How to organise a a Craft Fair/Table Top Sale

A question about : How to organise a a Craft Fair/Table Top Sale

I am looking at holding a Craft Fair/Handmade/Table Top Sale to fundraise for a charity very close to my heart called MND Association.

Can anyone give me any tips on making it successful and anything i NEED to know?

TIA

Best answers:

• Hi
  I have never organised one but I have been a seller at quite a few. One thing that is very important which some organisers seemed to have forgotten about is advertising and doing so in plenty of time. One craft fair I went to the organiser put up a poster in the village 2 days beforehand, needless to say there were very few people attended. The ones where it has been well advertised have been busy with customers which will make money for your charity/raise awareness/plenty of customers + spending money on craft items = happy crafters who will be more than happy to do another one again.
  Are you on Facebook? There may be a local craft page in your area where you could advertise for crafters. As its for a Charity maybe your local paper/radio advertise your fair for free. Most charity fairs I've done there is a table charge plus a donation for the raffle.
  Have a variety of stalls, try not to have too many of the same type (depending on the size of the place 2-3 might be enough) and make sure there is a reasonable distance between them. There was a table separating me and someone else selling the same products as me at a Xmas Fair last year .
  Hope that helps & Good Luck in raising money for a good cause
• Check if your venue includes insurance...just in case someone trips over & breaks something expensive (or themselves!).
  Can the venue do basic tea/coffee? Many village/church halls can & will offer the use of a kitchen (cups etc) so you could bring tea/coffee/biscuits & charge 50p for a cuppa & biscuit & raise a little extra that way.
  Stick a note in the local parish magazine/ shop window asking for stall holders for an event on date XXXXX (try to avoid avon/Usborne/phoenix cards) you want "proper" stuff like home made jam/cake/knitted things/crocheted things/ things made of er...things..... That way you can see what's out there AND advertise the date.
  I absolutely agree with advertising, you cannot have too much.
  Check local radio station websites. Many are chronically awful to listen to but they often read out local events & list them on site.
  Our local freecycle/freegle pages have a "caf!" page where you can ask for info & advertise events.
  Email everyone you know & ask them to pass it on.
  A4 poster (gathers more attention than a postcard) in local shop windows about 2 weeks before the event.
  Flyer in your car window, posters anywhere that will take them...some supermarkets have a free advert board for fund raising events....
  Have a think about where you see events advertised - would it make you go there? If so, somewhere to put your poster!