Vendor/Expo Shows

[skcandles]

Originally Posted by TastefullyMI

Your local paper in the community calendar. It's also smart to get in networking groups with other direct sellers. I'm in two and we do "event shares" at every meeting so we can heop each other get into different venues.

skcandles - I WISH we had venues for $20-$30 bucks, you're so lucky. If you pay $50 that's the lowest you'll find around here for anything decent. Most of my best venues are between $100 and $200 per table and many are well over that. Considering I live in the highest unemployment rate you would think all things would come down a bit but that's not really been the case.

Good luck finding some new venues, Olive.

Yah, I have heard that the rates are good. We do have other ones that are many hundreds. there is a big one here in October that is 500 for a weekend, and other trade shows that are per head, so they are at least 300 for an afternoon. But both of those events are highly promoted and have huge turnout

[jennlovesvintage]

well I'm looking into the shows i can find and most of them are either only handmade crafts or really really pricey, so this idea might be not as good as I hoped.

Where do you find direct sales networking groups???? I feel like direct sales among the crafting world gets a bit of a snub?

[TastefullyMI]

Direct Selling Women's Alliance (DSWA)
and I belong to just a local networking group, Jenn.

[Rachel~Jewel Kade Stylist]

There are some craft shows that will not let direct-selling companies into their show. We have a huge show in Ohio called the Backwoods Fest that our team is dying to get into because 1,000's of people are there but they only want handcrafted items. I told them that our product is specially handcrafted and they still won't take us.
I've been to other craft shows that welcome us and need more vendors so they let us sign us. Just depends on the show.

[dmm1932]

I actually just signed up for my first one, to be held 3/20. It is a local spring fair. The booth cost me $40 for 11am-6pm. I am going to have a raffle to draw attention to my booth, and then prizes for people who book parties from me. I have heard good things about fairs and expos. I do Tupperware, and have a leader willing to sell me some "prizes" for a really good price. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[cutebags4u]

I've had experience with both awesome events sales-wise and recruiting and booking parties and then I've had some that were busts. I've spent $100's of dollars on events and then as little as $25...What I've found is that the larger events are great for me and my team...whereby we can share everything equally...the end result usually ends up being what I would have done on a less expensive event all by myself.

So for me, it depends on what the objective is...my personal business and/or helping my team members get going!

Terri

[syeliab]

I do as many of these as I can get into. My business depends on constantly broadening my customer base and I find that these allow me the opportunity to meet with people I would not have had the opportunity to meet on my own. I don't go into them thinking I am going to sell a fortune, but rather looking for show and recruit leads. If I sell something, great, but that's not my total focus.

There is a site, I don't know if it's just Michigan based or not, but EventLister.com. They are a good source of shows. In addition to that, I would strongly recommend networking with other DS people. They are one of my best sources for events. Someone also recommended the DSWA, which not only is a great resource for information, but events, and friends.

Another thing, I belong to a Networking group which has worked great for me. I know, some others say it's a waste of time, but my group is highly functional and in fact, I just got a call from one of my members with a phone number and contact name for a gentleman at a community kitchen who is interested in a fund raiser. I would never have met him with out Dr Bob and my networking group.

[createacandle]

All the negatives that others posted are reasons I too decided to use other ways to retail products, I have found that Home parties are the most profitable. Catalog parties are a good venue as well.

Debbie

[EZDisplay]

If you need to boost your sales at Vendor Shows as well as Home Parties, try enhancing the appeal of your products by showing them off on this inexpensive highly-portable display!

[cutebags4u]

Now that's very cool!