Search for craft and art fairs in your area using Google Local (http://local.google.com). Enter "fairs" in the box under
"What" and your target city and state (like "Chicago, IL") under “Where.” When you look at the results, try the links
for category searches like "Carnivals, Fairs & Exhibitions" to
get a narrower set.
Check the kind of licensing you need for a part-time business in your state. Go to www.business.gov and click on "Region" where it says "ACCESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY: Region". Then pick your state or territory, and from the listing for your state click on "Starting A Business". In the section on "Licensing & Permits" you can find the information you need to know.
Research pricing your product or service electronically. Go to
eBay.com (if you are selling a product) or eLance.com (if you
are selling a service), and enter the term for your product or service. From the resulting list, note the offerings that most
closely match yours and check the prices posted. If possible,
look for recent sales or contracts for your offering to see
what people paid for the goods or services.
Create your own first-pass customer base. List family members;
friends; people you know from religious, fraternal,
civic, and school organizations; and people who provide you
goods and services. Look at the list again and select five
people who you think are most likely to know the kind of
person you would imagine would make your best customer.
Create a to-do list for the upcoming week using the technique
described in the chapter. Prioritize your tasks using the 1-2-3
method, and use the list for a week. Ask yourself if you felt
having the list helped you remember better what you had to do
and if it helped you better decide what to do and when to do it.
