Garden Fair Opportunity, Need Advice

[pchockeymom]

I have the opportunity to have a large booth at a local garden fair over Mother's Day weekend. The fair is in its 18th year and has attendance between 15k-18k people. It is run by the state arboritum so the attendees will not be your typical craft fair/bazaar type looking for a freeby or cheap - more dicerning consumers. The cost is $350 for the weekend.

My question/concern is, is this too much money? I really don't have anyone in my cluster who can afford to share the opportunity with me. I have a couple soon to be new consultants that I thought could help as a way to train. My plan would be to do a demo every hour, all with our "Make it Fresh, Make it Healthy" theme, use all our fruit and veggie tools, etc. to go along with the home grown products being promoted by the gardening vendors.

So, what do you think?

 

[minirottie]

Me personally-that cost would be a very large expenditure. It sounds comparable pricewise to some of the large craft and bridal fairs. It could be a great way to find a target audience. I guess what it would come down to is can you/would you spend that money for the event? It is an investment in your business of course

 

[jla8279]

Wow!! That's a lot of $$. You will need to weigh it out to see if it's right for you. The making of a "demo" food is concerning to me. There are Health Department approvals usually needed.

Also, here are a few questions I would have before I sign up:
1. How is this event advertised?
2. How many total vendors are in attendance?
3. Is this an indoor or outdoor event?
4. Will you need to provide your own tent (if outdoor)? Another expense.
5. What other Direct Selling Companies have participated and are participating this year?
6. If outside, is there a "rain date"?
7. Is electricity provided (if you need it)?

From there, you would need to know how long is the event? Can you get someone on our team or in our group to help (always need bathroom/break coverage)? Also, do you have items "to sell" at the event? Are you doing a drawing for a "giveaway"? Are you just setting up a display?

This is a huge expense, but if you get the answers that tell you it's worth it, it probably will be worth it. If you are just starting out, or "flags" appear, it may be too much of a stress-filled financial burden.

Just my thoughts.

 

[pcsharon1]

Actually, if this is a three day event like it sounds that is a very good price. If they have been doing this for 18 years and say they are going to have that turn out, then they probably do a really good job of advertising and know their stuff. I would take all the amount of time they are open, break it down into shifts and "sell" out the spots to share with other consultants. With that many people you are going to want two people there at a time and having other consultants take 2-4 hours shifts for $5-10 an hour can really cut your costs down and make it beneficial for everyone.

 

[Wildfire]

Thank you for sharing your exciting opportunity with us! It sounds like a fantastic event and a great way to showcase our amazing products. In my experience, investing in a booth at a well-established and well-attended event like this can be a great way to reach potential customers and grow your business.I understand your concern about the cost, but I believe it can be worth it in the long run. As you mentioned, the attendees at this fair are not your typical bargain hunters, so they may be more willing to invest in quality products like ours. Plus, the fact that the event is centered around homegrown products aligns perfectly with our "Make it Fresh, Make it Healthy" theme.In terms of having new consultants help you, I think it's a great idea. It will not only give them valuable training and experience, but it will also allow you to focus on interacting with potential customers and making sales. Just make sure to have a clear plan and schedule in place for the demos so that everything runs smoothly.Overall, I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for your business and I encourage you to go for it. Good luck at the garden fair and I hope it brings great success for you and your team!