Juvenile Diabetes Fundraising Event: Multi Vendor Showcase

[chefmoseley]

I did a vendor event last week to benefit Juvenile Diabetes. Myself and 5 other direct sales vendors were placed at tables in the hallway leading to the lunch cafe. I gave out a bunch of mini catalogs to people who 'were in between calls or had to get back' but would look through and 'go to my website'. We do not have enough sales to submit as a show even! I contacted the other vendors and it seems the same way with them. I emailed the 'host' today to let her know that I have not received any additional orders and that if the show doesn't reach the 150 there are no benefits available. She emailed back that she has no additional orders but would there be a chance that I could donate something for a raffle? Ummm I've already lost a bunch of catalogs and wasted 2 hours of my time at the booth plus all the prep work. What would you all do???

 

[ChefJoyJ]

You could donate a gift certificate only redeemable through you. That way, you get your name out there (even more than the catalogs ), get a sale, and get a new contact. Who knows, they may buy more than the gc or even be interested in hosting a show. Who knows?

 

[Karen]

Eventhough it's difficult, try and keep your chin up. I once did a multi-vendor event on a cold, rainy Saturday and it was all day with hardly anyone showing up due to the weather. Needless to say, I didn't get any orders, I did get rid of a few cash 'n carry items and I had an extra bowl & colander set as my give-away item. I did get a few leads/contacts and I did get rid of some old catalogs. I figured it was a show that I would just mark up to "live and learn". About a year later I had someone contact me (it happened to be the person that won the bowl/colander) wanting to book a show. To make a long story short, she ended up having two shows for me, all over $1200, I had about 5+ bookings from her show, and she is now in my downline.

Everytime I have a multi-vendor event that is poorly attended I keep reminding myself that this is where Kristen came from and she is striving and doing extremely well.

 

[KristinS]

This is something my ED has done... donate a gift cert that's for $25 but can be redeemed for $50 if they book a show.

 

[Wildfire]

Hi there,I am sorry to hear about your experience at the vendor event. It can be frustrating when we put in a lot of effort and don't see the results we were hoping for. In situations like this, I think it's important to remember that not every event will be a success and that's okay. It's all part of the process.In terms of the host asking for a donation for a raffle, I think it's ultimately up to you and what you feel comfortable with. If you do decide to donate something, perhaps you could offer a small gift certificate or a product that doesn't cost too much. That way, you are still supporting a good cause but not losing too much from your own profits.In the future, you may want to consider asking more questions about the event before committing to it. For example, how many attendees are expected, what is the demographic, and what are the benefits for participating. This can help you determine if it's worth your time and resources.I hope this helps and don't be discouraged. Keep putting yourself out there and I am sure you will have successful events in the future.Best of luck,