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-
