Maximizing Bridal Fair Success: Tips from a Rookie Vendor

[Upinatreeinak]

I have had 2 shows so far. 2.

Somehow, I am now signed up to do 2 bridal showers, I have no webpage, and I have a friend who is the main force behind a Bridal Fair a week from Saturday...who got me a table!!

I got the MINI KIT, folks. I own some products outside of the kit that I can display, and I've emailed some folks in my cluster to see if someone would be willing to co-host the table with me...(and hopefully add their gear to mine).

What can I do to make this work? I'm afraid that I am getting in over my head, but way excited to get leads and stuff.

 

[babywings76]

Holy Cow, that is AWESOME! What a problem to have! Way to go! This will really help you get a great start to your business. You can get a website, you just can't do registries until you qualify. In the meantime, you can work around it. There are some posts from not too long ago where people asked about creating registries and such when they weren't qualified yet.More experienced people will probably post on other advice about how to do a booth with success since you don't have much yet. Good luck.

 

[Upinatreeinak]

yeah...I was actually the one that asked about the website...and I can't afford one right now...so maybe my hubby will let me sign up for one on payday...Oh, and I got 1 other person to co-host with me who has almost everything. We will probably set up order forms and a door prize....Thankfully I *do* have the trifle bowl. I figure we'll split the take as far as orders and leads go. How can I make this fabulous? What can I do to make my table Rock?

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

That is awesome! Take a deep breath, and know that all will be well. In regards to your table, ask your recruiter or director to let you use some of their stuff to display. You can create evite invitations with the bride's wishlist posted for the showers.

How close are you to qualifying? I do not know, is it still 4 shows for the 3 months free of PWS? If so, do you have any shows closing soon to make those 4? If not, you can just have everyone contact you to order for the bride until you do qualify. Once you have access to the PWS, you can transfer the info.

Look into all the threads re:booths and fairs....there are many great tips and ideas that you can use. Just be sure to have your drawing slips for contact info, a couple of wedding registry booklets, some catalogs and recipe cards if you have them on hand. Make sure your contact info is on everything, and that you get their info whenever they take a catalog, booklet or recipe.

You are doing fabulously! You are setting yourself up for a super successful biz....be proud, and know that you will do well. Much success!

Here's a few to get you started:
http://www.chefsuccess.com/f52/fun-activity-booth-52207/
http://www.chefsuccess.com/f52/things-ive-learned-doing-booth-table-51121/


There are a whole bunch more....just type booth, or wedding fair

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I suggest asking your director if she has some of the old cd trainings on booths, & bridal registries. I was listening to a great one yesterday. I'll go out to the car and see if I can find the title.

 

[chefHLM]

One thing I did at the last bridal show I did was made a centerpiece out of the trifle bowl for the center of my table. I put a pillar candle in the center and surrounded it with silk roses. I got so many compliments on it...and it shows brides an idea for their centerpieces for their tables. The show I did we were required to supply a $50+ item for a prize drawing, so I made mine a gift certificate that had to be used through me. I also took one of the bridal aprons to show to brides that were interested in showers and let them know they would receive one the day of their show.
Unfortunately, the show didn't pan out for me very well, my Director lives 6 hours away and they always get a ton of biz by doing them. I have a new Hospitality Director and she said they don't do so well in this area. Hope you and the other consultant have great success with yours!

 

[chefann]

Once you qualify, you CAN have registries without a website. You just set them up through CC, and they go to the public home page to modify/order. Since you set it up, as long as they actually use the registry to order, you'll get the credit.I will let you know that bridal fairs can be a great source of leads, but they're usually long-term leads. Very few people there will be looking to book a show within the next month or 2 - although you can offer a show as a way to introduce them to our products so that they know what they want to register for. It sounds like you're on the right track, sharing the booth with another consultant. If you spend the day with your Director or recruiter, you can pick their brain during slow times.

 

[chefliz]

I thought that you could get registries as long as you had email??? I was sure I read that in the fine print somewhere? They just have to shop on pamperedchef.com and use your consultant's number or something and then you get credit for it. You may have to be qualified for this though, is that what you mean by that, Chefann?

 

[chefann]

Essentially, yes. Customers shopping won't need the consultant number, because they'll look up the registry using the names of the bride and groom. But because the registries aren't actually tied to PWS, then consultants without PWS can set them up and get credit for their sales.