Boost Your Booth Success: Tips for Drawing in Customers and Generating Bookings

I need some advice from all of you cheffers. A couple girls and I did a booth at our county fair. We all took turns doing shifts. Well my shift was not very good. We had a drawing for a free oval baker, woven selection, or a free cooking show. I didn't have very many interested customers. So now another set of girls is doing another booth at another fair. I need some advice and ideas on how to draw people in and make them want to register for the Simple Additions that we are giving away. I really need some bookings and some possible recruits. So any advice would be greatly apprectiated

I find the best way to attract people to your booth is to have a nice smile on and do some sort of flyer that has a recipe on it. The flyer can have other info as well, such as the great sign-on bonus going on right now or an upcoming host special. The drawback to putting something "time-limited" like a special on there is you can't use up the leftover flyers because they'd be out of date. But, you have a stack of these in your hand and as you make eye contact with people or say hi, say "Hi! Would you like a FREE recipe from The Pampered Chef?" Most people say yes and as they stop, try to get them to linger there for a minute. Invite them into your booth to browse at the products. I like booths where the table(s) is at the BACK of the booth so you're able to stand in front or to the side of it. You're much more approchable this way, as opposed to standing behind the booth. Let them know we have an AWESOME new catalog coming out with 60 new and improved products. Ask if they'd like you to send them a copy. This gets you their contact info. Sure, you need to pay postage to do it, but be sure to get their phone number and email address so you can follow up. Ask the last time they were AT a show or hosted a show. Let them know the upcoming host specials. Obviously don't "throw up" all this information on them if they're trying to run out of your booth as if you're about to bite them, but you can tell which ones are somewhat interested. Your enthusiasm is contagious too, so be excited!

Regarding your drawing, once you have their attention, let them know they can win a ___________ by entering the drawing. Always include a free cooking show with anything you raffle off. Then call ALL of the entries (or as many as you want to provide free ingredients for) and offer a free cooking show. Let them know they won that "prize."

I hope these ideas help! Obviously, try not to seem too desperate either (I know there's a fine line...especially when you really want/need bookings!). Just have fun and people will know you love what you do! Good luck!

Excellent advice Becky! It is so easy to get excited when someone stops to talk and you can actually drive them away. I've found the free recipe to be helpful because everyone likes free . Another thing I've learned is not to have the drawing slips out but actually have them in my apron pocket. I also put it into the drawing bowl for them. This way I can write reminder notes for myself about our conversation (likes stoneware, getting married, etc.) I haven't tried asking if they would like me to send them a new catalog before. Do you find you get enough out of it to justify the postage? I'm wondering what the percentage is of people who respond to the positve but never follow up.

Michele

MicheleC said:

I haven't tried asking if they would like me to send them a new catalog before. Do you find you get enough out of it to justify the postage? I'm wondering what the percentage is of people who respond to the positve but never follow up.

Michele

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It's only worth it if you get their phone number and follow up with them after they've received it. If you don't make that follow up call soon after you think they've received it, it's basically like you're asking them to throw it away for you once they get it. So, if you don't think you have the time to make follow up calls shortly after they receive it or if you're too shy to ask for their phone number (a good line if they're hesitant to give you their number is say, "I just wanted to follow up with you afterwards to ensure you got it" or something like that) then don't even bother wasting the postage. VERY rarely will I have someone call me out of the blue because I've sent them a catalog.

I've had some AWESOME leads from shows for bookings. Which leads to more bookings....and on and on.

Here's what I doWhen I do any type of Trade or Craft Show, I stay at my booth the entire time. I used to do trade shows with my recruiter and she would always walk over to the Homemade Gourmet ladies and visit with them for most of the day. Then she would get all upset because she had no bookings or leads.
My fliers always have a recipe on them and some of my fliers would have a little cut out coupon for 10% off their next order with me. Always smile and talk to them as if you were talking to family. Depending on how interested they were in doing a show, sometime I give the full catalog and to others, I would just give a mini-catalog with all your contact info.

Stay persistent with leads...I've been calling one lady for almost a year now, and she finally booked her show for October because she wanted the knives!!! Yea! Oh, I also heard from other consultants to dress your table up with the seasons colors...I'm going to try that at my next fair.

Cookin'InTX said:

When I do any type of Trade or Craft Show, I stay at my booth the entire time. I used to do trade shows with my recruiter and she would always walk over to the Homemade Gourmet ladies and visit with them for most of the day. Then she would get all upset because she had no bookings or leads.
My fliers always have a recipe on them and some of my fliers would have a little cut out coupon for 10% off their next order with me. Always smile and talk to them as if you were talking to family. Depending on how interested they were in doing a show, sometime I give the full catalog and to others, I would just give a mini-catalog with all your contact info.

Stay persistent with leads...I've been calling one lady for almost a year now, and she finally booked her show for October because she wanted the knives!!! Yea! Oh, I also heard from other consultants to dress your table up with the seasons colors...I'm going to try that at my next fair.

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I like your idea for the 10% off coupon Great way for THEM to call you for that first order, then you can keep the contact going from there! I'll have to try that at my next fair.

My recruit and I just did our county fair. We came away with a tremendous amount of shows both cooking and book, a good number of recruit leads, and bridal regisrty leads. All we did was have a selection of the recipe cards from PC on the table and as people walked thru we told them had recipes and they were free if they would like to look thru them. When they came over to the booth we would then ask them if they have any PC products and also offer them the chance to win the prize we were giving away. I also had the booklets with the products that are coming out I offered them also. At times we had up to 8 - 10 people in our booth looking and entering the drawing. People stop when they see a small amount of people in the booth too. I did ahve a number of people take my business card because they wanted to do individual orders also. We also were going to offer to take photos of children in the PC apron and hat set for kids. We ended up not doing it, but it is something we may try next year.