Prepping For My First Market!

I finally did it! I applied to be part of an actual real life event and I was accepted! So here's everything I did to prep for it!

Step 1: Research

After finding, applying, and being accepted into a market, I of course could not just jump into this without watching a million tiktoks and youtube videos of people prepping for markets, setting up their booths, and hauling things they purchased. A few creators I found helpful:

• Apple Cheeks (Youtube)

  • Not necessarily for Art Market prep specifically, but I love her personality and found it helpful to watch her getting ready for shop launch videos! An art market is basically an in person shop launch so the prep is similar in a lot of ways

• Thanksxu (Youtube)

  • Lots of art videos, studio vlogs, and artist alley vlogs!

• ChonkyFrenz (Youtube)

  • I loved seeing their cute and creative setup and seeing them create all the signage.

• Menmin Made (Tiktok)

  • Setup and art videos, art tips, and shows how they set up displays for vending!

• Aleni Studios

  • Product videos, setting up booths, packing order videos, art prints, shop updates!

Step 2: Buying Stuff

After watching a bunch of other creatives and deciding what I liked, didn't like, what made sense for my specific items etc... I made a few purchases. So here are a few things that I determined were absolute must haves

• A 10x10 tent (And tent weights)

  • This event required a tent, not every event will. Some events may even provide you with a tent or table. I personally wanted to invest in one anyway to use for future events and even just family gatherings in the future! I really want to host people. Also, make sure you get some tent weights in case it ends up being a windy day! Mine are just bags that you fill up with sand. We just bought playground sand at Home Depot and filled them up, and they were ready to go!

• A folding table

  • A definite must have, I bought a 6ft one from Target. Again, some events will provide this for you, but I wanted to invest in one anyway.

• Chairs!

• Table Cloth

  • Not a definitely must, but will definitely help to make your table more unique and fit the vibe of your art/merch!

• Money box

  • I didn't have a lock box for money yet so I ordered one on Amazon and decorated it with the stickers I sell in my shop! Fun, cute, and fits the vibe. I also make sure to make a sign with other ways to pay, like Venmo and Cashapp.

• Card reader

  • I needed a card reader and Square offers 1 free reader to businesses! The free one plugs into your phone or tablet and allows for tap or scan. I also bought a contactless one because I personally know I'll probably want to use my phone for photos and maybe don't want a hundred people touching my tablet that I use to make my art on!

• Displays of some kind

  • This will be completely based on the items you sell. For me, I wanted bins to hold my smaller things, dish racks for my art prints, a small display with hooks for my keychains, and I got some nail polish holders to put my vinyl stickers in. But if you sell clothes, maybe get one of those rolling clothing racks. If you have more canvases/framed pieces you might want to get one of those grid walls.

• Branded Sign

  • You can totally buy these and I might upgrade in the future, but for now I DIY'd mine using a drop cloth and iron on transfer sheets. I just put everything into my cricut, had it print on iron on transfers, laid everything out how I wanted it, and ironed on the design.

Step 3: Making Stuff!

You can't sell stuff if you don't have stuff to sell. Duh... So I set out making things in my free time. I made keychains, bookmarks, art prints, and tote bags. I ordered business cards and pins and supplies needed to make more things! I recently upgraded to an Epson Ecotank printer, so for the first time was able to print all my art prints at home! I'm so excited. It's such good quality. I had my cricut going, and had my husband help me with some of the more repetitive steps like putting pins on their backing cards and wrapping post-it notes with my branded wraps. I wasn't sure how much stuff to bring for my first ever event, but it turned out perfectly. My table was definitely filled but not so overfull that it wasn't shoppable. And now I know better for the future what people seemed to gravitate towards.

Step 4: Themed Items

This might not be a necessity, but this specific event had a theme, so I wanted to make sure I had a small set of things that fit that were on theme in case people were only really interested in the event because of the subject. This event was Keene's 30th Anniversary of Jumanji Celebration! So I made sure to bring my dice focused items, and jungle themed things as well. I even made a sticker specific to the event, and turned it into a game! Customers could stop by and test their fate, try to roll a 5 or an 8 for a free Jumanji sticker! And I may have just given a few kids some for free as well. This helped bring people to the booth a bit and then they would look at the other products I had to offer.

Step 5: Day of Emergency Kit

I learned from a work event that required a tent setup that it's super important to have a few things in your "emergency kit" for the day. (And now there's a few other things I've added to this as well!)

• Zip ties

• Scissors

• Tape

• Clips, to hold things in place in case it gets windy

• Paper towels

• Water! (Maybe even a cooler with drinks/snacks

• A portable fan if it's super hot out!

Step 6: Sell and Have Fun!

Finally you'll be all set up the day of and ready to go! It took about an hour for us to get the tent all set up and the table ready to go with everything on it. Once that was done, it was smooth sailing. Just needed to get ready to sell and chat with people about what I've made! The stickers were a big success and I feel confident in doing future events, with just a few adjustments to my display & prices.