Last-Minute Prep for Health Fair Tomorrow: Any Suggestions?

[Amberd]

ok i dont know if this is the right place to post this, but I just received a phone call from a lady that wants me to do a health fair TOMORROW! and since i am in dire need of bookings, I said yes. Heres my issue, i have no idea how to set everything up. I have never done any sort of fair or anything. I know I am going to bring some products and maybe demonstrate the ultimate mandoline. and I know to bring business cards and I wil do a drawing for a prize, (need suggestions for that please) but how do i set it up, what should i show? I thought about making something(like a small treat of some sort) but I am broke until tomorrow at 3:30 so thats kind of a short amount of time to make something before 5:00 when I need to be there. any and all suggestions are welcome!!! TIA

 

[chefann]

If it's a fair, then you'll likely have a table and be trying to catch people's eye as they walk past.

Look up anything about doind craft fairs for info. But here are a few tips to get you started.

• Have something to had out to people. Recipe cards are a good one. If you don't have any spares, type up a sheet of recipes, have them copied onto colored paper, and use those. Remember to include your contact info on them!
• Offer a drawing. Since it's a Health Fair, the It's Good For You cookbook is an obvious choice. You can also offer a gift certificate (useable through you) that they can increase if they book a show.
• Don't overpack. Take new stuff for your display, plus a couple "core" items like cookware, stoneware and Simple Additions.
• Read up on some health benefits of our products. Even little tips are great attention getters. Tell them that when you use our cookware, you can cook with less oil. Things like that.
• I don't suggest having food at your table. That gets into Health Dept. and food license issues. If you want to have something that will draw them in, I usually have something purchased that comes wrapped (like chocolate kisses or hard candy).

Hope this helps!

 

[etteluap70PC]

I would NOT demo the mandoline at a fair. Still a big safety issue and like Ann said. If they want to see it in action bad enough talk to them about booking. Talk about it though! How it saves you so much time and makes your life easier. I like to use specifics so people can relate.

 

[pcheftammy]

If you look under Weight Watchers in the files, you can find the recipes broken down into points too. I saw a thread today with a link to heart healthy food too. The new salad cards would be good to bring to!

 

[c00p]

See, I disagree about demoing the UM and the chopper...I would say DO IT!! It's always impressive to show off our products and ease of use. Take some potatoes (for the UM) and baby carrots (for the chopper) with you and be doing some as people walk around. If you have any old recipe cards, stamp them with your info and hand them out. I also do a "raffle/drawing" where I have people fill out the drawing slips and I have a sign that will say something like "enter to win a $50 shopping spree". See, the only way they can redeem the spree is by having a cooking show - but they don't know that. You could always lower the $$$ amount too. New stuff on the table is always good - and I've heard of people bringing a portable DVD player and having the Your Life Your Way playing as people go by. Be sure to have order forms and catalogs on hand. Even offering an extra spiff for those that book right then is good too. Best of luck!

 

[KHolmes]

Promote the idea that cooking from home is healthier and that we make prep work easy and clean up a breeze. Talk about the Power Cooking recipes to make cooking easy after a hard day at work.

You can talk about the benefit of using fresh foods so the food chopper, garlic press, salad spinner, etc. help you with those fresh fruit and vegetables.

Most people that go to health fairs are "trying" to be healthy and making cooking easier is one plug.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Mostly I don't have anything to add just to say I agree with Ann. She had good tips. Check on here in the pictures section. Some people have posted the pictures from their booths. That will give you some idea of how to set up your table. You can add height by using the boxes (if you still have them) that your products came in, just cover them with a table cloth.

Good luck!! Way to go snagging such a timely event!

 

[Amberd]

I want to thank you all for the ideas, my mother in law was the one that gave her my name this morning and this couldnt have came at a better time for me. I went and got a project board to put things on, I'm not sure what I'll put on there yet, but I now have some good ideas to use thanks to you gals!!

P.S. I LOVE THIS SITE!!!
I dont post a lot, but I read the posts constantly!!

 

[pampered1224]

Health Related fair - Help Whip Cancer!!!???Make very sure you promote the pink stuff! What could be more health related than promoting Breast Cancer Education and Early Detection Programs? Make sure you have order forms! Ask if anyone would be willing to take an order form for just the Help WHip Cancer Products. I know there is one out here some where to see if friends, relatives and neighbors want to help too! Make sure you put a due by date in your talk as well. Or on the order form!
Edit it the way you want it to be.

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

SoLOVE to do fairs!! Remember though, that truly, "the fortune is in the followup"!!

Keep it simple...I would focus on mid-season products for sure, as well as anything "summer" related, such as bbq tools, chillzanne, quick-stir pitchers.

Drawing...offer a FREE show. Everyone can be a winner! You simply bring the recipe ingredients, which is what makes it free!!

Leave old catalogs on the display. These are for the "brochure collectors" who come to these things. They go around, collecting all sorts of "stuff", put it in a bag, go home and throw it all away! Probably don't even look at it!!
So, use Old catalogs for them! Have new ones, for those who are truly interested, but have them hidden away!!

Recipe cards, with your contact information, is a good thing, too. They can be given to people who are and who are not interested. It makes them "feel good" that you gave them "something"...they don't care what!! Goofy, I know, but it's true!!

I do fairs and booths any time I can. I love the experience!
Definitely order the cd about exhibiting at booths and fairs!! It's done by my upline director, Phyllis Echement and one of her downline, another wonderful director, Becky Champlin. You'll learn exactly how to do it, step by step!!

If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me personally, or give me a call, and I'll go into as much detail as you wish!!

Fairs can be a real "boost" to your business, IF they're done right!! I wish you all the best!!

Paula Lewis
Poland, Ohio
(330) 726-4822

 

[Kathytnt]

I don't think Meet the Public is available on the supply order form anymore - If so what is the number (I loaned to another consultant) or is fthere is a new one do you nkow the number

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

OH, no! I'm so embarassed! I didn't realize it was not on there any more! It was such a good tape, too....#AS51, titled, "Meet the Public! Make the most of Exhibits and Booths". Speakers are Phyllis Echement and Becky Champlin, and it was made at the 2003 Leadership conference. I don't know if it was made available as a cd or not. Mine is a cassette.
I still love it...hope you can get a copy somewhere!!!

Paula

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

On a more positive note, maybe there will be a workshop on this again soon at another Conference!!

Paula

 

[PC1]

I do a bunch of fairs, I suggest you do like others mentioned, basically keep it simple, I used to go crazy, but over the years have tamed it down some.

My drawing to get people to fill out door slips is for a Free cookbook ( right now, any from the catalog) .

Then I always offer a fair special which is always a Free Kitchen Show between certain months like for ex, I currently am running May thru July.

I usually have some sort of candy, I don't do hard candy for I am afraid a child may choke, so summertime, I do Starburst fruit chews-they wont melt like kisses that I do in colder months.

Just have some opportunity info, recipees with your name on them are great too. I just recently found a great flyer on this site for stopping by my booth, which has a recipee on it, along with two coupons. I also added a survey slip onto my version of it, see attachment.

I hand out current catalogs, but just put a few out at a time. If you run out, just create a information page or use survery slips and note to mail out catalog. Catalogs are great advertisement for you, dont be stingy with them.

I hope this helps some-good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

Lisa,
I love your idea about using Starburst candy! I have done hard candy, as I said before, so I didn't have to worry about it melting, but I never even thought about a child (or anyone else, for that matter) choking! What an awful thought!!

As for the catalogs, I hope you didn't think I meant to be stingy with them! I definitely don't, and I would let people have the current ones, if they wanted them. I've just seen alot of people come through this one fair in particular that I do every year, who are "literature collectors". They literally come through with a plastic bag, or even a tote bag, collecting all sorts of stuff from every single vendor. These are not going anywhere, to be sure!! So, it's just a good way to use up old catalogs that will most likely be heading straight for these peoples' trash cans anyway. They don't even notice that they're outdated!!

Oh yea, one more "tip" about the candy....before you let a child have any, be sure to ask the adult who is with them. Once at this fair, a local church had a booth set up. They were giving away Smarties candies to kids. One little girl took some, but her mother didn't see her get it. I was watching this whole thing, as the booth was across from me. A minute or so later, the mother proceeds to start yelling at the child!!! She said something like, "You KNOW you're not allowed to eat that stuff!" I felt really bad for the "church lady", but especially for the little girl!! You just never know!

Good luck...let us know how it goes!!

Paula

 

[heather9892]

i really like the a flyer i found on here posted by gina, just changed the contact info and copied on color paper

http://www.chefsuccess.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6584

this one has a checklist so you dont forget anything like i usually do!

http://www.chefsuccess.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6583


good luck!

 

[Amberd]

Thanks so much!! I really never would have thought of some of the things you all have told me!

 

[katie0128]

I wish I had been on here when I did my first fair... Would have gone much better! At least now I know for next time!!!

 

[PC1]

Paula,

I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were being stingy by using old catalogs-sorry if that came across that way! Either new or old, the cost of what a catalog is per each verses your name being advertised and handed across many potential client is so inexpensive that it's not worth being concerned if you dont get a people to respond when they walk off with them. That was the only point on that which I was trying to get across.

As far as the candy is concerned, that is a very good point! That is why I keep the candy close to where I am standing, not only for that reason, but so that I can offer it to people and have good communication with the people who stop by. I say " Come on in, check out everything, have a piece or more than one of candy"-just a way to start a convo. I see the kids eyes light up, but I tell them they can have some, just as long as mom and dad say it's alright. Especially if you are doing candy with chocolate, because with that peanut oil, you definitely have to be concerned with the whole food allergy issue. As mentioned earlier, that is why I don't give out prepared samples, too much at risk regarding health issues-besides starbursts are individually wrapped and you don't have to be concerned about any germs being passed either.

Good luck to all!

 

[jodistrauss]

I had a very similar situation a few weeks ago. You might also want to make magnets out of your business cards. Tell everyone to stick them to their frig and when they think of a problem with their kitchen to give you a call and you can help them solve it.....with a PC product of course!!

 

[PC1]

Amberd,

So, how did you make out on your fair?

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

Thanks, Lisa! I really wasn't offended, but I just wanted to be sure I was understood, that's all.
I never thought about peanut oil in the chocolate, either! Wow! We've just got so much "stuff" to think about sometimes, don't we? lol

And, Jodi, great idea about the magnets! These are things that people might "collect", but they are also more likely to keep than many other things!! Thanks for sharing that!

So, Amberd, how DID it go? Hope you have a great "tale to tell" us!!

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!!

 

[Amberd]

Well I did a project board, covered with info about hosting, and info about the opportunity and I had a laptop playing the your life your way dvd. I found out it really wasnt so much of a health fair.It was kinda wierd, it was a mother daughter type of thing, and there was only people there from that church (where it was being held) I did get lots of names, and two bookings. I gave a free show as the door prize, and then i offered the lady that gave me the opportunity to do the fair a free show also. So i ended up with two shows and a decent amount of names. ( there was only about thirty people there including the daughters) So today I am going to call those people and see if I can get anymore bookings.

 

[Chef Kearns]

That's not bad. Two on the spot shows with a potential of several more. Good job!!

 

[PC1]

Sounds like it was successful-great job with bookings.

 

[PC1]

I like the idea of offering a free show for the organizer-great idea! I will be using that-see we all can learn from each other-thanks for the tidbit.

 

[Amberd]

No problem, I just thought since she was nice enough to invite me I would offer her a free show, and I really needed the booking

 

[katie0128]

Free show for the organizer... what a great idea! I just did a fair not too long ago... I'm gonna have to call the organizer and offer it to her! Thanks for the idea!