first time craft show tips needed!

Have a good sign to stick on the front of your booth. The better it looks, the more people will be attracted to your station. Make sure the design of the sign or banner is clean and easy to read.

Lay out everything so that it makes sense. Maybe have small things in front with large items in back, or have a layout where the small things are centered at the middle of your table.
Kinda like this (hopefully it makes sense) | : . . : | something like that in the center.

Also, it's important to label the price of everything, even if it means putting tags on really small items. (I actually have a little baggie of tags I punched out with a cheap scrapbook puncher.) If your prices aren't clearly labelled you'll be asked a million times, "How much is this?"

Having 2-for-1 or Buy 2 Get 1 specials will make people want to buy more.

Most importantly, make sure that everything you're selling is strong enough to hold up to a bunch of people picking it up, putting it back down, etc. Be prepared for some people to look through everything, screw up your whole layout, and buy nothing... it's incredibly frustrating to think about, but it happens. Make sure your layout is easy to set up over and over.

Keep a record of everything you sell. It might be a good idea to get a guest register book so your customers can have little receipts of everything they bought.

get good busness cards made and dont be affraid to traid products with other crafters there you get cool stuff and your name gets out there when someone else sees it or if the person is nice enough to point you out. good luck let us know how it goes.

I just did my first booth last weekend! & i agree with BOTH these guys fully!!!!
I forgot my business cards at home, & it was terrible. Had to write shit out to everyone on paper. >.< My sister just made cards on her computer tho for free...but i forgot them.
YES i tagged everything too (no matter how small), & groups of items in boxes (like bunch of lil bracelets i had) I put a lil sign on box like "bracelets 50cents". Big cool handmade signs are clever & attention grabbing (ours was black with cut-out colored letters!).
I sold jewelry/accessories & artwork, & had kinda small booth space. I put just one of each item out (to save room), & when someone bought it, i replaced it. I grouped same things together (earrings, bracelets, etc) on table. Bags hung on side of tent. & artwork hung behind us, where they could see but not touch it. lol GOOD LUCK!!
Also wear comfortable shoes, bring ur own drinks/food in cooler so u dont have to leave, a friend to talk to, & a notebook to write down what u sell.

Always stand up behind your booth and greet customers as they approach. Many craft sellers suggest bringing a bar stool to sit on/or rather lean back on if your booth is busy, so it's easier for you to greet buyers as they approach.

Biz Cards, as suggested above and great signage... you ladies nailed those points. Yup! Great things newbies often forget.

Suzanne in NW IL

Thanks so much for the tips everyone! The count down has begun! Only ten days left before the show!

The show was this weekend and even though i had a few mishaps like forgetting my square, AND the money i had taken out of the bank for change -_- , it went really well! thanks so much for the tips guys!