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What to take?

SpazSigns

New Member
Going to be doing my first booth at a small fall festival.

Needing ideas on what you guys would take/make sticker wise.

I'm going to take my setup with me but was wanting to make some in advance.

any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks again
 

HulkSmash

New Member
Going to be doing my first booth at a small fall festival.

Needing ideas on what you guys would take/make sticker wise.

I'm going to take my setup with me but was wanting to make some in advance.

any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks again


Looks like you answered your own question :thumb:

Good luck!
 

Jillbeans

New Member
Make a whole bunch of little God Bless America decals, or figure out a way to abbreviate your town name into an "OBX" type oval (put a stamp on the back with your biz info) hand those out as a free sample.
Whatever you do, DON'T make any Peeing Calvins or trademarked stuff like Harley/Disney/Warner Brothers etc.
I'd also make up about ten license plate blanks that could be personalized with someone's name, and since it's a fall festival you may want to make skull stickers or something Halloweeny but still practical.
I myself would never want to do something like this but hey if that's what blows your hair back, go for it.
Love....Jill
 

mrchips

New Member
The most important thing is a great sign/banner for your booth.....hang it high! When there is a crowd looking at your stuff, hundreds could walk by without knowing what your're selling.

I've been doing this fair for 33 years.. www.thebige.com

Here's a booth shot from the fair.

Good Luck!

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
 

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Mosh

New Member
Big waste of time if you ask me. Back in the 80's-90's I used to go to shows. All you get are the "time waster" customers. Trust me on this one.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Lotsa full color brochures and business cards.

Take a small television and collect business cards in a fish bowl for a chance to win the television. That'll bring in a lot of traffic.


Take some small printed bumper stickers that say:

10th Anniversary of 9/11.... We Remember !! :wavingflag:
 

mrchips

New Member
Like anything else, if you aim at the bottom feeders you'll be wasting your time.

If you aim higher, you'll have more success. My average ticket (for house #'s and property markers) is over $200. Many sales are in the $300 to $700 range and some are higher.

Long ago, someone told me, "You sell what you show". They were right.

Show cheap.....sell cheap = waste of time.

Just my opinion here......and 33 years of "wasting my time".......hardly.

BTW, my cheapest item is $88.

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
 

mrchips

New Member
Gino has a good idea but you will waste a ton of them if you just leave em on the table. Personally hand them out to those who show a REAL interest in your services......much more effective that way.

Just MHO.

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
 

SignManiac

New Member
Joe you should know that "The Mosh" has always been against the idea of making good money. Tis better to undercut on principle as a way to destroy the competition.
 

Bigdawg

Just Me
Gino has a good idea but you will waste a ton of them if you just leave em on the table. Personally hand them out to those who show a REAL interest in your services......much more effective that way.

Just MHO.

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

Good Advice Joe.

As much personal contact as you can with the folks that are really interested. Offer a 10% off first order coupon or something similar as a way to get them in the door. That doesn't scream cheap - but it lets them know they'll get a deal for stopping by.
 

mrchips

New Member
I'm not out to destroy the competition.....I just offer a product above the competition.

If you want the "good" stuff, there is only one place to shop.

Easy! ;)

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I'm not out to destroy the competition.....I just offer a product above the competition.

If you want the "good" stuff, there is only one place to shop.

Easy! ;)


Joe,


Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

Exactly. Worrying about the competition never allows you to concentrate on yourself if you're always trying to out-do or out-think your competitors. Let them worry about watching the dust you make on the way to the bank.

Again.... concentrating on what you do and some of the things you might excel at will bring you far more business, enjoyment and satisfaction.

Later, on a Saturday night, out on the porch with your significant other, watching a beautiful sunset, you can talk about your accomplishments and laugh a little at how easy business really is. :toasting:



Another thing we've done at shows is to walk the show ourselves. Someone is always at our booth, but going out and making contacts with other vendors at the show is also important. Don't wait for them to come to you..... literally take the initiative and go after the professionals at the show. You'll find it's easier to talk shop with them if you ask about their business and how you can help them and how they could possibly help you.

We just did this during a show my wife was at a few months ago. We weren't set up for a booth, but she went and walked the show floor and stopped at almost every booth, handing out cards and brochures to the vendors. Careful not to solicit any people walking the show, but to vendors about their services. Turned out this one booth was looking to re-do their entire fleet and cars, along with site signs, trade booth signs and every facet of their image. We are in the middle of lettering them all with so many signs to do for them it aint' even funny. Seems every other day, they ask for something else.

So, don't be afraid to interact and go on the prowl for work. It's called networking..... a very smart and useful tool in today's marketplace.
 

mrchips

New Member
it's also a good idea to have a spot in the booth where you can take a serious customer to talk privately, away from the choas. If you look at my booth shot, the placement of my bench limits access to the inside. The serious shoppers come inside and the lookers don't want to get trapped in there so they stay out.

Sometimes I take em totally out of the booth into the isle to be "alone" with em.

Lots of little tricks that can make a difference. Oh, ya gotta have help when it's busy.....it's tough when you are alone and it's busy.

Learn to give one word answers.......ya can't splain everything to everybody. People will tell you what they are up to right away......don't waste time with the "lookers".

Any questions that have nothing to do with a purchase gets a yes or no answer......but be polite. :)

When you DO make your pitch, make sure you speak loud enough so eveyone hears.....saves time and it may reach someone with the same questions.

Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
 

Techman

New Member
All those old ideas. Fish bowls, give aways. The give aways are not being used right.. All those old ideas ..
ETC.. They used to work. But have since faded into the also ran of marketing ideas.

The give away was supposed to lead the potential client into talking to you. They were never meant to be just something to give away. They are supposed to stop the lead for a few seconds so you can screen them fast..
The good ones are the private booth area.
And walk the show too.
And then

Set up your face book bizz account. Get everyone you know to to like it.
Take your Ipad to the festival.
Qualify your leads from lookers to real bizz ppl by passing a bizz card to each other.
On each bizz card trade talk to them just a little to profile them.
Then when you see they will be a positive lead Give them a $25.00 credit on their first order of at least $100/ bux when they log into their face book account and like your page and also make a positive comment post.
 
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