The Vendor Scout: A Field Guide for Artists & Makers

Make your next vendor event worth showing up for.

Whether you're preparing for your first craft market or deciding which shows deserve a place on your calendar, The Vendor Scout: A Field Guide for Artists & Makers helps you approach each event with more confidence, clarity, and intention.

Created for artists, makers, and creative entrepreneurs selling pottery, paintings, prints, candles, soaps, textiles, jewelry, woodwork, vintage finds, and more, this richly illustrated guide combines practical advice with tools you can put to work immediately. You don't need a fancy tent, a huge inventory, or an unlimited budget. Start with what you have—and make smarter decisions about where your time and money go.

Inside the field guide

• Scout the Show: Research events, understand their audiences, ask better questions, and decide which opportunities are worth pursuing.
• Know Your Numbers: Calculate event costs, set realistic sales goals, think through pricing, and measure the return on your time.
• Create the Experience: Plan your booth, display your work, build a welcoming atmosphere, and create memorable interactions.
• Connect With Visitors: Start natural conversations, share your creative story, and build relationships without a hard sell.
• Keep the Connection: Help visitors find you again through social media, thoughtful follow-up, and permission-based email sign-ups.
• Measure What Matters: Review your results, learn from each event, and build on what worked.

Bonus: Field Secrets

Real-world tips for booth setup, pricing, customer conversations, event-day survival, solving unexpected problems, and the little details that make a big difference.

Plus: A printable maker's toolkit

Put the lessons into practice with reusable planning worksheets, event evaluation tools, booth setup planners, pricing and sales trackers, packing checklists, seasonal planning pages, customer-connection tools, event reflection sheets, cut-out price tags, and mini booth signs.

Designed to be useful at your desk, in your studio, and at the market itself.

What you'll receive

Format: A complete 69-page illustrated digital field guide with printable resources, delivered as a downloadable PDF after purchase. No physical item will be shipped.

Your time is worth more than a booth fee.