We visited a special “Art in Bloom” event at the Milwaukee Art Center yesterday. In addition to featuring some pretty amazing floral arrangements inspired by specific works of art, the event gave local companies the opportunity to set up vendor booths in the corridors.

While many of those exhibiting were crafts people, a few were independent retailers. I recalled a few times that our shop had taken our show on the road, setting up a booth at a bridal show, a Madison Museum of Contemporary Arts fundraiser, a special event for decorators featuring Martha Stewart, and (really) a cat show.  Here are a few tips to help make your participation in an event out of your store more successful:

Make sure you have enough staff. It takes a lot of personnel to pack, load, set up, staff, tear down and reload the goods and props needed to create an attractive booth. If that doesn’t leave you with anyone to keep your shop open, you probably should say no.  

Decide early on why you want to participate. Is your goal to bring new customers to your store, or to sell merchandise on site?  We participated in the bridal fair to promote our identity as a buy local wedding registry, but I don’t think we got enough new registries to justify the effort. But if your business is new and you want to gain exposure, you may find that participating in a special event is just the ticket.

If you are going to sell merchandise, don’t bring too large a variety.  Focus on a few good selling categories and make sure that you have a wide enough selection to last through the entire time.  Bring items small enough for shoppers to carry around if they stop at your booth first.   And if you will be selling goods, don’t forget to test your Square Pay or other portable credit card option beforehand, and to have change for those who want to pay cash. You’ll also need wrap, bags, scissors, tape and markers.

Signage is very important.  Have your store name and address prominently displayed, and have a postcard or other handout that gives this information.  A coupon that is exclusive to those who visited your booth is always a good idea, and allows you to track the business that comes from the show. Be sure to include your business name and an expiration date.

Don’t forget that everyone loves to get something for free. In addition to the coupon, hold a prize drawing for door prizes (to be picked up in your store), offer food samples, or give a small gift to everyone who stops into your booth with your business card attached.

It can be fun to design a booth and offer shoppers a fresh perspective on your merchandise.  And you’ll also have a chance to get to know your fellow vendors, which may inspire you with some new ideas for your shop — so if you have the time and energy, by all means do take your show on the road! 

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder