VENDOR FAIR - what to show potential customers? [Archive]

gardenstate

1st of October 2006 (Sun), 08:25

Hi all,
I recently posted a question about being part of a vendor fair for potential Bar and Bat Mitzvah customers at a very large and well-to-do temple. From what I understand, there will be 4 other "pros who make this their livelihood) at this event. I am just an advanced amateur who turned a wonderful hobby into a part-time business to earn a few extra $$$.

My questions:

What is appropriate to have displayed to customers on the vendor table? Sample photos in frames, an album with representative photos, sheets describing what your services are, a general listing of "photo packages" WITHOUT prices (or do you openly show prices?) etc...

Sould a potential customer only be shown a price sheet after they express interest?

Do I give them a copy of the price sheet?

I also plan to show samples of DVD montages that I make on a monitor hooked up to a DVD player.

Thanks.

gardenstate (who now lives in the Chicago area)

ssim

1st of October 2006 (Sun), 10:05

I've only ever done one Bridal Fair, while not the same it is relatively close.

The one that we attended had close to 30 photographers. You saw a little mixture of everything. There were a few that had to pictures hanging but did have an album you could look through. Some had price lists openly displayed and others did not. We did not display mine but would gladly hand them out after I had the chance to talk to the prospective bride so that we could talk to them and explain them. We had some 16X20's hung on the backdrop that we were using.

One of the first things I would do if I were to do another one of these events is to send someone around as a silent shopper and get copies of price lists and whatever marketing things they are handing out. As I said, I would gladly hand out my price list. There were a couple that we couldn't get this from. I have to assume that there are a potential couple of reasons for this. One, they are ashamed of their pricing in the company of the competition, could be either too low or too high. They are just starting out and they didn't have one ready, one was this case for sure as I spent allot of time with him talking about this. If you don't give the customer something with a price on it, I'm afraid of what kind of signal that would potentially send to the customer. Why wouldn't you want to give them something with prices on it?

In the end, you do what makes you feel the most comfortable. I don't think that there is a carte blanche standard in this respect. The DVD playing is a good idea. Have you considered giving some of these out. Do your best to make your display appear "professional". I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow a collapsible convention display stand. If you are printing flat sheet information out, spend the extra couple of dollars and get heavier good quality paper. Perhaps it is just me but if I go to a function similar to this (even as lowly as a home and garden trade fair) and they are handing out things that look cheap it has a lessening effect of my opinion about them. Care and attention to the very smallest of details, including your dress.

Spend some time with the other photographers if you can. Networking can never hurt.