That
is a quick way to make a name
for yourself online, but not in
a way you want it to be known!
While, I may feel it is
preferable to have it as an
option and up to each vendor,
just be sure if you offer it you
sent it!
Prepare also means to know your
business! Guest and other
vendors will have questions.
It's a good idea to have a
catalog near by even if your
website is on the sale page for
people to click on.
The better prepared you are the
better you look to everyone! And
the more you know the answers to
questions about your company and
products the easier and more
relaxed it is.
#3 Products!
Know your products!
If your doing a party know what
you sell!
This does not mean you need
to be an expert on your business
but if asked a question knowing
the answer is helpful.
Try to see online Expos just as
if you were doing an in-home
party is the best way to do it.
Even Reps at in home parties at
times will say "let me find
out for you!" if asked a
question they do not have the
answer to, so there is no shame
in it, but knowing simple
questions about your products
make parties allot easier.
Some of the easiest ways to get
to know your products is reading
about them and also planning
games using them. Plan ahead to
play a game using a few of your
products means you will be
looking them up and learning as
you do!
Some Expos even offer to
showcase your products.
Since TheExpoConnection began in
2001 there has always been the
option of showcasing 10 of your
favorite products!
Let the guests see a few of your
items right on your page (we
call tables) is a great way to
get them to want to see more on
your website!
Be sure to choose 10 products
your familiar with!
#4 Participate!
This is such a key factor to
any and all Expos and events
your in!
You pay to play - so do it!
Be at the expos and participate
in any specials they offer.
Being in the chat room when
guests come in is a great way to
meet new potential customers and
remember other vendors can also
turn into customers, so do not
think "oh it’s just other
vendors" when your in a
chat room during a slow time!
DO the other vendors sell what
you do- NO!
DO they know about your
products and any special offers?
You will only know this if you
take the time to talk to them.
So, participating can be the
difference between sales and no
sales and getting your name and
business out there and known.
#5 Party
This also falls under #4
participating but it goes a tad
more into details!
Most Expos give your party
time slots for your business.
Choose the time slot that is
best for you!
Lunch hours at work hiding
from the boss is not a good one,
dinner time with a brb as you
feed the kids during your party
is not good to do at your
scheduled party time, just as
"oh I need to put the kids
in the tub" with tub time
being at 7:30 every night, then
just do not choose your party
time at tub time!
Family, and especially our
children should always come 1st
so try to plan around them.
Doing a party during the kids
play time is fine, even if you
have to stop if your child falls
as we all understand that as
moms and women, but doing a
party at a time your child has a
reg. schedule is not wise to do.
Keep the kids occupied during
parties is the best way to go.
Also being a few minutes
early is a must do for any and
all online parties! Be there
before your guests are!
A guest coming to a XYZ party
at 7 PM EST expects at 7 PM EST
to have the vendor for that
party in the room already, as do
the gals running the Expos do!
Late show-ups look bad! And most
of the time the person(s) in
charge of the event(s) do not
read the email you sent 15 min
before saying your running late!
While things do happen that
cannot be prevented, showing up
late and telling everyone you
were busy with laundry and
forgot does not look good!
And this can effect your sales!
Think about it, would you buy
from someone who treats their
business as they could take it
or leave it?
Try to see it from the guests
side if it.
** I can honestly say having
been a guest before being a
vendor, did let me know the
guests side of it, just as being
a vendor before the Expo owner
also makes me see the vendors
side of it allot more then some
may think.
#6 Prizes
I did cover this a
little above.
But prizes can be for the Expo
event or then again at your
individual parties too!
Be sure if you give away prizes
that you can afford to!
It really does not matter if
your new in your business or
have been doing it for awhile,
knowing your own individual
budget for prizes is essential!
I had been doing in-home
parties for years as a party
plan manager when I did my 1st
expo party.
I learned a fast lesson on how
not to give away 3 times more
then I made!
I had donated 2 prizes with a
value of $10 min. each to be in
the expo, then I gave away 1 at
my table and another at the
party I did.
So there I was giving away 4
prizes right off the bat. I did
get a few sales, but the
commission from that, which at
the time was 30% did NOT cover
the cost of shipping, aka the
postage of the prizes, much less
the prizes themselves!
SO think ahead and know your
budget and costs before you do
the same as I did!
Online parties are similar but
not the same as in-home off line
ones! But the obligation of
giving or sending the prizes to
the winners is!
A prize is a prize that has a
cost to you as the vendor!
We want all of our vendors to
make sales and money at our
Expos, so as owner of
TheExpoConnection.com and
TuesdayExpos.com I will never
require you to donate a prize!
While we all love to win prizes,
as a business person think ahead
of the costs plus be sure you do
send them!
Everyone remembers the vendor
who did not send the prize, just
as they also remember the
vendors who send the cute prize!
I recently won a free prize at
an online event but it was a
free gift cert WITH purchase! So
to win I had to buy something.
Needless to say I declined it,
as I did not feel as the winner
of the gift cert I should be
required to make a purchase and
would not have entered the
drawing had I known ahead of
time. So is free really free
with your prizes?
Free with order is different
then to win then find out there
is a must buy attached to it.
#7 Promote
This is a 2 section
topic
1- Promote the Expo and 2
promote yourself!
Most Expos require you to
promote the event!
This is usually in the vendor
form you fill out and also on
the info sheet for the Expos.
While the Expos owners, such
as I do, buy advertising on key
places such as websites and
newsletters, it is the posts
that all vendors do that also
make a big difference!
Ads bring people to the sale
page and posts bring them into
the sale chat!
So posting your party times
along with the Expo information
is a key part of being a great
vendor!
I have seen some great posts
done by some gals who are or
have been vendors in our Expos!
Be creative while following the
rules of the places you post.
Signature lines are also a
great tool! Adding in something
like attend my party at the Expo
and ""date and time
here"" does work!
Some vendors even add they
give the guest an extra drawing
ticket if they mention the post
when they do drawings!
If 10 vendors send out 5
posts each (50 total) to their
groups with at least 100 people
in them that’s 5,000 posts!
And let's say only 5% come
into the Expo chat, that’s 250
people!
Talk about great networking and
promoting by 10 vendors!
And yes, there is that many
different yahoo, Ryze and msn
groups, with many more then
5,000 total people on them! Most
groups have over 100 members
Now let's talk promoting
yourself now that your promoting
the Expo Sale!
OK you spend the money and
your name and business is listed
on the sale page but that is
just the beginning!
Some Expos even offer to
showcase your products, so now
it is time to showcase yourself!
How? Well posting the sale to
different groups as I said above
is 1 way to let people know what
you sell!
Then in chat during your
party time it is your time to
shine!
Using the Fish Philosophy below
is a great way to promote
yourself!
Play *
Choose your attitude * Make
their day * Be there!
Links to it below
Be cheerful in chat! Ok,
maybe you may be mad at your
mate, BUT let it go and leave it
off line and be cheerful and
greet guests in the Expos!
We all have bad days, but
the more experienced sales
person never lets it show! Make
the guests day by welcoming
them, asking how they are and
even asking about them. Which by
asking about them, it also gives
you insight into if they are
married and have children!
If they are married and have
kids, then you know they buy for
all in the family, run a
household and need time to
themselves along with gifts for
moms, sister or friends!
So depending on what you sell
this can be very useful
information!
Being friendly is important!
We all prefer to buy from people
we like and people like friendly
people, so promote yourself in a
fun friendly way can often
increase sales!
Plus can also get the guests
who are considering making their
1st purchase! So Promote
yourself along with your
products!
Ever run into a grouchy sales
clerk at the store? We all have
at some time or other. But,
while we still buy from them, as
they are the cashier at the
store, would we if they were a
vendor?
Now with knowing the 7 P's in
Expos you should be well on your
way to being a great expo
vendor! Have fun and enjoy!
Wishing you the best in
business and life!
Fish Philosophy links-
