How to Show and Sell Your Crafts [Paperback]

Kathryn Caputo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

Display and marketing strategies for turning craft show sales into a profitable business -- including how to display crafts and increase sales.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Thorough, well presented, and easy to read, this volume is a terrific guide to many aspects of selling your crafts at shows. The first section covers market research, setting prices, handling publicity, and building a stronger public image of yourself as a crafter. The second section explains how to achieve effective craft-show displays, as well as commercial displays for products that are placed in retail shops. Section three explores salesmanship: what to do at craft shows to increase sales, how to interact properly and effectively with customers, and how to close a sale. Throughout the book, charts, lists, diagrams, and worksheets provide further help and enable you to evaluate specific aspects of your own situation, such as ideal customer profiles, price comparison studies, and effectiveness of your current display. How to Show & Sell Your Crafts is a very user-friendly guide for anyone pursuing the craft-show path.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558704477
• ISBN-13: 978-1558704473
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,793,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Starter for Crafters Who Don't Know Where to Begin, March 27, 2000

By 

D. Carr (Eureka, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Show and Sell Your Crafts (Paperback)

As someone who is just starting out in the craft business, I can affirm that this book is a wonderful guide. If you are like me, you have always loved crafts, and most likely would never have started your own business if the product had been anything else. The business and marketing side can be scary to someone who has never done it before, not to mention more than a little confusing. I highly recommend this book as a follow up to Kathryn's other book, How to Start Making Money With Your Crafts, and as a precursor to some of the longer and more involved craft business books out there.

In her first book, Kathryn helps you develop and focus your product line. In this one, she takes your finished product and helps you market and support it. I found the chapters on market research, display construction, and salesmanship the most helpful of all. With pictures of real displays and selling environments on almost every page, the reader cannot help but come away with a bounty of ideas and plans for their own display.

Besides being informative, this book is easy to read and gives multiple real-life experiences in order to better connect to the reader. Both this and Kathryn's other book have really broken down the craft world for me, making it feel much clearer and giving me a real sense of control over my own success.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book has become my bible., May 18, 2004

By 

smilingturtle - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Show and Sell Your Crafts (Paperback)

This is by far the best book I've seen yet about how to succeed in the craft business. Caputo is a very good writer. This book is easy reading, so I was actually able to read it cover to cover (and enjoy it!).

It covers everything from market research, to show displays, to salesmanship. Very thorough and extremely helpful. My business is doing a lot better due to this book. If you are in the craft business, I'd highly recommend that you read this one!