One of the toughest parts for many crafters about selling their wares at craft fairs and festivals is setting up their displays. If you’re having trouble getting your display organized, here are some tips to help you do it.

1. Come up with a theme for your display, and have everything you use stick to that theme. You might work with a seasonal or holiday theme, depending on the type of show you’re going to. Another option is to theme your display around the items you’re selling. Children’s items might have a playground theme, and rustic items could have an old fashioned theme.

Your theme shouldn’t overwhelm your booth, but it should add to the experience customers get from it. Basically, your theme can give you ideas for props, or even simple things like flourishes on your signs or tablecloths on your display tables. It can make organizing your display a little easier, too.

2. Make sure the traffic can flow well. Even if your theme changes from show to show, this shouldn’t. If you use similar booth setup and materials, things should work in pretty much the same way for all shows. Setting up in a U shape can be a good idea. If you have a deep tent style booth where customers can walk in and browse, designate an entrance and exit. Make sure to keep the cash register by the exit!

3. Try to display your items in such a way as to give people an idea of what they are or how they can be used. For instance, maybe you sell custom embroidered burp cloths. They could look really cute just laying out, but you might also package them in fun ways with baby showers in mind. You could even put up a sign that says, “Great baby shower gift!” just so people really get the idea behind your products.

4. Try to look at your booth with the eyes of a customer. When you get your booth set up, go through it with the eyes of a customer or visitor. Look at what stands out most and whether or not the display is eye-catching without being overwhelming. It might take some time for you to get used to viewing your own work in this way, but with practice, you’ll know what to look for and what to change.