Beyond Tables & Tents: 6 Surefire Tips for Maximizing your Vendor Booth Opportunity

April Feature

We’ve talked a lot recently about the benefits of sponsoring and vending at events and festivals. The exposure. The brand awareness. The sales. The networking… it’s good stuff.

NOW we want to share a few ideas for making the best use of your vendor booth space. Whether you’re pushing merch, recruiting talent, or just trying to get your name out there - here are our top 6 tips for boosting your booth appeal so you and your new customers (or friends. or future employees.) go home happy.

1. Bring a friend. Always work a booth with another person. Not only is this helpful during bathroom breaks, but having someone else by your side who can answer questions and use a Square reader is super handy during high-traffic times. They can also help you get unstuck from a conversation with a chatty Cathy when it’s time for you to move on. Just pick a code word in advance. Coo coo!

2. Let ‘em linger, even if they’re not buying anything. See, people are more likely to enter a booth when someone else is there ahead of them. Don’t lose patience with the person who spends a lot of time looking and then leaves without buying; they’re doing you a favor by helping you show how friendly and popular you are, and that sends a message to other passers-by that it’s safe for them to stop in, too.

3. Be cool, baby. Nobody likes a pushy salesperson, so let people browse and ask questions. Let ‘em tell you about their Yorkie’s dietary restrictions. Heck, even bid them a fond farewell as they leave with a handful of sweets from your candy bowl - which, btw, we recommend you display on your table as a friendly lure. Never let ‘em see you sweat and they’re likely to come back later to make a purchase.
    

4. Gamify. People love free stuff… but even more, people love to win free stuff. Make your booth space an interactive experience by giving people a chance to step inside and try their luck. Maybe they spin a wheel and - yippee! - win a prize. Or they guess how many Jelly Beans are in a jar and wait anxiously as you announce a new winner every hour. You get the idea. Find a way to create some high energy around your booth and attract a crowd on command.

5. Know your role. Actually, better yet, know the role the event producer is playing before you show up. At all of our events, we provide vendors with a 10’x10’ space. But other event producers may provide something else or have many levels of space for rent. If it’s not clear, then be sure to ask what will be provided so you can pack appropriately.

6. Create a selfie situation. Attract people to your booth by giving them something sensational to take a picture with, in front of, beside, inside, on top of… you get the picture. (You get the pun, too) ;)  We recently featured one of our successful vendors whose “traveling booth” serves as a great photo backdrop.  But you don’t have to go THAT big to make it work. Cut the center out of a posterboard and bedazzle it with your company name or logo and - voila - you’ve created a real life photo frame that people can pose behind. Say cheese! 

How many potential customers do you talk to in a typical day?

If you’re like most business owners, you probably don’t even want to tell us the answer (because it’s 0) - and that’s okay. We get it! Most industries don’t allow you to get out and meet face-to-face with your customers on the regular, even though that is one of the best ways to promote your brand, make sales, and even find inspiration for how to improve your products and services to make even more money. That’s why we are so excited to be able to connect you with the thousands of people who attend each of our 15+ events throughout the year. And, for a small price, you get to make a huge investment in the success of your company.

Let’s talk about which of our upcoming opportunities sounds like the best fit for your goals. We’d love to introduce you to the neighbors… thousands of them.

Tips from seasoned vendor and awesome artist Kasey E Caldwell

February 2018 | Vendor Spotlight

Now is the time for business owners to gear up for festival season!

Kasey E Caldwell has been creating one-of-a-king mixed media wall art full time for the past five years and loving every minute of it. Especially during festival season.

She creates her art out of her home workshop and office with her company KCdesignZ LLC, so when the first festival of the season rolls around in March, she’s more than ready to get out and meet new friends and potential customers. Each year she participates in 15-20 events throughout the Nashville region

“These events are where I get my inspiration and get to actually interact with the customer,” Kasey said. “That's what it's all about! During January and February, I find myself slowing losing my inspiration and as soon as March comes around and I get to do my first show of the year all my excitement and purpose comes flooding back!”

She said festivals and events drive the majority of her income as an artist.

What was your favorite festival moment?

Gosh there are so many. However, I'll never forget the feel and energy surrounding Nashville Pride Fest the year the the Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriage equality. It was so amazing to be a part of that and share in everyone’s happiness!
 

What advice do you have for first time vendors?

1. Weights, weights, weights.

2. Be patient, especially when it is time to load out.

3. Show up on time when time to set up.

4. Always load in a day early if that’s an option.

5. Bring a partner to help you if you can.

6. Never pack up early.

7. Bring plenty of back up.

8. Design your set up prior to the show.

Interested in being a vendor? Contact us to discover the possibilities.

3 Ways to Make Your Festival Sponsorship Count

Meaningful partnerships are at the heart of every festival we produce and - real talk - our events wouldn’t be successful without the support of our sponsors.

Nationally, from 2007 to 2017, sponsors have spent over $60 billion worldwide according to Forbes. In 2016 alone, sponsors in North America spent $22.3 billion, and that number is expected to grow to $23.2 billion by the end of 2017.

It’s no secret that, when done well, companies see positive results when they sponsor local events. But there’s more to a super successful sponsorship activation than sending a check and getting your logo printed on posters and banners. If you’re a sponsor or considering boosting your exposure by partnering with a local event, here are some tips to consider to maximize your sponsorship dollars and opportunities.

1) Festival planners have more ideas than they are typically able to pay for or produce each year.  Make sure and ask what they think the festival could use or is missing.  This might be a great opportunity to improve your presence at the festival and provide something that festival goers are looking for.    

For the last several years we have worked with First Tennessee Bank at the annual Tomato Art Fest to provide a misting tent.  In the dead heat of summer, it’s a much needed relief for festival goers and is a great way for the sponsor to interact with attendees and encourage them to swing by the First Tennessee booth space.  

Speaking of vendor booths….

2) While vendor booths are a great way to capture passers-by, look for creative ways to best leverage that asset by moving your booth out of the standard vendor footprint. During Nashville Pride Festival, Delta Air Lines worked with organizers to to name an existing tower overlook at Public Square Park in downtown Nashville the Delta Sky Lounge.  Since this structure was already part of the park, the additional cost for this visibility was low and their sky-high “booth space” boosted their visibility significantly.

3) Contests and interactive festival activities are always popular.  We work with a number of sponsors to help integrate activities they are planning prior to, during, or after the festival into the festival marketing outreach.  It’s important to think through what works best for your business.

If you want to drive traffic to your store, you could consider hosting a Festival Kick-Off event and invite clients and customers in for after-hours cocktails, snacks, and discounted shopping experience. Not only does it show your customers how much you appreciate their business, it’s also another way to let people know you’re supporting the local event and community.

We consider our sponsors to be partners and we approach and manage each relationship and sponsorship accordingly. While we have created interest from large national brands for many of the festivals we work with, the locally-owned and operated businesses still make up a large part of our sponsors each year and we are more than happy to chat with you about upcoming opportunities and customized activations.

Contact us today to set up a discovery call!