Tips for Running your own Booth at a Home Show
I know many of you are really eager to do some Expo's and Home Shows this summer! Good for you! They have been a huge part of building my business and I've done all I could for the past 18 months! Just a note, these kind of shows don't always bring in lots of upfront sales, but they do bring in tons of great leads!
Plan on bringing:
table cloths
at least 6, #10 cans
can opener
pricelist and order forms
clipboards
pens
raffle tickets made by you
lead sheet for parties and consulting
change for copies
business cards
name tag
stapler
Sharpie
highlighter
The best selling fruit is fd pineapple and mango. The best looking fruit is raspberries and strawberries and blueberries. you can mix them up in the cup to make them look pretty. The corn and the green beans are great too. People try far less of those though.
I brought a tray with me as well so that I could move closer to people with samples. Sometimes when it gets crowded people want to come close but they can't so I would go to them. So those at the table can have table samples and those walking can have the ones on the tray.
Table cloth!! People often forget that! If you can make your table look homey like it's dinner time I think that would be neat. Now that we have the "home store" concept it really helps bring that feeling in. I brought a table cloth with pumpkins all over it once and filled candy jars full of the fruit so it looked pretty. I think if we make the food seem easy, recognizable and fun, it will bring a crowd.
Does the place let you bring prepared food? Do you have a food handlers permit? (not required everywhere. Check with your county)
Brownies and macaroons would go fast but they are such winners 'cause they are just "add water."
Price lists- plan on at least 300 of those and less of order forms, maybe 100. Most people don't order on the spot. They want time to think about it. At these things they are looking for coupons and deals and things they can take home and eat right then. If want you can make a little handout with the prices of all the fruit you are sampling and a make it look like a coupon. And then attach it to the price list.
Make sure your contact information is on everything!..for real!!
People get lots and lots of paper at these things. Make yours stick out. Put it on yellow or bright green paper and make coupons or business cards in red or other bring colors to draw attention.
I would only print off the food prices of the price list and then separately have a list for the shelving.
The shelving is the most popular and recognizable product Shelf Reliance carries. If you can have one displayed that would be awesome!
Have some extra marketing material like the Q club brochure etc for those who are interested only. Put out a couple of catalogs with "COPY" written across the top so they don't get taken.
Make a "party/consultant/discount pricing" sheet. Have people sign your sheet if they are interested in discount pricing online too. Then you can add them as your customers if they are interested in ordering. And email them regularly the specials and such and they can shop whenever they want to.
Make raffle tickets and (don't forget a jar and pens) is really where you want to concentrate. Those will be leads! You want names, phone numbers and to check off what they are interested in on the raffle ticket. Give you out a can of something or a cansolidator so something you think is fun, like brownies or strawberries. You can also have them check off if they are interested in "discount pricing through their email address." Then add them as your customer if they check "yes."
When you call leads back, try about 4-7 day after the show, 'cause all the other vendors will be calling right away. Tell everyone you can come and teach their families about this great food as well as bring samples. And the raffle ticket helps to get people to check off what they are interested in so you have something to talk about with them with you call.
I like to bring extra bright yellow paper and a sharpie and tape and put up the price of the shelf. It's a great price compared to anywhere they are going to find it! Learn the dimensions of the harvest and how many cans it fits and the Harvest #10. Those are the most popular.
