What Gift to Give for Booth Drawing?

[gussey30]

I am new consultant and had my first booth yesterday.
I read on other threads idea to use drawing slips to get contact info.
I did well I think (not knowing how booths go)
out of 23 new contacts:
1 yes on booking a show.. need to set date
1 strong mb on hosting a show
7 maybes
1 strong wedding shower maybe
3 small orders

My question is.. what gift should I give
and how should I notify them?

Should I send out a customer connection email to everyone with personal note on who won and what they won? The pre-made email templates don't seem to be 'just right'.
Should I just do a regular yahoo mail?
I wanted to send out email to everyone with link to my site for anyone else who wanted to place an order.

I saw some ideas that everyone 'wins' a free cooking show but that doens't sound like a gift if you didn't want to host a show?

I can't get ahold of my recruiter or director and dont know what to do.
I know I need to send out my email today.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, it is GREATLY appreciated

 

[Tropicalburstqt2]

If you do decide to give an actual gift, I'd make it inexpensive (maybe a season's best), under $10, & give it to them only when they host a show. You can add it to their order & just pay for it yourself. This makes it less expensive because you are using the host discount. HTH!

 

[gussey30]

Ok.. I think i'm going to order a set of the re-useable shopping bags and give away one of those. What do ya'll think?
For the emails, I sent myself an reminder email frm the guest list, copied into word and made changes. I'm able to copy it back into a new email and 'forward' with some small editing so it will have some html images and look nice and professional. That was all I could think of with the email options available.
I'm debating between sending a generic email to everyone bcc'd or individual emails(24) yikes!). phone calls are up in the air as I am sick and had no voice today and I don't know about tomorrow.. I want to get emails out so people can look at it first thing in the morning.. most people pry check their mail and does a lil web surfing first thing on mondays if they dont get online at home.

 

[gailz2]

It sounds like you did pretty well with bookings and possible bookings--be sure to follow up. I like to give "free parties" which means I bring the ingredients--I have done very well with this approach. Just think, what other vendors give free gifts just for stopping. You could give "free shipping" or 10% off on an order.

 

[JennyJennJen]

Since you didn't tell them what gift they would be receiving, I would just do a Season's Best. My last fair I had a premade gift basket and after it was finished I drew the name of the winner. I then sent out an email to all the contacts thanking them for stopping by, congratulating the winner by 1st name and last initial, and letting them all know that I would be contacting them sometime that week. It really worked out, the 2 that said maybe to hosting both booked a show! Hope this helps

 

[luvinpc]

I have to bring a door prize to an upcoming booth. Is there a particular product that would be the best for this to hook them in for future sales?

 

[lt1jane]

call everyone and tell them they won a FREE cooking show. This means you bring the ingredients, the paper plates, napkins, plasitic silverware, etc.. They invite their friends and have a good time.

My hosts who have accepted my free show have always provided drinks.

 

[cookingwithdawn]

I have to bring a door prize to an upcoming booth. Is there a particular product that would be the best for this to hook them in for future sales?

Maybe a rub or two so they would call you to order more????

 

[babywings76]

Yeah, perhaps some rubs with some recipes put on a card and attached with ribbon in a cellophane bag. I've given away higher priced items as incentive to get more people entering the drawings, but those leads were terrible and the winner of the trifle bowl wasn't even nice or said thank you and completely ignored me even when I offered to e-mail her some recipes to go with it. :grumpy: That was before I read advice on here from others. So, now I would do a gift certificate (a homemade one that is redeemable only through you) or some inexpensive things put together and packaged prettily.

 

[ShellBeach]

I'd give free Season's Bests with my info on it. Only 60¢ each on supply order, they're not likely to get thrown away so your info will be there a few years later if they decide to wait, and everyone seems to like them.

...and the winner of the trifle bowl wasn't even nice or said thank you and completely ignored me ...

This is almost exactly what happened to me when I gave away something expensive! Never again!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I have offered a free cookbook if they book a show in X month...I order their cookbook at their show with their host discount. Also, it's usually a $7.50 cookbook - you can offer the new DCB cookbook.

For more orders, you can offer a SB for any $30 or more order. At $60 or more, they can add the 2 rubs (guest special).

We want bookings and orders, but not if it's going to be taking much from our own pay.

Those who are interested will book and order, and those are the leads you want. =)

For contact info, I just tell them how they can be kept in the loop for specials and a recipe of the month. That's usually enough to get their info. If they don't want to hand their info, that's quite all right. Why send them a newsletter they don't want, one that they'll unsubscribe to or not read anyway.

Contacts and leads are definitely what we do booths for, but it's QUALITY and INTERESTED leads we want. Since follow up is key, do we really want to weed through those who weren't truly looking forward to our calls?

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I have to bring a door prize to an upcoming booth. Is there a particular product that would be the best for this to hook them in for future sales?

Is the door prize part of the booth fee? Is there a price range?

 

[pchockeymom]

At the booths I've done I have a drawing for a $25 gift certificate (I make my own with a "must use by" date and only redeemable through me). I do draw a winner who has ALWAYS ordered at least $50. But, like another post suggested, I can every single person who entered and tell them they won my "consolation prize" of a free cooking show. Doing this has had a tremendous impact on my business.

 

[smart2cook]

Personally, I have never done a drawing and "not" given a prize. For me it's a principle thing. Be it a Season's Best or spices. I prefer the Season's Best because it has my info on it and they love it as the Grand Prize! I agree with calling everyone who entered and tell them they won your consolation prize for the FREE COOKING SHOW they should be so excited and so should you. I totally agree with pchockeymom. Good luck.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

If you do a drawing, you should give a prize....otherwise, it's fraudulent. I don't do drawings. When I offer any incentives, it's for specific bookings or orders. Each one that meets the criteria is given the promised item.

 

[luvinpc]

Is the door prize part of the booth fee? Is there a price range?

I have two different events. One is a $25 fee plus a door prize along with other ds prizes where I will get no contact info for.

the other event is no charge put a door prize required, once again no contact info to be collected and passed on to me. In the past, I did that plus my own draw but just found got a bunch of people only entering the draw to win and poor leads.

 

[smart2cook]

At each of these events I would still do your own drawing at your own booth so that you can get the individual information from the customers that come to these events. Double check as they fill them out, tell them about your monthly newsletter, be excited. Things will work work out work out great!

 

[Chef Bobby]

I give a choice of the large pizza stone or bar pan. Then I order it in the winner's name so they have a warranty. I'd like to do gift baskets, but I'm not crafty enough to make anything look good.

 

[barbjans]

when I have to do booths that require you donate something I give a personal gift certificate. ($10 off-that way they have to call me, but the gift certificate increases to $25 when they host a show and is taken off their order at their show). Good luck!

 

[jla8279]

I have to bring a door prize to an upcoming booth. Is there a particular product that would be the best for this to hook them in for future sales?

I bought a small basket from Dollar General ($2.00), some red confetti ($1.00) and a package of 2 celophane bags ($2.00). I fit 5 rubs in it (each labeled with my contact info.), and included a mini catalog, a recipe card, and my busness card. I finished it with a .50 bow. All less than $30! Once they try the rubs or give them away to others, your contat info is on the bottle for re-orders.