Any 'Taste of Home' Cooking Show Vendors Out There?

[genburk]

Has anyone ever been a vendor at a "Taste of Home cooking show"?

There is going to be one in my area, and I am going to call and see if I can be a vendor if they don't have one yet. I really would like to see the show..

Someone told me this is a competitor of ours, but I think it is like a cooking show, not a direct sales company. Am I wrong?

Do you have any tips, or suggestions, for this? I have never been to one or had a table set up anywhere.

Thanks, Tina

 

[PampMomof3]

Hey Tina, I know someone here had a booth at a vendor show. I had an actual consultant come into my home and do a show and they DON'T cook. They just talk about the products and pass them around.

 

[janetupnorth]

Taste of Home does have home parties now...the big events often have PC vendors before the show. However, in our area, the "lead" usually goes to the nearest director...but good luck getting in...if not, it is a nice show to go too.

 

[genburk]

This is supposed to be from the cooking magazine. I guess they really call it a cooking school but my local paper called it a show. The one in my area will be in a building and they are selling over 550 tickets ($10) to see it. An hour from me they have an arena that draws more than 1200 people each year for that show. They give out cooking show tote bags with recipe books/booklets, food coupons, and companies like McCormick, Viva, Ball (canning supplies) are sponsering it.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

They have both, the cooking school is where they do a live demo. & charge like you were talking about.
they have a Taste of hoem entertaining party which is a combo of our types of products and Southern Living At Home.

 

[chefmary]

I'm so excited because I just signed up for one in my area next month! I have heard that because it is so cooking-focused, it is a great target market. I was pleasantly surprised by the cost ($65 for the both, with optional add ons for advertising and the gift bags). I almost worked one last year, but the event was cancelled, so I'm hoping that this goes through. Tina, if you want to compare notes and set up strategies, send me an email or PM.

Mary

 

[janetupnorth]

This is supposed to be from the cooking magazine. I guess they really call it a cooking school but my local paper called it a show. The one in my area will be in a building and they are selling over 550 tickets ($10) to see it. An hour from me they have an arena that draws more than 1200 people each year for that show. They give out cooking show tote bags with recipe books/booklets, food coupons, and companies like McCormick, Viva, Ball (canning supplies) are sponsering it.

Yes, they do call it a cooking school - I assumed you were refering to that one. The attendance is based on the venue. I enjoyed attending the one here...like I said, good luck being a vendor - hopefully you can be, but around here the lead and both went to the director in the area.

At the one I was at, the consultant had a display of some products and collected slips for a drawing for a gift basket of items.

I hope it goes well for you - good luck getting it.

 

[PaulaP]

I participated in one in my town a couple of years ago. It was sponsored by our local newspaper and the cost was pretty pricey, $210 for booth and advertisement in the booklet. I set up before the show began and handed out recipe cards, showed some new products, gave away door prizes. Only generated 1 order out of 400 door prize entries.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I did Taste of Home last yr and the yr before I definitly made my money back the money is in the follow up. You can tell when I do a booth my sales jump for the next couple of months. I used a slip that has 4 to a sheet and I call everyone that has a yes or maybe on booking a show or a catty show. I would go for it if you have a chance

 

[genburk]

Paula,
WOW!! I would have thought after seeing a cooking show and learning tips and new ideas, that a person would be thinking of trying new things and want some new tools to work with.

I am REALLY surprised that there wasn't more interest. AND that many people and not even a 10% return. What a shock.. I hope things have been better for you since then.



Jennie, Thanks I will keep that in mind. At least it would help give me more of a base of possible customers.

Thanks for your replies. Tina

 

[Jennie4PC]

Tina,
At least in my area they have the booths first and then the cooking show. I also put fliers in the bag I have had a few people call me but I get the shows from the follow up

 

[ChefColleen]

We are doing a Taste of Home Cooking Expo this week. There are supposed to be about 1200 ppl there. My team did another on in a neighboring town in November and one of the 6 consultants who worked the booth based her whole business on what she got on that show - but she followed up with every single lead right away. So that is what I hope to do - I have a 1/2 hour scheduled every night for the next week to follow up with just those leads.

There is Taste of Home Entertaining - the at home party company. It is a direct competitor of Southern Living at Home. So much so, in fact, that several of the head people in SLAH went to TOHE when to get it started. They really don't compete with us, except in as much as most people will only do one at home party every few months or so.

I am excited about it and will let you know how it goes. But I don't think I can think of a more perfect market for us to show off in! Cooking demos, new recipes, women in that frame of mind. We will see!

Colleen Boehm
Future Director
Sussex, WI

 

[genburk]

Please keep us posted. And any tips or ideas that you learn would be very helpful. And Maybe if you need help with anything and post it, maybe we could come up with some ideas for you.

Good Luck,
Tina

 

[sillylittlechef]

I am scheduled to do one in April. They are selling 1100 tickets. I am really excited. I was hoping to split it with someone (another thread In lounge), but so far no takers.
It's $395 for the booth. Good luck to anyone doing one and keep us posted. I am really interested in what you hand out to everyone.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I am scheduled to do one in April. They are selling 1100 tickets. I am really excited. I was hoping to split it with someone (another thread In lounge), but so far no takers.
It's $395 for the booth. Good luck to anyone doing one and keep us posted. I am really interested in what you hand out to everyone.

$395!!! I think that is waaaaay steep! My cluster paid about that much for a Booth at a 2 day Bridal Show w/ about 15,000 attendees!!!

 

[Kathytnt]

Almost all events mean Follow up - Follow up - Follow up That is where you will get your money back

If you are not willing to follow up - Don't spend you money on an event. I enjoy doing events but with my part time job it makes it difficult to follow up. I end up working evenings alot - which is when it seems everyone is home.

 

[Kathytnt]

You cannot find a Bridal show in the Dallas area that has 15,000 attendees for $395 It will cost you more like $1-2000

 

[chefmary]

Taste Of Home Cooking School EventMy TOH Cooking School Event was yesterday...I would have posted last night, but I was wiped out! The doors were supposed to open for vendors at 3:30, but the crowd started coming at 3:00 (with the show scheduled to start at 6:00 pm!). I brought over 400 old catalogs with me and came home with NONE! I did a door prize drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate and people stood in line waiting to get to the table to enter. It was a mixed bag of ages and I'm sure I'll have a high percentage of non-response to the followup, but there were lots of people glad to see me, saying that they didn't have a consultant in the area, etc. My 12-year old daughter came with me and when she saw that I couldn't get to everyone, she chimed in, answering people's questions like a pro. I was very proud of her!! We talked up wedding registry and Help Whip Cancer programs. I have a lot of calling to do!

I would highly recommend doing this event to anyone who has the opportunity, since we are dealing with our core market...people who love to cook! All told, I spent about $175 for the booth, stuffers in the goodie bags and a display ad in the weekend edition of the newspaper. I'm sure I will make it back, since I'm relatively sure there will be at least a few bookings down the road.

If I can answer anyone's questions about this event, let me know!

Mary

 

[tlennhoff]

That is great Mary. Glad it went so well.

 

[DebbieJ]

Congrats, Mary! I am doing one in a couple weeks. One of my consultants is doing it with me part of the time, but I will do the most of it on my own. Now you have me worried!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

I did a couple!Chef Kearns (Sandra) and I did two within the past year.

The first one was in New Braunfels and I think the cost of the vendor table was like $150. They sold about 600 tickets or something like that. The leads were never that great. The first one we did we offered a raffle and so that just brought people looking for the freebie giveaways. Not really interested in PC or anything for that matter, just wanting to win stuff.

The second one we did was in Seguin, TX. So far I have had a few orders come from that, a potential recruit (hasn't really called me back), a maybe show after Easter, but it was fun.

I really enjoyed spending the evening with Sandra, she's lots of fun, and watching the recipes being prepared on stage. They gave away lots of free stuff to people who attended, plus a goody bag for everyone who came with recipes, TOH magazines, coupons, and freebies from vendors at the event. There were also hundreds of people at the second one we did, but again mostly people looking for freebies. We didn't offer a raffle so we could weed out the people who really weren't interested. I don't think I will do another one. I want to try a bridal event next time. Or a home and garden show type event. We'll see.

Debbie