MAKING THE MOST OF VENDOR EVENTS & HOLIDAY FAIRSTeam Big Apple Call Weekly Series

Kathleen A. Desio, Executive Director

Why Do Vendor Events?• Reconnect with current customers

and meeting their friends, family & colleagues

• Connect with new customers or prospects

• Increase brand recognition• Networking with fellow vendors and

those planning/hosting the event

Where to Look for Vendor Events• Church Bulletins• PTA• Local newspapers• School websites• Facebook groups• Other Direct Sellers

Choosing the Right Vendor Events

• Interview Event Planner and/or Vendors who have previously shown at the event• How many events have you organized?• How do you advertise your events?• Fee: Set Fee, raffle donation, percentage of

sales?• What is the average turnout at your events? • Who is the intended audience?

• Remember, small kids & pets can be a huge distraction

• What is provided? Table? WiFi? Electricity? Size of Space?

Evaluating the Event• Reason, other than shopping, for

people to attend• Support church, school or other

organization• Fundraiser for specific causes or

people• Desirable Activities to increase

attendance

• Venue:• Ease of access: stairs, main floor,

elevator• Parking• Proximity

• i.e. Church or School when services are taking place, or school event or game is scheduled

Before the Event• Invite your current customers to the

event & ask them to bring friends• TIP: Consider offering a special for

customers if they introduce you to someone new at the fair

• Collateral• Make sure you have enough catalogs &

Business Cards• TIP: Perfect time to use up your old

catalogs!

• Advertise!• Social Media, Email, Text

Creating your Event Strategy

• Your goal in attending Vendor Events is to get LEADS not sales!• A lead is far more valuable than a sale!• All leaders in direct sales say that they are

waiting for the ONE that will make a difference….

Did you ever think that maybe the ‘one in a million’ person already passed by because you were too busy making a sale at a vendor event?

Designing Your Miche Table• Product: new & current product ONLY!

• DO NOT MAKE YOUR TABLE LOOK LIKE A TAG SALE!

• Visual Appeal: • Add height to your display with stands & cubes:• Create Order & Flow

• Color Stories• Collateral Station

• Signage:• Vertical Banners – Vista Print• Miche Tablecloth: Glenda’s Glitzy

Designs• Other signs – Fedex Office

• Holiday Themed• Christmas lights, tinsel, little

packages, bows etc.

Capturing & Qualifying Leads• Lead Capture Method:

• Prize or Raffle• VIP Mailing List• TIP: Make sure you can write down personal

details about the lead so you can make that

personal connection in the follow-up.

• Qualifying Leads – determining interest!• 1st Question: Are you familiar with Miche?

• If they don’t answer or pause, not a qualified lead…MOVE ON!

• 2nd Question: • Heard of Miche: Which size bag is your favorite?• Not heard of Miche: Demo the Classic Bag• If they do not engage, they are NOT a good lead…MOVE ON

• If interested after 2nd Question, ask them to enter the raffle drawing & invite them to explore your table (keep conversing with them)

Words to Say at Vendor Events

• Try to get the potential connection to do most of the talking• Ask open-ended Questions to qualify

them• Have you heard of Miche? What is your

favorite Miche base size?• What do you hate the most about changing

your bag?• Do you prefer to shop on sale or retail?

Great lead in to specials & hostess rewards!

• Ask which is the best way to contact them: Phone, Email or Text

But, Don’t Say…

• Don’t ask them to Book a Party!• Direct Sale Jargon• Instead, try asking for a “Girls Night

Out” or “Wine Down Wednesday”, “Get some friends together for fun & fashion” etc.

• Don’t ask them to Join your Team!• Instead have a sign that says “Help

Wanted” or advertising the Starter Kit, it lets them know there is an opportunity available.

Open Date Cards Are a Must!• Eliminates fumbling through a

Planner & haggling over dates• Makes party booking quick and

easy• Before event, go through your

planner and identify the days/times you are available to party and write that on top of each card

• If someone wishes to book a party, simply have them choose a date from those available and fill out their info

Things to Do at a Vendor Event• Network with other vendors

• Other Direct Sellers are often your best source for referral business and new team members

• Give them an Opportunity Brochure with your contact info

• Bring them a slip to enter into your raffle

• Engage in PR for your business• Post photos on social media

• Take pictures of attendees with Miche• Run an Instagram Contest

• Include photos in your email newsletters

• Train new team members

Idea: Attend Events As a Guest• Inexpensive• built-in audience just waiting for you to

walk up to them and start talking!• Go up to the table and let the vendor

do their thing:• TIP: always answer questions or talk in 10

seconds or less and always end in a question.

• Wait for the right moment and say “How is this fair?  I was thinking of bringing my business to it next year. Is this vendor event a good one?”

• That simple conversation will prompt them to say: “What kind of business do you have?”

The Fortune is in the Follow-Up• 48 Hour Rule• Sort Leads: Hot, Warm, Cool

• Identify who wanted to hear about hosting a party or the opportunity and contact them first

• Contact Method: go back to their preference – phone, email, text

• Use personal info from raffle notes to create rapport