Advice for setting up a trade stand

[ctrlaura]

I wonder if anyone could offer any advice on setting up and running a trade stand.

We are an online retailer but are going to start taking a stall to local shows to sell face to face as well which I am very excited about. Although we try to interact with our online customers as much as possible you can't beat actually being there face to face talking to someone.

We have a 3 x 6m marquee and we have heavy duty clothes rails and grid wall with hooks to hang products from, trestle tables are next on our list to purchase so we can display products.

Eventually we want to be able to take card payments but this isnt essential to begin with as the shows we will be going to won't expect there to be one. (I am collating quotes for mobile terminals at the moment) The products we are selling will be between £1.50 - £90.

We need to remember to take lots of change, market trader cash holders, receipt book, pens, chairs and a radio so it isnt silent in our marquee to relax the atmosphere.

I have proabably forgotten lots of things which is where you helpful bunch come in What have I missed?

I also want to take a laptop so I can show people our website if required but we wont have power so does anyone know of any ways we can power my laptop with a mains supply?...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[PrestonLad]

..........................

I also want to take a laptop so I can show people our website if required but we wont have power so does anyone know of any ways we can power my laptop with a mains supply?...

Good luck with it all.

You'll need 'carrier' bags or something... maybe with your an advert for your website printed on it... presumably some sort of big printed banner or sign to brand your marquee.

As for the laptop... one easy solution could be to buy a spare battery (or two if your working day stretches that long)... typically cost 40 quid each.. and gives you the flexibility.

 

[ctrlaura]

Good luck with it all.

You'll need 'carrier' bags or something... maybe with your an advert for your website printed on it... presumably some sort of big printed banner or sign to brand your marquee.

As for the laptop... one easy solution could be to buy a spare battery (or two if your working day stretches that long)... typically cost 40 quid each.. and gives you the flexibility.

Carrier bags, of course! haha thanks for that. We are getting a nice eye catching banner for the front of our marquee and good shout about the laptop, that is an option, thanks

 

[airposjen]

Good luck with it!

Can I recommend AirPOS as a mobile ePOS solution? It will allow you to keep track of inventory and record sales through out the day.

There are more part-time traders and pop-up shops starting to use it now because of the low cost (£1 per day) it might be a good solution for you?

We can also integrate with credit card terminals when you're ready to start taking payments that way. Take a look at the website on www.airpointofsale.com and if you've got any questions about how to get it set up drop me a line.

 

[gr9ce]

PPL/PRS licence if you play a radio (ok ok sorry sore point on these boards)

'can't beat actually being there face to face'....this is where retailers with their backs up against the wall trying to compete with faceless online sellers, shake heads and wander off....

This is the precise point. When B&M are put out of business where will customers do their research?

Laptop? a charged battery and replacement charged batteries? No power? what about lighting?

Good luck with your trade stand, no hard feelings but you will therefore realise the extra costs those being there in customers faces... face.

 

[Deleted member 140422]

Get a jar of sweets to offer to passerbys. No-one likes going to an empty stall, so if you can get people around it creates interest

 

[ctrlaura]

PPL/PRS licence if you play a radio (ok ok sorry sore point on these boards)

Thanks, this is something I hadn't thought of.

 

[BustersDogs]

I've just had my first trade stand - services not products so the set up was different, but more than half of the people who were looking specifically for me said we were hard to find, and should have had a flag! I did try to get a site plan before the show so I could put it on my website, but with the bad weather (it was an outdoor show) the site was rearranged at the last minute.

But advertising where you are - very important! How many people gave up because they couldn't find me doesn't bear thinking about!

Having something extra to get people to your stand I found worked wonders! People came over to see why there were loads of people gathered round, we had a free prize draw and some games for the dogs, maybe you could do something interactive to get people gathering round? The other stands selling similar services to me where very quiet compared to us.

 

[ctrlaura]

I've just had my first trade stand - services not products so the set up was different, but more than half of the people who were looking specifically for me said we were hard to find, and should have had a flag! I did try to get a site plan before the show so I could put it on my website, but with the bad weather (it was an outdoor show) the site was rearranged at the last minute.

But advertising where you are - very important! How many people gave up because they couldn't find me doesn't bear thinking about!

Having something extra to get people to your stand I found worked wonders! People came over to see why there were loads of people gathered round, we had a free prize draw and some games for the dogs, maybe you could do something interactive to get people gathering round? The other stands selling similar services to me where very quiet compared to us.

Thank you Linda, sounds like your first trade stand was a successful one and your next will be even better now you know to advertise your whereabouts!

We've done a small stand before but it wasn't to sell anything, we were just raising awareness of our business and we had free chocolates which went down a storm with a free prize draw so we'll definitely be doing something similar again.

 

[david.duncan]

Some form of goodybag or customer made prize scratchcards will generate interest. Name badges are a nice touch aswell

 

[ctrlaura]

Some form of goodybag or customer made prize scratchcards will generate interest. Name badges are a nice touch aswell

ooo name badges, good call.

 

[gr9ce]

Make sure any sweets are wrapped. Hands can go anywhere and are not always washed (one reason to avoid peanuts in bars)

 

[ctrlaura]

Make sure any sweets are wrapped. Hands can go anywhere and are not always washed (one reason to avoid peanuts in bars)

Oh most definitely, I'd never hand out unwrapped sweets and I never touch barsnacks, yuck! We handed out wrapped Roses last time which went down well.

 

[PrestonLad]

Oh most definitely, I'd never hand out unwrapped sweets and I never touch barsnacks, yuck! We handed out wrapped Roses last time which went down well.

Why on earth would you not touch peanuts on the bar?

In my opinion, those who live hyper-hygenic lives ... for every one who avoids the odd stomach upset (maybe once every 10 or 20 years)... I think there are dozens who weaken their immune system and get more bugs and illnesses as a result.

 

[ctrlaura]

Why on earth would you not touch peanuts on the bar?

In my opinion, those who live hyper-hygenic lives ... for every one who avoids the odd stomach upset (maybe once every 10 or 20 years)... I think there are dozens who weaken their immune system and get more bugs and illnesses as a result.

I completely agree, I certainly don't lead a hyper-hygenic life, I'd just rather not eat peanuts from a bowl where people have had their grubby mitts in after possibly not washing their hands after using the toilet..

 

[PrestonLad]

I completely agree, I certainly don't lead a hyper-hygenic life, I'd just rather not eat peanuts from a bowl where people have had their grubby mitts in after possibly not washing their hands after using the toilet..

It's all a matter of perspective... I'd contend you are hyper-hygenic... you'd probably call me a dirty horrible xxxxx (but I do wash my hands after the loo!).

We evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to interact with each other... and anti-bacterial handwash has not generally been available in the lavatories over the millennia.

I'm not suggesting that we're stupid about it. But people are prepared to snog people they've never even met (and a lot lot more) - but if a stranger had taken a bite out of a piece of cake, they'd run a mile rather than finish it off.

It doesn't add up.

 

[zukiestyle]

Make sure you bring your hammer!!!! I forgot it once and had to hunt one down for my marquee so it didn't fly away!

Also side panels in case it rains (hopefully not!)
And a camera, depending on what your selling. I try to get images for my website of dogs in my products.