If you are crafting for a living you are going to want to make

as much money as possible. Its nice to be in it just for the

love of the craft, but, if you are going to craft shows to sell

your items, then chances are you are going to want to profit

from your venture.

One of the best ways to boost your craft show sales is to offer

credit as payment. Visa, American Express and MasterCard (and

others) are becoming the transaction of choice when people are

making snap decision on purchases. Plus, there are quite a few

benefits for people using credit cards, like air miles and other

reward programs, along with purchase protection.

Crafters have reported in various surveys that have credit card

capability has increased their sales by as much as 35%.

Accepting credit card payments is almost a necessity today as

fewer people walk around with a lot of cash in their pockets and

taking checks incurs greater risk. Taking credit cards allows

you to expand your business to mail order, phone orders and the

Internet as well as your craft show sales. Credit cards allow

consumers to make more spontaneous purchases, which is often the

case at craft shows.

Today, there are more options for those who have mobile

businesses: they can have a wireless debit / credit card

machines, the standard debit / credit card machines, and you

always have the old style chargex machine with the carbon copy

transaction. Any of them will work, however, with the

electronic systems, you can set your business up to take any

credit card. If you have the chargex carbon, then you may only

be able to accept one of those cards.

Even though there are set up fees and monthly fees, the benefits

far outweigh the costs. To get started, check your current bank

or call a craft guild or association to check the many options,

comparing costs and services for merchant accounts. Some

warehouse companies like Costco, offer its members excellent

credit card services at reasonable prices. Create a comparison

chart of the best two or three offers and get some referrals

from people who are using the services of the companies you're

considering. Lastly, before making your decision, ensure there

is an available contact person you can call when you have any

problems or questions.

Credit cards are a great way for you to offer payment

flexibility to your customers. There is less cash in the

average consumers pocket, and more plastic than ever before.

So, if you want to sell more of your crafts, maybe you should

think of offering a credit card payment option to your customers.

Natalie Goyette is the best selling author of Craft Show Success. Her e-book shows you how you can finally make money at craft shows. www.craftshowsuccess.com natalie@craftshowsuccess.com