Booths are wonderful events for meeting new people and generating leads for home shows, book fairs, and recruits.  Lead generation is the primary purpose -- sales are the icing on the cake. 

SAVVY REASON TO DO SOME BOOTHS - You meet all kinds of new people who are outside your own circle of family and friends.

Several good leads and lower sales are actually better than no leads and a lot of sales.  

This is all about building the relationship.  :-)

Leads for home shows, book fairs, recruits, etc…recruits are even better than sales, although we all like sales.  J

The future business you can generate can be far more profitable than the sales you actually make that day. 

While it's fun to sell books right there, you might find that your business grows better from the leads, bookings and recruits you actually get that day.

Where do I find booths/events?

Check your local/community newspapers, Facebook, online parent websites for your area or neighboring communities, grocery store bulletin board and church bulletins.  One Supervisor says “I keep my eyes and ears open everywhere I go.” Sites like www.macaronikid.com or www.Craigslist.com might help with events going on in your area. 

Have recruits out of town?  You might search for events for your recruit to be involved with in their area.

You can find out about booths from friends in the direct selling industry, community groups, charity groups, and even guests at home shows.  Ask and listen.  J

Where to Get Leads and Recruits and Sell Books

(Remember, you need to be an “EC” (Educational Consultant) to do booths or events in or benefitting a school or library.)

How much should I pay for a booth?

Generally speaking, it is best not to pay more than $50 -- $25 is more like it, or some percentage of your sales. There are lots of good booth opportunities that are cheap, just requiring a door prize (which doesn't cost us much) or free.  If you think it is too costly, it probably is.  Talk with your supervisor. (She loves it when you email, text or call her)

FREE is a great price!! 

Sometimes it’s possible to negotiate the booth fee.  Not always, just sometimes.  Here is something you might say to help you negotiate a booth fee:
"Your event sounds like a wonderful one and one that would benefit from having our great books for your families. The booth fee is a little out of my budget right now. Sometimes we do events to benefit a local school or charity in lieu of a booth fee. Instead of the booth fee, the charity would receive a percentage of the sales we make in FREE BOOKS, which can be presented as being from your organization. Do you have a charity that you often work with? If not, I often am able to help the __________ program  at ___________ Center (whatever your charity is that you work with). Does that sound like something we could talk about some more?"

Sometimes we have gotten $300 booths for free and sometimes it's still $300. :-)  Sometimes they say that they could give a much lower table fee with the donation.  It doesn’t hurt to ask.

What do I take to the booth?

Make a checklist of things you like to have with you for book fairs and booths. You can keep many of these items -- like change, business cards, spare calculator, etc. -- in a rolly case all the time, so they are packed and ready to go. 

You can often borrow tablecloths and racks from the person you borrow your inventory from.  Seasonal tablecloths are nice too.

Just be sure to pack up carefully, so you don't ding up or damage someone else's inventory.

During busy times, those books need to be available to many others, including the Supervisor herself, who is the one who has invested in those books.

If you’re borrowing books from someone, be the one who drives them back and forth, replace the books that sold promptly (like back to the Supervisor within 1 ½ - 2 weeks). 

What should I do at the booth?

Stand IN FRONT of your table -- don't sit on a chair behind your table. 

If the hours are very long and you do sit some, be sure to sit UP (no slouching) and look like you're ready for business and chatting.  Be ready to GET up as someone is near.  It's really better to stand.  :-)

Smile.

Smile.

Smile.

Smile, make eye contact, ask "Have you seen Usborne Books before?"  

Either Yes or No answer is FINE. Smile & say “Great” & go on from there.

If they have not, invite them to browse and see awesome books for kids of all ages! 

If they have, say "That's great - come and see what's new!" and grab a newer title. 

Be as outgoing as you can comfortably be.  Invite people in. 

You can give duck stickers (from Home Office business supplies) to children or use a duck stamp and kid-safe ink pad to get parents to stop.  

Draw people in with conversation – maybe about their child, maybe about their scarf, maybe about the books – generate conversation, you’re building a relationship. 

DOOR PRIZE SLIPS – there are some consultants who LOVE to have a door prize drawing and some who don’t use them at all.

You can get door prize slips from the Home Office Business Supplies or you can print some here.

Personally, when I use door prize slips, I have them on the table IN the booth, not out on the edge.  I show them to people that I’m talking with.  I’d rather have 20 great lead slips from the door prizes after a day at a booth than 300 door prize slips from people who didn’t even realize that it was a book booth.

I always ask as I am giving them their total "Would you like to be on my email list for monthly specials?"

Here is a link for a wonderful form you can use at your booths to gain email addresses for your email list.

Wear comfortable shoes -- you can't be friendly if your feet hurt.  Bring bottled water and a snack -- the food and drinks are typically expensive. 

Keep your food and drinks hidden at the booth – your booth will look more attractive without half-filled water bottles around.  J  If there are other consultants there with you, then step away for a few minutes to eat.

Make friends with other vendors -- they can help you find out about other events.

Sometimes the other vendors are your best customers, and sometimes they even become consultants!

For booths, you can use the Home Office sales receipts or an inexpensive 2 part sales pad from Office Depot, Staples or Wal-Mart.  Remember, when you take a credit card you need to get their full name from the card, card number, expiration date, phone number, and zip code where the bills are received. 

Typically, we do not charge shipping on cash & carry booth sales.  That comes out of your profit. 

You can choose to turn it in as a home show and make 25% commission (minus 8% shipping), and you get to take all the free books. 

Or, you can turn it in as a direct sale (30% commission minus 8% shipping), and make a little more money. 

It’s also OK to turn in the sales as a book fair (17% commission, free shipping, 50% free books if over $500 in sales).  The Home Office is OK with whatever we choose to do, at this point.  J

How do I book shows at booths?

Here’s a direct link to some Savvy tips on home show bookings at your booth here on our training website.

It helps to offer an incentive (perhaps an extra $20 in free books with their show) for booking a show on the spot. 

Bring your calendar, or make a calendar page for the upcoming four weeks and mark all your available dates. 

Encourage people to "pick a tentative date now, and I'll call you tomorrow to confirm that it's good on your calendar as well. The $20 in free books comes from the previous hostess discounted books -- there is no previous hostess, so you can use this.  

Make sure you write down and remember what you offered & which hostesses get it! 

Be ready with the current recruiting special, too!

SAVVY BOOTH TIP - KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER -
THAT'S PROBABLY AS IMPORTANT AS REMEMBERING TO BRING YOUR BOOKS

Know what you have to offer - Books, free books, business opportunity.  Have flyers on the hostess special and on the sign up special.  Bring your calendar to pencil in show dates.

SAVVY SELLING TIPS –

Keep showing them books until THEY say they are done shopping. Just because they have 10 books in their stack doesn't mean they don't want/need 15.  J

Sell what you have.  We have SOOOO many wonderful books be sure to be proud of the books you have left.  No need to spend lots of time with them letting them know that the perfect book for them you don't have today.

Remember…to put your name and contact info on everything you pass out. Sticker your books, label catalogs, etc.   Your sticker might say: For info/re-order contact: name, website, phone.  You can order stickers anywhere or print your own (if you printer makes nice ones)  J

MORE of the MOST SAVVY BOOTH TPIS of the season?
as shared by Supervisors and Consultant at one of our weekly chat trainings

Resist the temptation to put out tons of books. Leave some open space on the table, otherwise it is too visually busy and people won't really see the books. Keep it simple!

Have fun!  If you are enjoying yourself at a booth, it shows and people notice.

Have lots of activity cards available - great for the last minute gifts through the holidays.

On the back of the business cards I made I made a QR code so when scanned, it goes to my website!

Talk with your Supervisor about your events, she'll LOVE to hear from you and she'll LOVE to hear all you