Events and Craft Fairs - In at the deep end!

In the very early days, I was trying to think of ways to develop my fledgling business.  Whilst I was very appreciative of the support offered by my friends, who recommended me to people they knew, it was obvious that I needed to find other means to advertise.  All good businesses rely on advertising and P.R., it's only natural that if you've got something to offer, you need to get the message out to potential customers.

 I did a bit of research into various ways to advertise; local magazines, newspapers, or having some leaflets printed.  However, all of those options needed a fair degree of cash investment, which I felt wasn't either wise, or appropriate so early on - that's business speak for cash-flow issues, or basically not wanting to spend all the business' money on adverts.

Whilst looking at the local publications, and doing some online research, I discovered some local events taking place.  That's when I realised the most cost-effective means to advertise what I did was to actually get 'out there' and be a visible presence.  So a few emails and phone calls later, I was booked into 3 local events.  The first of which was a 2-day local festival, so a bit in-at-the-deep-end, but that does seem to be my modus operandi.

I had no idea how much to prepare, what to charge, how to package, or even how to display.  Then there was the small issue of the first event being outdoor, and not having a gazebo or even a table suitable to put things on.  A hasty visit to a local DIY store got me a cheap and cheerful gazebo, and I invested in a good quality folding table.  I used some cake stands I already had, and some large serving platters to present the cakes on, and also bought some cute little display items from a local independent store.  The cupcake revolution was in full swing at about this time, but I decided to steer away from them, favouring more traditional larger cakes.

The weekend of the event came, and the weather was typically British for a bank holiday; overcast, cool and windy.  We did surprisingly well, but it was thoroughly tiring, and my poor partner spent most of the 2 days sat holding on to the back of the gazebo, and putting the guy ropes back into the ground when they were pulled out by the force of the wind.  We effectively became a galleon in full sail at certain points during the day.

What the first weekend taught me was that it enabled me to create an opportunity to advertise by effectively being a living advertisement for my work.  It gave me a chance to speak to potential customers, and for them to see for themselves what I did, whilst opening up the opportunity to have a conversation with me about their ideas, or future needs.

All in all it was a resounding success.