19 practical social media tips for craft & design events

Do you want to get more visitors to your next craft fair, local market, or Christmas market?

Do you want to get more orders or sales at your upcoming design or giftware trade show?

We have put together a list of 19 practical social media tips for design and craft events and markets for creative professionals so that you can promote yourself better, and ultimately get more visitors and sales.

Tip 1: ALWAYS use good images on social media

The human brain can process images up to 60,000 times faster than words, so with a simple GOOD picture, you can convey so much. And that’s why for fast scrolling social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, your image and video content and quality is a priority.

Did you know that if you use good images on Facebook or X (Twitter), the click rate increases by 48%? It’s also much more likely that people notice your social media posts and remember them.

On the most visual social media channels (Instagram and Pinterest) it’s even more crucial that your images look professional, are original, on ‘brand’ and are light and crisp. Using an editing tool to make your backgrounds whiter will make a huge difference in being spotted, getting engagement and ultimately getting sales!

Read our top tips for photographing your craft or designs more professionally here.

Tip 2: Add text to your social media images

Often your followers only see your image briefly when they are scrolling down on their Instagram or Facebook feeds. People will often only see your images, and won’t read your captions.

If you are doing an event or are having a sale, make sure that you include the date and location on your images on social media so that what you are promoting and telling people about is super obvious. Make it quick and easy for them to get the information

Check out Canva – a great tool to create a more professional look with texts and colours on your images.

Tip 3: Include a clickable link to specific product or event pages

Don’t just send traffic from your social media platforms to your homepage!

It’s a common mistake. But your potential clients haven’t got the time or patience to then find the event or product they are looking for!

Make their lives as easy as possible and send them to the specific page with a clickable link . Include the entire URL e.g. www.mybiz.com/upcomingevents/ on Facebook posts and on X.

You can’t use clickable links in captions on Instagram but Instagram does give you 5 link options in your bio – use them! Or use a platform like Linktree (its free and super helpful!) on your bio page or tailor make your own click through to add links to products and events and of course use a call to action to ‘click the link in my bio’. Use the ‘link’ option in stories too. Include a link either to the event details on your page or to the organiser’s event page to buy tickets.

Tip 4: Promote yourself before, during, and after your craft or design event

To get visitors to your event you need to market yourself. Consistently.

Sending out just one email and doing a bit of social media won’t really get you the sales you are looking for. A long time ago you might have got away with relying on the event organisers to do all the marketing for you. But those days have gone … you need to do creative and consistent marketing if you want to get sales. Just think about the impact of one person marketing an event compared to 90 people marketing that event!

Before and during the event you need to build your profile and credibility and invite people to come along and visit you. After an event you need to keep in touch with visitors and remind them of your work as this is often when most sales happen.

Worried that that might overwhelm or bore your audience? Then get more creative …

Tip 5: Get more creative with your social media posts

Are you feeling uncomfortable promoting yourself on social media? You aren’t the only creative feeling that way! But if you are running a business and you want to succeed then you need to get out there. You might find it useful to read these 6 marketing myths to help your marketing confidence. 

Your social media should be … social!

Social media is NOT about you. Think about the 80/20 rule. Out of every five posts only one should actually be about you selling your brand and your work. The other four posts should be about your passions and values, events that you have been to, books that you have read, other people’s work that you love. If you need help with content ideas, read our blog post here with tips and ideas about what to write about on social media, in emails and in blog posts.

But you do need to sell yourself on social media! How do you do that? By getting creative and trying different things out that might work for you, your clients, your events and your products:

• Use different types of social media. Don’t just stick to Instagram, but look into Pinterest, which is often much better for online sales. Use X for local events and to connect with journalists and to tap into trade news. Use LinkedIn to identify trade buyers for trade events. And search Facebook for local groups – there are so many – where you can promote the event too.
• Use different types of posts e.g. talk about why you created this collection or why you set up your business; do an interview or Q&A with yourself or a role model or one of your stockists; a visual behind-the-scenes post full of images of your studio and environment. Create a short video showing your work or sharing your creative process (this very popular on Instagram and Facebook) and yes people ARE interested. Use a good mix of static images, carousels, Reels and stories. Mix it up. Keep it alive and interesting.
• Use different kinds of images e.g. product images from your website, display or stand images with nice styling or clients in the background, portraits of yourself at work, getting ready for your show (including fully packed vans!), sneak peeks of new work (with sketches or only a very close up picture that doesn’t reveal everything yet), the branding and invites for the show, your favourite fellow exhibitors or people who helped you with setting up, your best sellers after the show with some testimonials, or tell the story of those special pieces that found a new home.
• Use different hooks to appeal to followers e.g. show your packaging and how that tells your story; be helpful to your clients and offer gift vouchers or send them reminders of last postage dates for Christmas; provide gift suggestions for hard-to-buy-for people; talk about your interest in local history or how you love your local area and how that inspires your work every day.
• Can your clients help promote you? User generated content on social media can be really powerful. Can you ask clients to share images of how they use or display your products with you or on their own socials? Can you include compliments and testimonials from your audience and clients or fellow exhibitors either as an image or in your captions?

REAL LIFE TIP: When I attend a big trade or craft event then I often check the organiser’s social media and the event’s hashtag in advance to see who will be exhibiting. I often follow or like the exhibitors in advance, comment on their work, or wish them good luck. For major trade events or conferences, I check out who else is going, and I might approach them in advance for an appointment to make sure I won’t miss them. Events are often visually overwhelming. If I have seen the image of your display on social media before I attend the event, then I might recognise your work and stop by. It’s often a good icebreaker to say ‘I follow you on Instagram‘!

Tip 6: Are you following your trade clients & contacts?

In advance of a trade show start following your ideal trade clients, as well as influencers, bloggers, journalists, interior designers etc. And even better, engage with them!

Who are the 30 stockists that you would like to sell to? The journalists or bloggers you want to get in touch with? Spend one hour and follow them on Instagram & X. Then reach out to 10 of them this week by asking them a question or complimenting their work. Repeat again next week and see what happens.

GET INTO ACTION: This tip is especially for trade buyers and contacts. It’s much harder to identify specific individuals to follow unless they are celebrities or well-known collectors.

Tip 7: Are your avatar, profiles and bioS up to date?

Your avatar is the image that represents you on social media. Often people use a portrait, product image, or logo for this. Keep this avatar updated and maybe for your next event launch you can turn your avatar into your latest product?

Your profile / bio is the short written introduction on your social media page. Often people write it when they first open a social media account, and then forget about it. It might be worthwhile checking if your bio is up to date, and if it includes key words for which you want to be found. Have you included details there about your upcoming events? It’s a great idea to put your next couple of events, with dates there. Make sure your website / Linktree is in there too.  You can even include forthcoming event links in your bio. Remember that Instagram gives you 5 links to use in your bio.

Tip 8: Show your passion & excitement about your work and the upcoming show

Doing events is hard work, but also a lot of fun! Especially if you are fairly new to doing craft events or trade shows then share that you are excited to finally show your work at an event you have been working towards for a long time. Share who and what else will be at the show and why you’re looking forward to those things! Create a buzz.

People love buying from people who are passionate about what they do! This is one of the big advantages of being a small independent business.

Tip 9: Do a countdown

Can you remember what day it is today? Honestly? I can’t!

And I have missed many craft fairs simply because I didn’t realise that they were on at that particular weekend. I hadn’t made time for it in my diary, and as there is so much to do at the weekend I missed out!

To avoid that problem and to give events that important ‘urgency’ factor (!) let your audience know that ‘this weekend is the show’ rather than just give the dates. This is especially useful when there are loads of events happening at the same time e.g. during London Design Week or in the run-up to Christmas. Instagram stories are perfect for countdowns. Have some fun with them!

TOP TIP: Countdowns can work really well for email subject lines too: ‘Will you join me and 50 other makers this weekend at Charleston?’ That subject line will do much better than ‘newsletter update’.

People often use social media to search for events that are happening in their area. Use the right hashtags or invent one! #whatsoninglasgow #thingstodothisweekend #londondesignfair #madebrighton2024

Why not tag your local media (newspapers, magazines, radio stations etc) to alert them about the event or to get some reposts. Especially useful on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Tip 11: Why should PEOPLE attend?

Make it super clear and obvious WHY people should attend your event. Often they need a bit more convincing than the opportunity to just buy more stuff! You are selling much more than ‘just a product’ so share with them what experience they can expect.

Will you be launching new work?

Will they be able to see you but also 80 other creatives?

Will you do a demonstration or can they join in with a workshop?

Will there be other talks or events that might be useful (many shows organise expert talks)?

Will there be a glass of mulled wine and will this give them that real Christmassy feel?

Is this to support local, creative, independent, ethical businesses?

How can you entice clients to come? Be clear what’s in it for them. And it’s not just about offering them a discount!

Tip 12: People love an invite

Create a beautiful invitation for your event. Include the event’s name, the dates, venue, as well as images of your work and your website and social media details.

Share your invite through email, social media and maybe send some in the post too. Print is very powerful!

Events are so much easier for people (both individuals and trade buyers) to attend rather than having to arrange a meeting just with you. Events are a great way to get to know you a little better, but also to see lots of other creatives at the same time.

Invites are one of the secret marketing tools that creatives have. Everybody loves an invitation to an event!

Tip 13: Piggy back on the organiser’s marketing

Are you making full use of the craft fair or trade show organiser’s marketing? They are often desperate for good images and stories in the run up to their shows!

Tag them on Instagram, Facebook and X so that it’s super easy for them to repost your news (landing you in front of a new audience) and always use the event hashtag.

Send the event organisers an email with some stories about and good images of your latest collection or some information about you and your creative practice that they can share.

The bigger professional craft fairs and trade shows often have a huge and relevant social media following so it’s very beneficial to be put in front of them before the show opens. You will be more likely to get more professional social media followers yourself, and get engagement, ahead of the event.

Tip 14: Promote your fellow exhibitors too

One of the advantages of taking part in a craft fair or design trade show is that you get to know other creatives too. You can use social media to network in advance with fellow exhibitors, or to stay in touch afterwards. 

Social media isn’t just about promoting yourself (!), it’s about promoting the event and beyond. Show that you are excited about showing at a particular event by naming others who will take part. Share images of colleagues’ work. And maybe even talk about the exhibitors you are looking forward to meeting. If there is a talks programme or workshops talk about these too. Promote the event as a whole and not just you being there. Showing everything on offer can really entice people to come.

Tip 15: Promote your commissions & workshops too

When visiting selling events, I often see that creatives only focus on selling their creative products. That’s a mistake. 

Events can be a great place to promote your commissions or workshops. How can you promote these services at an event?

• Have a clear sign saying that you do workshops or commissions. Or even better, create a one-page-leaflet about your commissions or workshops and hand this out. Include some great images, a bit of information about yourself, or go into a bit more depth about the kind of commissions you do. Add some testimonials too.
• Bring an iPad or tablet to show recent commissions you have worked on to interested visitors. Or create an automated PowerPoint presentation with images or show a short video.

Events are especially useful to get people interested in talking about commissions or personalisation, or about your upcoming workshops, because they get to meet you and can ask you any questions – often in a very friendly, non-pushy environment. Far easier than having to email, phone, or arrange a meeting!

Tip 16: Should you do a special event offer?

Although I am not a big fan of discounts, it might be appropriate for some events to offer ‘something special’.

I prefer offers ‘that add something’ rather than just plain discounts.

You could offer a goody bag for the first 20 people who shop from you. Or a special discount code for your Instagram followers only. Or a special price on two related products (e.g. a necklace and earrings in the same range). Or free giftwrapping at a Christmas event. Or free postage and packaging for orders placed at the show – especially useful if the goods are bulky and hard to take home by your visitor.

Promote your special offer in advance of the show, but also during the event at your stand.

Could you do a special offer for people who sign up for your newsletter?

Tip 17: Get more social media followers from the event

How can you encourage visitors to follow you on social media? Social media is a very low-key way to stay in touch with people who are interested or who bought from you after the event. It’s even less committal than signing up for an email list! But encouraging them to stay in touch will help your sales in the long term.

• Increasingly people will photograph your work at popular events – often even without asking! It can be a nuisance. If you don’t want people to photograph your work then that’s absolutely within your right, as you don’t really know where these images will go to. ACID (Anti Copying in Design) has a bright yellow sign for its members that states ‘Please ask before photographing’ as your work could be copied from these images.
• How can you make sure that these images will actually promote you? Do you include your social media handles on your stand? Are they clearly visible? Do you hand out business cards to people who photograph your work, that include your social media links? Do you ask people who are taking photos of your work to tag you if they share the images on their own social media platforms?
• Have you included your social media links on all your promotional material, wholesale brochure, and price lists?

Tip 18: Say ‘Thank You’ after the event

Social media is a great way to follow up after the event. Share a lovely image of the event or your stand or you with a smiling face, and say ‘thank you’ to people who visited you. Say how much you enjoyed meeting new people, seeing loyal customers and talking about your work. Direct people who weren’t able to attend the event to your website

Don’t forget to say thank you to the organisers, your fellow exhibitors, and any people helped you.

A bit of kindness can go a long way.

Tip 19: NEVER moan or share confidential information

I know. Events can be tough. Sometimes visitor numbers and sales will be low or non-existent.

And I am not saying that you should lie if the event is really not very good. But stay quiet rather than broadcast your frustration.

Be careful as social media is a very public tool and you might be absolutely right, but you being negative doesn’t look very professional.

I have seen people having a go at organisers who really had done their best. I have seen creatives talk openly about how many sales they had that day. I have seen exhibitors getting really angry and frustrated on social media.

Just watch out because that one post can really damage your reputation.

Did you like this blog post with fundamental social media tips for craft events and design shows? Then do share it with others on social media! Have you got any additional tips, then we would love to hear from you in the comments below