How to ensure a successful weekend no matter what you’re selling.

Many small businesses generate the majority of their sales with pop-up booths at shows and fairs. Whether you are selling art, crafts, or consumables, these events can be the backbone of your business. Consequently, they are also a great way to find new customers.

Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t fully use these events to their advantage. This is often so with new businesses that are still learning. But even seasoned businesses make critical mistakes that can impact sales, not just for the current event, but also into the future.

I have been an attendee or a participant in hundreds of shows and fairs, from town-square craft shows to business conferences during my professional career. I have also reported on shows, assisted with event management, and been a judge in a few cases.

Another source of inspiration and education has been my own family’s art business. My father, with the help of his wife, was a very successful artist, and I often traveled with him to help with booth setup, operations, and promotion. If you want to know more about my father and his art, just Google my last name followed by the word “art”.

The reason I mention him is because my father built his business almost exclusively doing pop-up art shows. For the first decade, he did not sell online, produce prints, or license his art. Instead, he did shows all over the country. Only after he was well-established, he expanded to other media. While his art is unique, he was also part of the very competitive and saturated photography industry; so it wasn’t easy.

Yet he succeeded because of the pop-up art shows. There is a science to doing these correctly, and below I wanted to share some of the important things I’ve learned not just from my father, but also from the many other pop-up events I have been involved with over the years.

Here are my suggestions for a successful show.

Be Early and On Time

My father was in the army, so he’s always been an early riser. When it came to the shows, he was always one of the first ones there. Of course, this made it easier to find parking and get the booth set up, but it also allowed for more time to deal with issues, and there are always issues: from plot location changes to boundary disputes with neighbors, to sun orientation, etc.

Being on time also ensured that he was ready to sell as soon as the show started. The reality is that there are always early birds, people who sneak in before the show even starts, and you don’t want to miss a sale because you are still setting things up. Being ready early also presents an image of calm, which helps put potential customers at ease.

There isn’t a show where someone somewhere does not arrive late. Sometimes people arrive hours after opening – not to stereotype, but you artsy folks know who you are. Arriving late loses valuable selling time, presents an unprofessional image, and also reflects negatively on the organizers – you know, the folks who decide whether you can attend the next show.

Avoid Clutter and Loudness

Plan your booth layout well before the show. Make sure it presents a clean, organized, and professional experience to your customers. Make sure it is easy to walk in and out of. Hide any extra inventory, set up equipment, and art/assembly tools so that they are not visible.

As for loudness, I mean that literally and figuratively. It’s probably not a good idea to have a radio playing, especially if it’s with commercials – you don’t want your customers to think about buying other things while they are in your booth. Likewise, listening to the news is both a distraction and causes anxiety. If you do want to play music to set the mood for your products, keep it very subdued.

Also, use muted colors in your booth: grays and beiges work well. This is so that the products you are selling stand out. Some booths use black cloth and even walls, but this isn’t always the best option as it darkens the booth, brings the walls in, and in the summer months, can get extremely warm. It can work for very bright items like jewelry, but white will work just as well.

Pay Attention to the Weather

I’ve seen entire booths washed away from flash floods – this can be an extremely unfortunate (and expensive) mishap. Follow local weather reports and if flooding is a possibility, consider lifting as much off the ground as possible. If it rains, provide overhead shelter for your customers, they’ll welcome it, and they might just buy something while they wait out the drizzle.

Most shows are in the summer months, though, and booths can get notoriously hot and sticky. As with rain, make your booth feel like a shelter from the hot sun. Use adequate ventilation, when possible, and fans if you have electricity. If you have the option, consider if the entire booth is necessary, or if you can, for example, leave the back panel in the truck.

This is also why prior planning matters. If the show is still months away, consider where your booth will be located in relation to the sun. Can you reserve a plot in the shade of a tree or building? Also, if you arrive early on the day of the show, you can possibly swap spaces with someone, and you might be able to decide on the best orientation for the day.

Finally, dress appropriately. I’ve been to shows, like the Sausalito Art Festival, where it’s blistering hot when the marine layer burns away but freezing cold in the morning and at night. Always bring extra clothes just in case. A jacket can also double as a welcome seat cushion are a place to stash cash out of sight. On that note…

Watch for Fraud and Thieves

This goes without saying, but if you’re sitting around with $25K in cash, you are a target. Most shows have security guards and police on hand, but theft happens. Likewise, if you are selling expensive artwork or gold jewelry, these can easily grow legs when you are paying attention to another customer.

It’s also best not to do the show alone – always have a trusted partner in the booth with you. One of you will need to leave the booth several times (lunch, bathroom breaks, supplies, etc.), so you don’t want to leave it unattended. The better shows have volunteers who will sit in your booth for you if you need to leave, but that’s not always the case – sometimes your only option is to have a neighbor watch your booth, but they have their own booth to tend to as well. If you have a choice, ask the neighbor who’s having a slow day.

If you accept credit cards, make sure your tech is 100% functional, the process is quick and easy, and most of all, that it is secure. Customers are always hesitant to provide their credit cards, it’s just common nature to be apprehensive, so make the process as worry-free for them as you can. If possible, provide paper receipts, for your protection and theirs. A customer who feels safe doing business with you is likely to come back again or to tell others about their positive experience.

Business Cards, Product Cards, and Fliers

Printing these can be expensive. I’ve collected thousands of cards over the years. Some are beautifully designed by professionals. Some are on thick card stock, some are odd shapes, and some have little USB drives that you can plug into a computer to see more. Despite that, I could count on one hand the ones I remembered after a long day of booth-hopping.

My father always avoided business or product cards. Instead, he handed out a glossy black & white printed page-sized flier. This made his info stand out from the stack of cards that most visitors end up bringing home. Since he was an artist, this also allowed him to showcase more of his best pieces, but it also made people want more. Funny detail: many people asked him if they could frame his flier.

Not everyone who came into the booth purchased his art, of course, but everyone walked out with a memorable flier. This helped promote his artwork. Since he often returned to the same show the following year, many of his customers were people who had seen his art previously, but this time they became customers.

Regarding art and business cards, they can be useful. Some visitors to your booth will only want a card. If so, make sure it is legible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve brought home a card where I could not make out the email address or website. Also, make sure you include a photo of one of your most popular items. This is far more important than having a fancy, gold-embossed card with an odd shape.

Put yourself in the shoes of the visitor who came to your booth hours ago, and returns to his hotel exhausted with a stack of cards in his pocket. That person isn’t going to remember much about your awesome booth, your great smile, or the perfect location your booth was in. With a photo on the card though, they’ll know what you were selling, and possibly find your store online. Alternatively, they’ll look for your product at the next show.

Location, Location, Location

I’ve already mentioned the importance of arriving early, the weather, and booth orientation, but another factor about having a successful show is where your booth is located in relation to the other vendors. This can have a huge impact on your success.

If possible, select a plot at the end of a row. This will allow you to have one more side of your booth that is visible to potential customers. It also makes your booth the gatekeeper for that entire row. This is more important than you might realize. Customers typically have a limit on how much they will spend at a show, so if they see your items first, they might just buy what they need and not buy from the other poor saps down the row. Don’t be that poor sap.

Also, if you can reserve a plot near an entrance or exit, you will not just catch the customer’s eye first, but you will also catch those customers who didn’t find anything they liked on their way out. No one wants to leave empty-handed, so they may just stop by your booth to at least buy something. It’s not as glamorous as being a first sale point, but a sale is a sale.

Another benefit of being near an entrance/exit is that this makes your booth a bit like the face of the show. The organizers decided that your products were worthy of this location, or at least that may be what your customers will think, so they will be more likely to see you in the same light and more likely to buy.

It should be noted that these plot locations often cost a premium, especially in the better shows. If so, consider carefully if this is worth the added investment. Consider things like your previous experience at this show, reviews of the show, the current weather, and what other vendors think. Having a booth in the middle of a row is not a disaster; it’s less convenient, but there are many other ways you can stand out.

The Organizers and the Judges

Small business owners, especially those who are new to doing pop-ups, typically pay little attention to the show organizers. They think that the organizers are just there to let them in at the start of the show and collect the reservation fee. This may be a bit short-sighted.

The organizers are there during the entire show. They are the liaison with the landowners, the city/county, food delivery, emergency services, bathroom (port-a-potty) services, and they monitor local weather and environmental factors. They arrive before everyone else, they ensure your plot is as agreed upon, they settle disputes between vendors, and they stay until everyone is gone, to close up after the show. They are hard-working people like you and many of them are volunteers.

Most importantly, they are your friends. Having an adversarial relationship with the organizers is a recipe for trouble, and likely lost revenue. The organizers determine who is invited to the show in the first place, and they decide who comes back the next time. Remain courteous and understanding, no matter how bad things can get. It also helps to send them a thank-you note or leave a positive review after the show.

Many shows are also judged. This involves a small group of organizers who go to all the booths and decide which ones best represent the show as a whole. This may involve cash prizes, and the best booths receive mention, get to hang a ribbon prominently in the booth, and may be invited to banquets or other festivities.

Needless to say, winning or being a runner-up has significant advantages in that it provides you with more publicity. Visitors to the show will seek you out, and this can turn into more sales for you. It also puts a badge of approval on your booth, increasing trust that can also convert to more sales. You might even be mentioned in fliers that are handed out to visitors as they arrive and even local newspapers.

Even if you only win an honorable mention this time around, consider it a win. You are now on their radar, and next time you may just win something, so always do your best to be an exemplary participant in the show/fair.

Website and Social Media

I mentioned that my father had not sold his art online for nearly a decade after he started the business. This is true, but he did have a website. Social media wasn’t as much of a draw back then, so he avoided that, but there is value in displaying photos of you and your business that are not promotional product shots, and that show a personal side to the business.

Therefore, a website is imperative. I can’t stress this enough, and some younger business owners may disagree, but not having an actual website is a mistake. A website is a trust-building tool. It shows that your business is legitimate, registered, and has longevity.

That last part is key – customers want to know that your products will stay around. Even if they are consumable products, it is important, from a psychological perspective, for your customers to know that they are purchasing from someone who will stand by these products over time. A website helps solidify that belief.

Also, an Etsy or Shopify online store is not a website. Sure, these have elements of a website, and it’s a good start, but it is rented space, and your customers can see that. Rented space suggests a business that isn’t as permanent. Having your own website, however, even if it is joined to an Etsy or Shopify site, will show your customers that you are more than a fly-by-night operation.

This matters. I have come across many small businesses that just have an Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook page where they may even sell products (often with little success). This is because no matter how much these media companies will do to convince you otherwise, their roots are in flighty social media posting. This core to their existence is mired by a sense of temporary, short entertainment which translates to risk for your customers.

Social-media-only businesses also betray an underlying lack of respect for your customers, as if they aren’t worthy of a more solid and long-term relationship. You are essentially telling them that you do not care if they become repeat customers. This will hurt your sales in the long run.

Make sure that your business cards, product cards, fliers, and receipts have your website clearly visible. Even if visitors leave your booth without buying anything, at least you still have a chance to make a sale online later, especially if you have a clear and personable website that they can find after the show. It’s a repeat impression of your business, and the more impressions, the more likely they will become customers.

Communicate With Your Neighbors

When you are at the show, especially if you arrive early, there will be downtimes. Use this time to get to know your neighbors. A good relationship with your neighbors will help resolve issues. They might even send customers your way if your neighbor doesn’t have what the customer wants, and you can reciprocate.

Sometimes organizers and judges also talk to them about your booth, so it helps if they have a positive opinion. It is best to have happy neighbors, even if only for the fact that their smiles will draw more customers in your direction. Consequently, an angry neighbor, even if they are not angry with you specifically, can negatively impact your bottom line.

There is another very important reason why you want to know your neighbors. Many of them will have more experience than you, and if so, you should use the opportunity to learn from them. Even if they are much younger than you, they could still know this show, or this city/area better. Get to know your neighbors and learn what they know.

When people first start out doing pop-up shows, they tend to stick to their own booth and consider it more of a competition for customers than a collaboration. The fact is, most of your neighbors have been doing it longer, and you should take advantage of that fact.

This is how the best vendors become even better. Consequently, this is how my father learned to become so successful with his own business. Many of the things I am describing here, he learned from his neighbors over the years and shared them with me.

Conclusion

Doing pop-up shows is often the first step in building a successful small business. Many people that I have met, spoken with, and even interviewed, started their business doing pop-ups. Perhaps the biggest lesson here is that the term pop-up is misleading; it’s not just a simple pop-up and there is a lot to doing it right.

I hope that these suggestions come in handy. I had been meaning to write this article for some time, but other things always came up. As I attend more shows, I continue to hear questions about the pop-up business model. Many people struggle with it, and I really want to help as much as I can. Like all aspects of running a small business, it requires planning, work, consistency, and dedication.

This is also just a small list of suggestions. As I was writing this, I realized that there are many other things I could mention as well, but these are probably the more important ones that come to mind. Perhaps I’ll write a follow-up article in the future. Let me know if this is important to you, and I’ll plan to do just that.