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Supplies are what make a craft. Unless you are making something where you can use regular household items, or that don’t need anything but the buyer to complete the sale, then supplies are going to be a major part of your crafts.

Finding a supplier that isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg, and still have good quality might be a challenge at first. But, in my experience, it is always better to pay just a little bit more for good quality, than it is to buy bargain basement materials and have your customers be disappointed when the overall quality of your craft is poor. Once you combine your experience with the supplies and the experience of making the craft, you will soon realize where you might be able to save a few pennies on supplies, and where you should just pay for good quality.

You’ll need to have several excellent sources for supplies that are readily available in order to be a successful crafter. Initial research, then time and experience will be necessary for you to find your best suppliers in terms of cost, quality and promptness of delivery. Here are a few tips on getting the best supplies for the lowest prices: Comparison shop with several vendors, and even after using one or two, keep an eye out for better deals. With a little bit of extra effort, you might be able to find the materials you want on sale, or at a lower price at a different vendor.

Ask other craftspeople for recommendations. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find deals. If you belong to a craft group or if you know other people who craft, talk to them about where they are getting their supplies. They may give you a great lead on fantastic prices. Always buy wholesale–all you need is your resale certificate to qualify. Wholesale eliminates the middle man in many cases.

You should be able to save a great deal of money on craft supplies if you have a craft supplies wholesaler in your area. Buy in quantity for greater discounts, maybe even by partnering with another crafter. It’s the same is if you go to the grocery store - usually, the more you buy, the better overall deal you are getting. It may cost a little more out of pocket, but your cost per piece goes down significantly. Use recycled materials and recycle what you can from your past inventory. You never know when scraps of other supplies will make great pieces elsewhere on your craft. This is a great way to save money on your supply cost. Keep track of your supply inventory so you can order in advance at better prices for busier seasons rather than waiting until the last minute. If you wait until the last minute you usually don’t have time to find a deal - you just need the supplies fast! This could end up costing you a lot of money.

Do your best to get 30-day terms, so you can pay suppliers after you’ve sold some product. You will probably have to pay with cash or credit the first few times that you go into a store, but after they recognize your patronage and you qualify with their accounting department, you can get terms that allow you to pay 30 days after you purchase the supplies. Supply costs are one of the biggest costs when you are setting up your craft show business. As mentioned earlier, most crafts rely on materials of some sort or another. In order to ensure a tidy profit at the end of the day, you need to control the material expense so your prices stay competitive and you sell more product!

Ever walk through a craft fair and say, ?I could do that.? Ever hear someone say ?you should sell your stuff?? Admit it ? you wish that you could make a living doing the thing that you love doing the most?.your craft. I understand exactly how you feel because I used to feel exactly the same way. I longed to make a living as an artist but I held myself back. Fearful and intimated of putting myself out there, I ignored my dreams. Fortunately, someone pushed me right into my business. I participated in a charity event as a favor to my wife and her friends.

During that event a woman came up and invited me to participate in a craft show which was going to take place just before the holidays. Anxious to begin a business, I agreed. Not long thereafter my dream of earning a living as an artist came true. Let me share with you some secrets that will make your next craft show a success! First, do your research. I recommend purchasing a trade magazine called ?Where the Shows Are.? You will find all of the art and craft shows listed in this publication. More importantly, artists that attended the craft show in previous years share their insights and reviews of the previous year shows.

These artists discuss the types of items that sold well, what price point did well, and rate if they would attend the show again. Find the show that matches your work! Next, determine the demographics of the show. Who attends? Look at the location of the show. The majority of people attending will come from that area. Is the show located in a middle class community? I recommend displaying work under the $500.00 level. Is the show located in a very high end or ?ritzy? neighborhood? Make sure that you display and price craft work that matches this buyer.

Avoid diminishing the worth of your craft by selling it too cheap! Use the demographics to understand the perception of the buyer. I always recommend producing items at all different price points. Don’t ignore the power of the lower priced items. A lower priced item allows people to easily purchase from you and increases the amount of multiple piece sales. Educate your customer! Share with them the other potential uses of your craft. Be creative, expand the possibilities and expand the amount of people that will buy from you. Give suggestions on other uses for your work. For instance, I’ve sold a glass platter to one customer that another purchased as a glass wall sculpture whereas someone else became the proud owner of a glass centerpiece. It’s all the same piece of art, but every buyer made a purchase unique to their needs. Another secret strategy to a successful craft show - network with other artists.

Before the show begins, usually during the time when everyone is setting up, introduce yourself to non competing artists and let them know that you will be happy to refer people to their booths for their line of work, and in exchange you would like them to do the same for you. Consider working out a commission for any buyer that comes to your booth referred by another artist. This little known strategy will surely put many more dollars into your pocket. If you would like additional strategies on how to maximize your profits at craft shows, visit www.thethrivingartist.com for my free e-course on how to sell your artwork for maximum profits. Make your dream of earning your living as an artist come true today!