There are several ways to advertise your art and craft event to vendors. The idea is to find the most effective ways and stick with them. You must test and record the results of your advertising to know what was most effective.

Advertising is best done when it reaches a target audience. Your target audience is artists and crafters who sell merchandise at art and craft shows, advertise where they are most likely to see it.

Places artists and crafters look for shows include (but are not limited to) Art and Craft Show Publications, local Chambers of Commerce, visitors centers, fairgrounds and events centers, bulletin boards, the internet, newspapers, radio, and TV. Have a successful show already? Maintain a mailing list. Art and craft vendors also ask other artists and crafters at events they are attending if they know of other great shows in the area.

Art and Craft Publications
Art and craft publications are also known as craft fair guides, art and craft show listings, and many other names search the internet using the right keywords and you will find more than a few.  Art and craft publications contain many listings of art and craft shows. They also usually contain some advertising for event insurance, outdoor canopies for shows, displays, and art and craft supplies. They usually cover a specified area such as one state, several states, a region, or the nation. Some will also contain hints and tips, checklists, book and product reviews, display ideas, etc.

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Local Places Artists and Crafters Look for Events
Local places artists and crafters look for events include the Chamber of Commerce, visitors centers, civic centers, fairgrounds and events centers, basically any where an art and craft show might be held. Ask when booking your event if they will include your event on a calendar of upcoming events. Be sure they inform their employees of your upcoming event so they will be ready to refer artists and crafters your way.

Bulletin Boards
Artists and crafters will also check bulletin boards in grocery stores, gas stations, art and craft stores, on college campuses, in salons, at local restaurants, and many other businesses.

Hang posters, postcards, or business cards on bulletin boards everywhere you go. Be sure your advertising has a headline guaranteed to get the attention of artists and crafters who want to sell their merchandise. Don’t forget the basics a date and time for your show and a way to contact you including (at least) your name and phone number.

The Internet
The internet is a great resource and you don’t have to spend a fortune on a webpage or webdesigner anymore. You can buy a website and everything you need to run it for under $100/year. You can get one that has a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get editor) so that you can design and run it yourself or hire someone to run it for you. A website is a great place to tell artists, crafters, and customers about your upcoming shows, and to upload your applications. Need simple instructions for building a webpage visit Build a Website.

Newspapers
The problem with advertising anything in newspapers is actually reaching your target audience. Reaching thousands of people who don’t sell their art and crafts at shows probably won’t help your business as much as reaching 100 people who do.

Newspapers do have other resources available other than paid ads. Call the paper and ask about their policy for press releases, people in business, guest written articles, and calls to artists and crafters. Ask who you send them to and the correct address. Send a press release and call to artists to many local newspapers. The free resources will probably benefit your business more than paid advertising at this time, but if they won’t run your articles ask if they offer a deal on paid advertising with submissions.

Ask if they have a (printed/online) calendar of events and how soon your event will begin appearing on it. Don’t forget your contact information.

Press releases are informational articles sent to the newspaper. They inform the public of events (art festivals, craft shows, bazaars, musuem openings, and so much more) happening in the area. They are free and printed in most publications as space allows (so send yours early and often). Read Press Releases for Art Festivals and Craft Shows.

Radio and TV
Radio stations often offer a discount on large numbers of ads. Ask them if they can offer you a deal if you order ads now to advertise to artists and crafters and again later to advertise to customers. They also offer package deals for onsite advertising. Ask the radio station if they would like to sponsor your event and have their logo included on all your advertising.

I have never used TV advertising but I hear that cable ads aren’t that expensive and can be targetted to reach people in the area of your show. Again ask a TV station if they might like to sponsor your event. Feature a happy artist or crafter in your ads looking for vendors.

Don’t ask more than one radio station, TV station, or newspaper to sponsor your event and ask them if they only work with specific people i.e. ABC Radio only works with XYZ News.

Mailing List
Tell artists and crafters which publications they can find your listings in. Contact art and craft exhibitors who have attended your show in the past. Keep them happy and they are likely to return. Keep your list updated so you don’t waste money mailing to bad addresses.

Email autoresponders from AutoWebBusiness.com or Constant Contact make it easy to stay in contact with vendors. I highly recommend you check out these two companies if you don’t already have some kind of automated follow up/email system in place.

Word of Mouth
Many artists and crafters still only hear about shows through word of mouth. Keep your vendors happy and they are more likely to tell others only good things about your show.

List your show with The Extravaganza Craft News now!