How to Create an Unforgettable Customer Experience With the Five Senses

Confession Time: I Geek Out Over My Own Art

I have the weirdest confession and I am just going to go ahead and say it. Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I get up at one in the morning, sneak into my art studio, turn on the little lamp on my table, and just stare at the paper dolls and journals I made that week. I stand there grinning because it still amazes me that God lets me co-create beauty with Him. I geek out over my own creations. I really do.

It makes me so happy. I can’t explain it. Maybe you know exactly what I mean. It is that moment when you catch yourself thinking, Did I really make that? Me?
Every time it happens, I feel this gentle reminder that it is not my own doing. It is God. It is His creativity flowing through my hands. It feels supernatural because I never knew I had all this in me until He revealed it.

From Studio Awe to Booth Success: Preparing Your Art for Customers

Back in the 90s when my wholesale craft business was booming, I would finish a new design, crack open a fresh Diet Coke, light a cigarette, and just stare at my creation in awe. Still drinking the Diet Coke but I dropped the cigarette habit at 49. (Heard quitting lessens menopause symptoms… and they were right)!

I used to set up my booth at trade shows and then step back, hands on hips, thinking, How in the world did that happen?
And girl, let me tell you, there were so many times my booth completely sold out!
Seventeen years in the industry and I had a secret that I’ll share with you now.

My mission was to tickle their five senses. I wanted them to forget they were standing in the middle of a giant expo building. I wanted them to feel all the same warm fuzzies I feel when I peek at my creations at one o’clock in the morning.

That is how you sell out a booth.
You don’t just show your art.
You create an experience.

Today, I’m sharing what I learned so you can Get Ready to create your own booth, workshop, art show, market table, or open house that people will talk about long after the event is over.

How to Sell Out Your Craft Booth Using the Five Senses

The five senses influence customer behavior more than we realize. When you intentionally shape the atmosphere around your art, it creates a feeling that makes people stay longer, appreciate more deeply, and buy joyfully.

Here are the five things I always did and still do.

---

1. How to Attract Customers With Visual Display and Color

Sight is your first impression. Create a visually appealing space that welcomes people in.
Use a simple color theme. Three colors is perfect because it pulls the whole booth together without overwhelming the eye.

Think clean. Think charming. Think inviting.
Your art may be the masterpiece, but your display is the frame.

---

2. How to Use Scent Marketing to Boost Booth Sales

Smell is powerful. One little whiff can shift a mood.
Try fresh flowers, a cinnamon or vanilla candle, potpourri, or coffee beans.
Nothing creates nostalgia faster than the smell of something good.

---

3. How to Encourage Interaction Through Touch-Friendly Displays

People buy what they can touch.
Use textures. Let them feel something.
A fuzzy tablecloth. Art within easy reach.
Prints they can flip through.
A fabric swatch. A ribbon. A tag.

When their hands get involved, their heart gets involved.

---

4. How to Use Music to Create Atmosphere in Your Booth

Sound sets the mood.
Play something calming or something upbeat, depending on your vibe.
I love dulcimer music or soft praise and worship.
It creates a peaceful atmosphere that makes people want to linger.

The longer they linger, the more likely they are to buy.

---

5. Why Taste Makes Your Booth More Memorable

Yes girl, taste matters too.
Put a candy dish at the back of your booth. Not out front.
You are not trying to feed the entire crowd.
You want people to step inside, grab a piece, unwrap it, and stay awhile.

It works. Trust me.

---

Bonus Tip: Give Them Something to Remember You By

A GIANT paintbrush.
A BIG stuffed bear.
A small demo at your table.
People remember what stands out.

And if they take the time to come see you in person, offer a show special.
If you don’t, they will say, Are you online?
Then they’ll take your card and disappear into the sunset forever.
Ask me how I know.

Meeting people in person is still my favorite part of being an artist.
Back in my wholesale days, boutique owners would return season after season at the Atlanta Gift Market saying, There’s Joyful Creations. I have them on my list.

Why?
Because we created an experience.
That is the goal.

---

How to Display Your Art in Ways That Sell

Always display your products in the way they’re meant to be used.
This helps people imagine them in their own life.

Here are a few ideas I’ve used:

• Ornaments hanging on a little tree; Art hanging on a wallpapered background
• Journals next to a cute mug, colored pencils, and a pretty pen
• Clothing or jewelry on a mannequin bust
• Jewelry inside an antique jewelry box with a pretty hand mirror nearby
• Prices visible so people don’t have to ask (that is a whole blog for another day)

These small details matter.
They make your art feel like a story rather than a product.

---

Behind the Scenes: What I’m Working on Right Now

I’m currently working on Snowman Paper Dolls. These paper dolls can be used as focal points for creative journaling; art journals, December Daily, scripture writing journals, January junk journals, and more. I love to create them by hand – using mixed media to build layers and add details. I start with a pencil sketch and then I use watercolor pencils and/or watercolor paints, pens, markers, fabric and glitter to bring them to life.

I’M OBSESSED! My paper dolls are the primary inspiration for all the scripture writing and creative journaling that I create daily. When I sit down with my daily scripture writing journal, I can create a beautiful page in minutes (without it taking hours). So much fun!

Scripture to Encourage Christian Artists

Here’s the verse for today’s creative journaling: (It is a PROMISE)

Mark 11:24

“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

How to Begin…

• PRAY first
• PRINT the verse
• Create a PRETTY PAGE (decorate the page: doodle, color, collage, tape, stamp, paint, glitter, glue…)
• PROCLAIM! (write a truth statement or prayer)
• POST IT! (#gettingreadydaily)

Remember: All of God’s PROMISES are for YOU and your ART is part of His Plan.

---

Your Takeaway Today

I’m helping you Get Ready to make a bigger impact and income by creating a memorable experience around your art. When you delight and tickle the senses of your customers, they don’t just buy something. They encounter God’s goodness through the work of your hands.

Every dream, every promise, every vision God has placed in your heart becomes more real as you show up, share your creativity, and let your art be a doorway for someone to experience His love.

And I truly believe God geeks out over YOU and every creation you bring to life!

---

Keep the Inspiration Going

If you loved this post, you’ll really enjoy reading The Best Place to Sell Your Art & Crafts as a Christian Artist.
It is full of practical truth, inspiration, and resources to help you become the super successful artist God called you to be. Click through and let it bless you.

---

Resources for Christian Artists & Creative Entrepreneurs

Hey Creative Friend! Are you ready to stop worrying about getting a real job and step into the creative business that God gave you? I wrote this book for you…

GETTING READY: Becoming the Super Successful Artist God Called You to Be

(A Self-Published Guide for Artists, Creatives & Kingdom-Minded Entrepreneurs)

If you’ve ever wondered how to blend your creative calling with your God-given purpose, Getting Ready is for you. Think of it as part faith art journal, part how-to guide, and totally made for creative women like us — artists, makers, and dreamers who love Jesus and feel called to something more.

Inspired by Queen Esther’s season of preparation, this book takes you on a heart-level journey — a mix of spiritual growth and practical action — helping you align your creativity, business, and identity with who God says you are.

Perfect for:
🎨 Artists, makers, authors, and crafters
💋 Anyone craving a creative comeback and a little spiritual renewal — Queen Esther style!

---

And if you need journals, paper dolls, or self-care tools to help you stay inspired, my Etsy shop is loaded with resources made just for your creative journey.

Thank you for visiting my blog where I love blending Beauty & Creativity for Self-Care and Mental Health. Before you go, if you haven’t already, grab the free resource below and Make it a beautiful day! Nancy