Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

This past weekend I had a booth selling my poster art at the Boulder Creek Festival, all 3 days.  It`s the only festival I do annually as art fairs are not the core of my business.  But it is the big local one which attracts more than 350,000 people so the exposure is good!

One of my main goals of course is to make sales.  I have all of my inventory ready to go.  The other main goal is to make connections for future commissions.  I`ve got plenty of cards on hand.

I walked around looking at the other booths and here is what I saw.  I would say that 3/4 of the vendors selling their art, photography, jewelry and silverware windchimes just sit there disengaged from their surroundings, from their customers.  They are reading books, whispering on cellphones, talking with their spouses and mostly just sitting quietly and expressionless in a back corner.  How in the world are they trying to sell anything?!

Now I`m a soft-spoken guy and not the most outgoing in social situations but when I get in that booth, I practically become a sideshow announcer.  I stood the whole time, greeting people with smiles, hellos and how-ya-doings as they walked by, even calling them into my booth with broad gestures.  I had my dog do tricks to get passersby to look my way.  I invite them to come inside the booth to pet him.  (Thanks for working for me, Zephyr.)  I pointed out other pieces they might like if they were looking at certain ones.  I asked where people were from to see if I had a poster of their area.  If someone had a Vail cap or Tahoe shirt on, I`d point out my Vail and Lake Tahoe posters.  I remained jovial and made jokes no matter how exhausting the weekend was.  I happily answered questions and asked some as well of my customers.  If someone left the booth, I often chased them down the isle to give them a card and tell them about my website.

The guy across from me sat quietly in his corner, only getting up when someone asked him a question.  He didn`t even talk to all the people that walked in his booth.  I was astounded!  I mean I`ve seen this before but it still shocks me.  It was like he didn`t care if he sold something or what customers thought of his woodwork.  And this is common.

I didn`t work myself harder to stand out over the other vendors.  I did what felt right to do the job well, to attain my goals.  It was a successful weekend for me, hard work and a lot of fun.  My point is that you have to actually work to achieve.

• Don`t just sit there waiting for sales.  Engage with your customers.

• Don`t just expect someone to pick up your card.  Go give it to them.

• Don`t let your customers pass you by.  Call them in.

Be proactive!  Do!  Smile!  Work!  Succeed!  Have fun!

That`s the spirit, Steve! Go get `em!!! 

Great advice.  Congratulations on your success, Steve!

Anybody that sits around while 350,000 people walk by....are either nuts, or bored, and need to get off the event circuit.   Events are great exposure, and a way to find a lot of new customers with money in their pockets.

Way to go Steve!!!  I`m fired up for ya!  What are these other people thinking???!!!

-------------------------

Leslie
Founder and President
Charmed Life Products LLC
Grill Charms™… The MUST HAVE grilling accessory that is revolutionizing the American Cook-out AND The perfect gift for any occasion!
Grill Charms
                                                                                                    

Oh man....talk about a soapbox of mine!! These days people are fond of saying that "old people have complained that younger people are going to hell in a handbasket throughout history." The implication is that things are pretty much exactly the same as they`ve always been, we`ll "muddle through" somehow, just as we`ve always done, and Nothing is really changing for the worse.

That`s so false as to be astonishing, what with the number of people who believe it.

Steve, I can`t agree with you more! Kathy and I have been just amazed at the never-ending stream of lost opportunities we see in small business, and maybe more so in large business. It`s as if the "Right Now" generation(s) have become so used to the assumption that all things fall into their lap, they don`t even begin to work at anything anymore.

Personally, I believe it`s a form of arrogance, blended with a growing tendency toward narcissim that`s been taking place over the past 100 years. But the way I look at it, it just means more for me. :-) More business, more opportunities, less competition, and a very fast life-cycle for startups that are even close to a similar product line.

Wow.  What a way to make a  first and lasting impression on your customers.  Remaining  engaged with your customer is how you can separate yourself from the pack.

Oftentimes, passer-bys at a festival and vendor fairs have a tendency to not want to disturb those vendors who look like they don`t want to be bothered.

They will give your products a once-over and decide that there may be something more engaging somewhere else in the fair.

Sounds like you know the importance of keeping your eye on ensuring that customers feel welcomed and valued.

Keep up the good work!



-------------------------

Latarsha Lytle, MBA
Business Strategy Advice For New Startups...With A Motivational Twist
http://www.small-business-ideas-branded-by-passion.com/index .html

Yep, it`s important to be on your feet and ready.  It`s very tiring but then again, it`s only a weekend.  Putting in the effort to be your best show person is well worth it!

Picking up where Craig left off...
"It`s as if the "Right Now" generation(s) have become so used to the assumption that all things fall into their lap, they don`t even begin to work at anything anymore."

I see it as OUR JOB to make things fall into their lap.

Good job Steve of `making things fall into their laps`!
The rest of them that don`t work at it are losers, they just don`t realize it yet. (I can just hear them in my mind, much as I did whenever I did exhibits - "What a BAD sale! This show was a loser." - fools.) Life is what you make it - but ya` gotta work at it to make it successful.

Next!

Nick

 

If anyone wants to do a trade show, SBA offers a pretty good free class on it (well, at least in SF), and it covers exactly what CampSteve said.

Have inventory ready, stand, talkg to people, try to close the sales...and don`t eat in the booth.

Ok, maybe a little differenct perspective - a lot of the people in those booths are not "sales people" and doing what a lot of us do naturally (or even unnaturally but we know we need to do it) is terrifying for them. They are great artists or craftsman but they are also very personally involved. If someone doesn`t buy from them it hurts. Kuddos to them for getting out there in the first place...now maybe they need to consider hiring someone to staff the booth with them who can draw people in and close the deal.

Hmmm...Is Zephyr looking for some extra work?

~SandraP

-------------------------

Sandra Pearson
The Mompreneur Next Door
www.themompreneurnextdoor.com
sandra@themompreneurnextdoor.com