online followers → craft fair traffic
- Craft fair contacts → online followers and email subscribers
- Online reviews → craft fair credibility
- Craft fair photos → online content
Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
- Only posting about sales — Mix in educational, entertaining, and personal content
- Inconsistent branding — Use the same colors, fonts, and voice everywhere
- Ignoring email marketing — Social media reach is declining; email converts better
- No call to action — Every post should tell people what to do next
- Stopping between fairs — Stay active year-round to maintain momentum
- Not tracking results — You can't improve what you don't measure
Final Thoughts
Marketing your craft fair booth doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. The vendors who succeed are the ones who show up consistently — online and in person — and treat every customer interaction as the start of a relationship.
Start with one or two strategies from each section (before, during, after) and build from there. Over time, you'll develop a marketing system that makes every craft fair more profitable than the last.
Ready to find your next craft fair? Browse upcoming events on TheCraftMap and start planning your marketing campaign today.
If you're a candle maker, WickSuite can help you track which fairs are most profitable. Soap makers can use Soaply to calculate costs and optimize pricing before your next event.