There is a much easier way in today's technological world. It's easy, it's inexpensive, and there are a number of providers out there willing to tailor a package that works with your business. Merchant accounts are set up with merchant account providers ? these are third party providers that set up your service with a major credit card company.
They can provide a variety of options for accepting credit cards, including:
- Card swiping machines (good for craft shows that have Internet accessibility) - Internet Access Accounts (you type the customer number in and it provides you with authorization) - Remote card swiping machines (wireless units that provide you flexibility for making sales
You can discuss with the merchant account provider what the best package would be for you and your craft show business. But, there are a few things to watch for when dealing with merchant account providers:
Hidden charges ? This is not a free service ? so don't let anyone tell you they can do everything you want for nothing. Do your research on the company you choose and find out where they are charging you. Some companies ding you for everything from Internet access fees, to handling charges, to EFT charges, etc. You are going to have to pay for the service, but find the service that shows you all of the charges up front.
You are the customer ? Many merchant account providers will tell you what service you should get. They are the professionals, but it doesn't mean that you have to be pushed into that type of account. Figure out what your needs are and then find a merchant account provider that will give that to your craft show business.
Low cost ? Compare the difference in charges between the different merchant account providers. Despite providing essentially the same service for your craft show business, the transaction charges each one has vary greatly.
Not the banks ? Traditionally, going through the banks for merchant account service is going to cost you a little more than from one of the private providers. Don't be lured in by the security of the banks. Reputable third-party merchant account providers are just as secure and they can provide a better service for a fraction of the cost.
24 hour support ? You never really know when your system is going to go down, and you need to find someone to help you get things back on track. A merchant account provider that can give you 24-hour support is the way to go. They can get your system up and running so you limit the loss of sales from malfunctioning equipment in your craft show booth.
Taking credit cards is essential for increasing sales ? in my humble opinion. Merchant account providers are your key to getting into accepting credit cards easily and effectively. Do your homework and find the best merchant account provider for your craft show business and it will certainly help you boost the bottom line.
Once the traffic gets there, how can you make the sale? Well, for one, some people looking to buy crafts just know what they want when they see it? so any kind of attention-seeking technique is probably not going to work. But, for many others, the key to the sale might lie in the ?extras' that you have in your booth.
Following are 4 things you can do in your booth to add a little touch of perceived value to your crafts, and attract a little bit of attention to your booth in the process.
1.) Lesson time ? Let's say you have a crochet booth. You want to bring traffic into your booth, and you want them to get the knack of how your craft might work, or how they might be a part of the type of craft you are making. So, why not have a 15 minute lesson 3 times during the day to get people active in your booth. If you have the room, show them a few loops and it might just push a few people over the top to purchase something from your store. You build a rapport with potential customers (and future customers) and build your business for the future.
2.) Demonstration ? You've probably seen those demonstrations where the gregarious salesperson is builds a large crowd with flashy words and dazzling displays of what the newest carpet cleaner can actually do. In reality, the demonstrations work. Often times people need to see something in order to believe it. If you have one of those crafts that people have to see in action, or if they need to see how it is made, then why not set up a 10-minute demonstration?
3.) Interactive staff ? If there is more than just yourself in the booth, then you need to teach your staffers to be extroverted. The more they interact with the customers (in most cases), providing friendly help, advice, and maybe a little bit of humor along the way, the more people are going to feel inclined to buy. Consumers tend to buy from people they feel they have developed a bond with.
4.) TV Demo ? If you don't have the time or the manpower to do the on-the-spot demonstration, then another great idea is to provide a recorded version of the demonstration for people to watch. The one major benefit of pre-recorded demos is the ability to cut out any mistakes.
5.) BONUS! ? Interactive displays ? Now, there is no need to go crazy and have a huge multimedia production made up, but you can achieve a lot, and answer a lot of customers questions if you put together a simple Powerpoint presentation for a laptop, and then leave the lap top running (or wire the picture to a television screen) so people can view the information on the computer. This is an effective booth tool that will give people another reason to purchase products from your booth.
It really pays to put some effort into giving the customers a little bit more in their craft show experience than just browsing. Make it interesting; make it fun! You will start to notice the difference in your bottom line in no time.
Natalie Goyette has sinced written about articles on various topics from All Rights Reserved Copyright, Crafts and Crafts. Natalie Goyette shows you how to make your craft show business profitable in her best selling ebook: Craft Show Success Secrets. Visit her site: . Natalie Goyette's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.