Submitted by: Rena Klingenberg
Craft displays are a fun, creative part of your handmade business. But before making any decisions about them, I recommend that you make a list of what you need from your overall display system.
That’s what I did when I was struggling to devise the best way to show my handmade jewelry at the events I do. And as a result, I wound up with my perfect setup.
Here’s what my craft displays need to do for me. Your needs will vary, depending on your craft and the events you do.
What I Need from My Craft Displays:
* Between jewelry-selling events, my display system must serve as storage for my jewelry inventory. My house is small, and I don’t have space for storage containers plus displays.
* My entire craft display system needs to fit into a small part of my hall closet at home. It also needs to fit in my car (a Honda CRV). And there needs to be enough space left over in the car for my EZ-up tent and tent weights when I do outdoor shows.
* My craft displays need to be quick to set up and take down. At many of my venues, such as home parties, I can’t expect to spend two or three hours setting up. I need to be fully set up in 30 minutes or less. And after the event, I need to be able to pack up quickly so the event host can get their space back to normal.
* My setup needs to be lightweight enough for me to carry myself, since I do most events alone. It also needs to be easy to take from my car to my booth and back again, without needing help.
* The craft display components have to be modular and adaptable for a variety of booth spaces, jewelry party homes, trunk show venues, private showings, etc. I need to be able to set up in a standard 10 x 10 foot booth as well as in the living room of a party host’s tiny apartment.
* My craft displays need to look professional and enticing – but not distract customers’ attention away from my jewelry (which is what I really want them to look at!).
* My system also needs to be a professional way to show my jewelry to shops and galleries, where the busy owner has a limited amount of time scheduled to see all of my work.
How My List Resulted in the Perfect Craft Displays for Me
Once I had my list of all the ways my system needs to serve me, it was easy to start narrowing down the options.
I based my system on black plastic jewelry trays with compartmented liners. I can load the trays with my jewelry, and then stack the trays inside carrying cases. For storage between events, I cover each trayful of jewelry with a cut-to-fit piece of no-tarnish cloth to keep my jewelry shiny.
For private jewelry showings and venues in small places, I simply pass the loaded trays one at a time to my customers, and we consider my pieces in small batches.
For shows, I use tiny, folding easels to prop my trays up off my tabletops, and angle them up for better viewing. When folded, the easels fit nicely inside the carrying cases on top of the trays.
Once you’ve got your list of what you need from your craft displays, you’ll have the fun of devising exactly the right system for showcasing your handmade items.
About the Author: Learn more secrets of a profitable craft show booth at
jewelry-display-ideas.com/craft-show-booth.html
Find more great jewelry display ideas visit Rena Klingenberg’s website at
Jewelry-Display-Ideas.com
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