I started as a consultant in October of 2010, so I did several boutiques last year before I had even recieved my samples. Over the course of the year, I bought little bits of merchandise to have on hand for cash-and-carry markets. But I haven't had much money to pay in booth fees this season, so I ended up doing only a single boutique that I registered for weeks ago. This particular one was 30 miles away from my home, so it turned out to be a significant investment in gas and time as well.
I used half the 8' table for Longaberger sales, and half for my handmade craft items. I expected to have internet access since I'd emailed the organizer about it when I registered. The organizer never got back to me, and when I arrived, there was no wireless, leaving my table emptier than I would have liked.
I had a selection of price points, from a $10 picture frame or vase to a $50 9x13 baking dish, and not one item sold. The show was in Thousand Oaks, an upscale valley suburb, and held at a church with attached private school, so I thought their base would be sizeable. But the traffic was minimal. I did have several people who'd heard of Longaberger, and I gave away my business card, so I'm hoping to get traffic on the web or phone calls. But in all my hurry to load the car, I forgot to put out a mailing list sign-up sheet. I think I was a bit out of practice since I hadn't had a booth in so long.
What do you consider a reasonable booth fee? Do you do shows where a percentage of sales goes back to the house? Which time of year is best for you sales-wise? Do you do cash-&-carry or just give out catalogs? I'm still learning and would love to hear the experience of other consultants, so please comment on the blog or on my facebook page!
I used half the 8' table for Longaberger sales, and half for my handmade craft items. I expected to have internet access since I'd emailed the organizer about it when I registered. The organizer never got back to me, and when I arrived, there was no wireless, leaving my table emptier than I would have liked.
I had a selection of price points, from a $10 picture frame or vase to a $50 9x13 baking dish, and not one item sold. The show was in Thousand Oaks, an upscale valley suburb, and held at a church with attached private school, so I thought their base would be sizeable. But the traffic was minimal. I did have several people who'd heard of Longaberger, and I gave away my business card, so I'm hoping to get traffic on the web or phone calls. But in all my hurry to load the car, I forgot to put out a mailing list sign-up sheet. I think I was a bit out of practice since I hadn't had a booth in so long.
What do you consider a reasonable booth fee? Do you do shows where a percentage of sales goes back to the house? Which time of year is best for you sales-wise? Do you do cash-&-carry or just give out catalogs? I'm still learning and would love to hear the experience of other consultants, so please comment on the blog or on my facebook page!
