Karen's First Booth: Stress or Success?

[kh8740]

I have my first booth at our school next week, I don't think i will be selling cash and Carry, I am going to just have catty sales . I was thinging ogiveing 10% off because they have to by tickets to get in the door $10 before the 14or $15 at the door. What do you think?

I will have some reciepts to sample and to give out.. I am also giving a booking gift ( a Cook Book) for anyone booking in the begining of Dec. does this sound corney,there will be other ds company there . They also want a door prize donated to them ($10) value and they want 10% of my show sales.

I don't know I just hope i can get some bookings from this . i am really stressing.....

Thanks for any input..
Karen From Philly

 

[heather223]

I give a Season's Best to anyone who places an order at my booth.

 

[gailz2]

Nice idea, heather. Good Luck Karen. I'm sure you'll do well.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

WOW!!! They are paying $10-15 just to get in the door?! That is crazy! The stuff you're saying is good, I don't know about giving 10% off, maybe just offer to pay their shipping... that's what I'm doing. I like the idea of offering a booking gift, I might try that. I have quite a bit of cash and carry, but just small things, and I'm hoping to get orders and bookings.

 

[Humble Beginnings]

I like the free shipping idea it makes people happy since they usually are looking for cash and carry.

 

[VeronicaW]

They want 10% of your sales?!
Oh my gosh!

 

[janezapchef]

I do free shipping and a free stone to anyone booking that day. I've had fantastic success with that. Also, someone I sat with at career club lunch at conference does many, many booths and has phenomenal results with them, so, I picked her brain about what makes them so successful. She does do cash and carry, but she stressed that she sells ANYTHING anyone wants to buy, even her own products. She said for 2 months in a row, she had to order multiple garlic presses to replace hers. People buy her used products. At first I thought it was crazy. I mean, there is no guarantee attached to the products that way for one. For another, I highly doubted people would want to do this. I, personally, would be kind of grossed out by that, but I was curious. So, my first booth that I was in charge of (not using someone else's booth in a multi-day thing) I tried it. People bought stuff like crazy! I even sold my tool turn about! I got other orders too and just placed those along with the replacements of MY products. So far, every booth has ended up being a show in sales.

 

[chefann]

If this organization wants 10% of your show sales, you can submit it as a fundraiser. Your commission will be lower, but you won't have to give any of it up to pay them.$500 show x 20% commission = $100 - $50 (10% of gross) = $50 for you to keep
$500 show x 15% commission = $75 for you to keep

 

[janezapchef]

If this organization wants 10% of your show sales, you can submit it as a fundraiser. Your commission will be lower, but you won't have to give any of it up to pay them.

$500 show x 20% commission = $100 - $50 (10% of gross) = $50 for you to keep
$500 show x 15% commission = $75 for you to keep

Great idea, Ann! I never thought to do that when the organization wants a percentage. Makes sense though!

 

[VeronicaW]

Wow, I'll have to remember that too!

 

[Jules711]

I just did a booth where I gave free direct s/h upgrade. So they still paid the $4.25 (like at a show) and I paid the difference. It eats a bit of my commission, but no deliveries and people really liked it!

 

[CABean03]

I do free shipping and a free stone to anyone booking that day. I've had fantastic success with that.

I'm doing MY FIRST booth this Saturday and am loving all of the help I'm finding here. I have a question about offering free shipping - are all of you who do this combining the orders and placing as a show with yourself as the host and then delivering the products? OR are you combining them and paying for the direct S& H to each customer so you don't have any deliveries?

 

[CABean03]

Oh yeah - and do you really get enough in commission for shows to pay for a free stone to the host and still make an income?? Also - is it ANY stone or ones you have selected?

 

[CABean03]

She does do cash and carry, but she stressed that she sells ANYTHING anyone wants to buy, even her own products. She said for 2 months in a row, she had to order multiple garlic presses to replace hers. People buy her used products. At first I thought it was crazy. I mean, there is no guarantee attached to the products that way for one. For another, I highly doubted people would want to do this. I, personally, would be kind of grossed out by that, but I was curious. So, my first booth that I was in charge of (not using someone else's booth in a multi-day thing) I tried it. People bought stuff like crazy! I even sold my tool turn about! I got other orders too and just placed those along with the replacements of MY products. So far, every booth has ended up being a show in sales.

Sorry this is my last question, but when you sell your own stuff, is it stuff you have on display or do you have it all boxed up with the Product Instructions sheet? Also - if it is on display, do you have the box for it under the table just in case?

Okay - sorry but just thought of ONE more question. For cash and carry do you bring change or just have everyone pay by check or cc?

Thank you!

 

[janezapchef]

I'm doing MY FIRST booth this Saturday and am loving all of the help I'm finding here. I have a question about offering free shipping - are all of you who do this combining the orders and placing as a show with yourself as the host and then delivering the products? OR are you combining them and paying for the direct S& H to each customer so you don't have any deliveries?

That's what I do.

 

[janezapchef]

Oh yeah - and do you really get enough in commission for shows to pay for a free stone to the host and still make an income?? Also - is it ANY stone or ones you have selected?

Well, my bookings from the first time I offered this are coming up this week. We'll see. But, I'm sure it will pay off, especially when people book from these shows. I offer any stone under $30, at least right now. I may tweak it later to just be the small bar pan, but that's what I'm doing this time around.

 

[janezapchef]

Sorry this is my last question, but when you sell your own stuff, is it stuff you have on display or do you have it all boxed up with the Product Instructions sheet? Also - if it is on display, do you have the box for it under the table just in case?

Okay - sorry but just thought of ONE more question. For cash and carry do you bring change or just have everyone pay by check or cc?

Thank you!

It is stuff I have on display, and unless it's something I have the box for, it's as is. I don't keep a lot of boxes or use and care guides. I let people know for certain that it is used, which, like I said, would turn me off from buying that particular one. But, some people just want stuff THAT DAY! It's crazy!

I take all forms of payment and do have change.

 

[swinkate]

I'm doing my first solo fayre at the end of November and have a few bits of cash and carry to sell (I've gone through my sales reports and picked the most popular of the small items!), but I'm up for selling me demo items too! I'll let you know how it goes. PC is still quite new to the UK, so the results may vary!

Sorry this is my last question, but when you sell your own stuff, is it stuff you have on display or do you have it all boxed up with the Product Instructions sheet? Also - if it is on display, do you have the box for it under the table just in case?

I don't have any of the boxes for my own stuff, but I have kept every Product Instruction sheet in a little index file box. It's sorted by product number. I have done this since I started doing PC. It's only small box, so I take it to every show! It's great for those awkward questions... what is the capacity of the ladle? And my mother's favourite question... What country was that made in?

It's my comfort blanket!

 

[CABean03]

Thank you Jane for all of the answers!

 

[janezapchef]

I'm doing my first solo fayre at the end of November and have a few bits of cash and carry to sell (I've gone through my sales reports and picked the most popular of the small items!), but I'm up for selling me demo items too! I'll let you know how it goes. PC is still quite new to the UK, so the results may vary!




I don't have any of the boxes for my own stuff, but I have kept every Product Instruction sheet in a little index file box. It's sorted by product number. I have done this since I started doing PC. It's only small box, so I take it to every show! It's great for those awkward questions... what is the capacity of the ladle? And my mother's favourite question... What country was that made in?

It's my comfort blanket!

Good idea!

 

[smithcooking]

When you all are selling your stuff that you have on display at the fairs, what do you sell it for since it is used?

I have some of the older stuff that I have thought about trying to get rid of and didn't know what to sell it for.

Thank you,

 

[pcchefjane]

I give free shipping at booths. I also offer a free Spice from the Pampered Pantry if they book that day and hold on the original date. I do combine the orders into one for shipping. I did 3 booths in October and ended up with $250 in sales from them! I am doing delivery since this will give me a chance to talk to them again and give them the new Christmas mini-catalog! They are all within 10 miles of me, so with gas prices dropping, it won't be too bad!

 

[melatc]

I'd add a $4 item instead of paying for free shipping...in the end, you'll make commission on that, and it will be cheaper than paying shippping. And...I always do a Rub...get the addicted to something they have to be a repeat customer for!

I did a fundraiser on Wednesday, and I am giving the school $15 for every booking, after the show is held, and when the sales reach $300. It's much more than PC gives...the sales at the event were not even enough to put it in as it's own show, so I am adding the orders to another show & donating 15% of my commission to the school. It won't be much, but it's better than nothing.

 

[kh8740]

Just had to tell you about by booth for Lady night out..
I took only sm cash a carry. noteven 25$ worth,, but i sold out of the catalog over $650.00 in sales... i just charged $4.25 for direct shipping per order.. no bites for booking i was so busy with order forms. it was crazy it was like they were just waiting for me. it was crazy... i just had to give the school 10% of my sales and i paid them last night.. 70.00 crazy

 

[jeninthekitchen5]

Did you sell all of your cash and carry items too? What was the most popular?

 

[kh8740]

only a little cash and carry i did sell the sm bamboo tongs, talked about how good it is for picking toast out of the toaster and Toaster oven I sold a lot by order and direct ship for $4.25 and than just wrote the rest of the shipping as consultant gift. in pp3

 

[stefani2]

I just did two TradeShows (one last weekend - one Friday/Saturday). I DID do Cash N Carry - and won't again. The things I thought FOR SURE would sell - I didn't. It is too hard to guess what is gonna be hot and sell!!! Every TradeShow and every year seem to be different.

I offered FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed today - and had about $600 in orders from my tradeshows. I did have the upcoming Host Specials on display, as well as some gift giving ideas, and info about the Signing Promotion. It worked WAY better this way, rather than Cash N Carry.

 

[pcsharon1]

When giving a stone for free as a booking benefit, I actually add the stone to their order at their show. That way, they have to hold and close the show to get the benefit and I put it on their order so they will have the warranty on it, I get to use their discount and I get paid for it. Doing it that way, I usually only spend $15 or so on the stone and I definately make that at a show or I would have to rethink my show outline and do something different.

 

[Chef Bobby]

At the last two craft shows I did, both the people that won the door prize booked a show even though they didn't mark anything on their slip. One show pays for the door prize. I might start giving away more than one.