[compost_tea] Garden Festival

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Mon, 3 May 2004 11:27:11 -0700

Folks:

I just finished two days at the San Luis Obispo Garden Festival. I had don=
e this festival (and others) before. Here are some hints and observations:

1. If you go to a festival or exhibition, make sure you acquaint the vendor=
 coordinator with your operation. I thought that because I had done this b=
efore, they know what section to put me in. It didn't work that way. I wa=
s put in the area where herbal products, soaps and misc suff was when I sho=
uld have been in the area where sustainable products were.

2. Try to get on the seminar list early. You will not be able to give semi=
nars even if they get you on the list if they run into problems. I was shu=
t out by "square foot gardening" because he got a really late start and did=
n't finish in time. My audience dissipated.

3. Make sure you go to every booth that sells plants and sells services an=
d tell them you are there and where your booth is. Get their information t=
o pass on to anyone who comes to your booth. If you are in conversation, t=
he person you are talking with may say they are looking for something. It =
is real good when you can direct them and they go to the booth and say you =
sent them.

4. Don't be afraid to swap for things you want. If you sell brewers and wa=
nt supplies, Swap a brewer you make for supplies another person might have.=
  It's the same with everything. Many people do not want to carry product =
home but will carry a needed item they purchased at the show. If you sell =
product, you can swap product.

5. If it is your first time at an outdoor show, make sure you pick up a boo=
th cover. These cost anywhere from $120 to $300. Sometimes you can find t=
hem on sale for $80 (that's how I got mine.) Get the same size cover as yo=
ur booth area which mostly is 10x10. If you are indoor, you don't need to =
worry.

6. Get a big banner that annouces the name of your company and what you do=
: Mine says:

Earth-Wise
Composts and Compost Tea

7. If you're outdoors, set up your booth so people can walk into it and ge=
t out of the sun. Have water you either sell or give away. If you give it=
 away, print out little stickers that have your company name on the bottle.=
  

8. You can hold seminars in your booth. Make a sign that states the times=
 of your seminars. If you do not want to set up chairs, make the seminars =
no longer than 10 minutes.

9. Do not be afraid to give information away. People coming to your booth=
 are going to be getting alot of information from a lot of people. They wil=
l not remember most of what you say so even if you give you most intimate c=
ompany secret away, people will just not remember it. So be free with info=
rmation. People will remember your attitude but not the data.

10. Be a good booth neighbor. If you help your neighbor out, you will hav=
e more fun. If you get next to a booth that draws a lot of people you will=
 get some spinoff from that.

11. Do not bring a book to read during slow times. If the traffic is slow,=
 take a walk around and drum up business contacts with other vendors. =
 

12. Have fun even if you don't make direct sales, you will be representing=
 your company. I will give this story that happened Sunday.

A woman came to my booth to see what was in the brewer with foam coming out=
. She was with friends who were urging her to hurry up because they wanted=
 to see a band that was playing on the main stage. She was in a real hurry=
 so I took a flyer and gave it to her and told her to enjoy the show with h=
er friends.

Later I was walking back to my booth and I asked her if she liked the band.=
  She didn't remember me and I said Compost Tea and she didn't know that. =
She didn't read the flyer and had folded it up and stuck it in her purse. =
So I gave her a little blurb and said I was heading back to my booth. As I=
 was leaving, I overheard her friend say they needed to find something to c=
ontrol the odors in their barn. So as I was leaving, I shot back that Comp=
ost tea can control odors without having to use a disinfectant. Her husban=
d said BS and started getting confrontational. And I said that while I had=
n't done it that I knew of someone who had and used it in a zoo. Then I he=
aded back to my booth.

After about 20 minutes, the woman shows up and appologizes for her husbands=
 behavior and states that he is at the Wild Horse wine exhibit and she has =
some questions. So I answered her questions. Then I took a flyer and wrote=
 on the back:

Wild Horse

Scott:
"Give them a glass of your reserved." and signed my name.

I said: "Here, have some wine on me and tell your husband no hard feelings.=
" She said thanks and headed over to get her gift. Scott, who managed the=
 winery I had a contract with, gave them the wine and started extoling my v=
irtures. The husband came back and appologized and said he looked forward =
to working with me. He gave me all his info and we set an appointment for =
next week.

So you just never know.

Ted Peterson
EW/SOE



Received on Mon May 03 2004 - 15:06:40 EDT

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