Recently I joined a new business association and one of the perks of being a member is being able to participate in their vendor events. This was my first event and I was launching my new home decor wall art line which is an extension of my Philly Custom Stock brand. When you have over 30,000 photos you make art. I wanted to be super prepared. I was getting ready and was really excited but then the week prior I was hit with a kidney stone flair up and was sent on bed rest for almost a week. It was at that time that I was grateful for technology and online ordering access. But there was also a HUGE learning curve around this experience. Aside from the stress and self inflicted ulcers I gave myself I also have a propensity to want things to be perfect! I ordered my products, but because I was sick I didn’t get as much of my marketing material ordered as I would have liked.
So let me share the vision I had, it was beautiful. I envisioned a branded table cloth which read Wanda Thomas Photography and on top of this 6-foot table was an easel and large print on display. Resting along side the featured print were framed smaller prints along with my new greeting cards.
In reality, I had prints and greeting cards, I just didn’t have an easel or racks and in my mind things looked mess. Messy is never good. Messy is disorganized. I had to remind myself that this was my first event. While I had to see it as a learning experience, I did meet some amazing people and got to experience first hand something I never did before. Below is a list of things I recommend having for your first vendor event.
- LOTS of Marketing materials. Brochures, business cards flyers etc.
- Bags. Amazon has bulk craft bags which are easy and simple or you can go ahead and have some made up to match your branding and logo.
- Enough change (dollars and coins)
- A reliable check out system. Square, PayPal, etc. My personal favorite is SquareAPP because it keeps an up to date inventory list for you as you process sales so you can focus on happy customers.
- Table, chairs, and a tent to protect against the sun and rain.
- Paperweights to keep your flyers and cards down in the event of a windy day.
If you have experience in vendor events please feel free to leave a comment and share your experience. If you found this helpful please pass it along.
*this post contains affiliate links I may be compensated but the view are solely my own
