andrealh1975 Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I'm planning my next show and want to offer something extra to the vendors, but I'm not sure what. Everyone will get a 6 ft. table and 2 chairs in their space. The show will be advertised well, it's going in tons of online sites in the calender section and will be in about 20 papers, large and small. The event is at a hotel which is adamant about the vendors not having food, so they can't run and get McDonald's or something for lunch, but can bring water or something to drink. The hotel has a restaurant which is moderately priced and also has vending machines throughout. With this being a factor, should I get food from the hotel so the vendors can have something to eat? Nothing big, hors d'oeuvres and something to drink.What kind of things do you all expect when you participate in a show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth-VT Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Wow. As a vendor, I'm not sure I would do a show that I was prohibited from bringing food to, I think, depending on how long the show lasts? Being forced (by the hotel) to purchase their food there is like being......screwed? You know, like how expensive food is at ski-resorts and amusement parks? Having said that, I think it would be very nice if you provided some sort of hors d'oeuvre and drink for them. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 I'd bring food anyway, I wouldn't want to be forced to buy something. There are people with medical conditions that may need to eat at regular intervals, I'd think the hotel is setting you up for some major liability if they truly mean "don't bring food".2 nice services you could provide - some volunteer kids to help load and unload. And one of our restaurants did a take out kind of thing - sent someone to the vendors to order, took the money, and delivered the lunch to the booth. That was handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 As a fellow crafter once told the arena that tried to only get us to buy food from them...I will buy my food from you as soon as you or one of your employees purchase from me. As a vendor I rent that space just like the restaurant.JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Well, I expect full breakfast, with fresh OJ. Then for lunch, I want a salmon ceaser (?) salad. Then I think a nice bottle of chilled evian water with a nice bowl of fruit to top it off would do! I'm just kidding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 Well, I expect full breakfast, with fresh OJ. Then for lunch, I want a salmon ceaser (?) salad. Then I think a nice bottle of chilled evian water with a nice bowl of fruit to top it off would do! I'm just kidding!And you'd be bringing enough for everyone right?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 As a fellow crafter once told the arena that tried to only get us to buy food from them...I will buy my food from you as soon as you or one of your employees purchase from me. As a vendor I rent that space just like the restaurant.JMHOLOL. Ya gotta love that one. I think it would be very kind of you to provide snacks, but as a vendor I never expect that. I bring my own snacks and water. I do think that rule about not bringing in food is a bit nutty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Well them saying that thevendors can't bring in food is like saying that thier own guest can go get take out and bring it back to the room. Not going to happen I would bring food any way or switch off with some one and go get food and eat it outside.I always bring a cooler to every show and in it has pop and snacks. Yes I have done shows where they say you can't bring food. I still do it.But what is really nice is in the morning to have coffee and donuts for lunch arrange for someone to take orders for food to be delivered to the crafter.A really nice thing to have it a couple of booth sitters that will give the vendors a bathroom break a lot of vendor are doing this on thier own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Are you sure they didn't mean they just didn't want food vendors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascal418 Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 What do I expect at a show? Common decency, a table, chair(s) & some attention to like crafter location. At one busy show we were given lunch menus & had food brought to our tables. That little gesture meant a lot. Very considerate & appreciated. Polar Opposite> The ******* Hotel ::shudder:: The application didn't mention "No food" yet they enforced it at the craft show held in their banquet hall. Not kidding. The 4th hour into the show I packed up. I was getting mean. I was busted for celery & threatend that I wouldn't be asked back. The show ended hours early & some vendors met afterward at Applebees across the highway. I'm just thinking of this now, there was a restaurant at the hotel yet we all chose to go somewhere else. I guess we were aggravated, I know I was. I'm sure the hotel restaurant was adequate but it wasn't reasonable to ask vendors to leave $$$$ in product unattended to eat at the hotel restaurant. Maybe that was part of the aggravation. What advice can I offer you? Geez I dunno.. I guess you can tell the No food show didn't go very well for me LOL Make sure the application clearly states ALL the hotel rules with No surprises. No food is an unreasonable request, people have medical conditions & food is not illegal.Advertising should yield a nice turnout, a busy day & good money for the vendors. Offering hors d'oeuvres is a wonderful idea if it can be worked in. It can be difficult to leave your booth to snack during a busy show though.Someone walking around offering food & drink would work but I don't know how you're going to get around the No food rule? No food is a deal breaker for me. edited to remove the hotel name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassy-girl Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Having Been doing Shows for 13 years now, I can tell you that the "no food or beverage" is a major no-no. Considering that many vendors work by themselves, one cannot leave there booths without sacraficing sales. As far as having a hotel resturant. You are now asking vendors to shell out more of their hard earned money. Many people have specially dietarty conditions (i'm a "no-carber") and i can't expect that a hotel resturant could provide me with the correct way of food prep. That being said, What i expect from a show, is a promotor who is reasonable and looks to grow, not someone who is just out to make a quick buck. How well your show preforms is a direct refection on you, not your vendors. I expect the promotor to be available at all times to deal with any problems that arise.From electricty problems to other vendors intuding in space. I expect a promoter to be aware of surrounding conditions, and alert vendors to it, and above all, i expect a promoter to understand who they are working for. The vendor, without vendors you have no show, listen to them and their concerns, when you see a pattern, strive to correct it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 Are you sure they didn't mean they just didn't want food vendors?No food vendors are allowed. I just checked and they will allow vendors to bring snacks. So, that'll be more money for me to advertise!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 I do a show and I have for the past two years. Last year wasn't that great, however, people help you bring things in and help you take them out. They also have people that come around asking if you want lunch. I know another show I did around Christmas for the first time did the same thing and thehy also offered to have someone (normally a teen) watch your booth while you took a potty break or they would get lunch if you wanted. That's really nice, but I've been places where it's like, WHATEVER! I think it's good they let people bring stuff, it doesn't force you to spend your money you're earning at the show as well as I know that stuff is probably taxed up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockmonkey Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 This isn't an "extra", but I think it's always a good thing when the promoter of a show will visit the booths to see how things are going with the vendors. You know, actually check out the merchandise the vendor brought and see how it's displayed and inquire about how they're sales are going. Maybe offer handy hints if things aren't going so well. Do you print a list to hand out to shoppers at the show with all of the vendors and description of their products listed on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 This isn't an "extra", but I think it's always a good thing when the promoter of a show will visit the booths to see how things are going with the vendors. You know, actually check out the merchandise the vendor brought and see how it's displayed and inquire about how they're sales are going. Maybe offer handy hints if things aren't going so well. Do you print a list to hand out to shoppers at the show with all of the vendors and description of their products listed on it?I do make sure I get around to everyone a few times, during any down time we may have. Hopefully there won't be too much down time!!! I'm always able to get around to everyone at least once.I plan on having a table right outside of the room w/ sign up sheets to participate in the show, to be on the mailing list for the next show and a sheet that has all the vendors.I'll probably have the lunch for the vendors served at 11:30, it's a 1/2 hour before the show and 1 hour after the doors open for set up. That way they can get their food before the shoppers get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascal418 Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 I'm glad to hear there will be FOOD! You can see where my priorities are LOL Its nice when you show up & there are carts/dollies available on the curb. You know, those steel moving carts that folks use to bring their product in on. The last show the steel cart I used was HUGE, much bigger than mine. It was great to get all my stuff at once rather than having to make a lot of trips in & out. btw I think it's great that youre asking for ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 btw I think it's great that youre asking for ideas Thanks!! The hotel is letting us use a few of the luggage carts to get out stuff in. BUT, the area where we unload is RIGHT OUTSIDE of the ballroom where the show is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bravo5 Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Great idea for this thread!I am organizing a fundraiser show in June. I have organized a couple before, but just at hotels, not a fundraiser.I like the food idea- I was thinking of having free donuts and coffee for vendors in the morning, and there will be hotdogs, popcorn and drinks for sale during the show.I really like the idea of having a volunteer to give vendors a bathroom break! Our show is a fundraiser for a service dog organization, and there will be vendors with their dogs there- so having someone able to sit at their booth while they let the dogs have a bathroom break would be helpful, too! I am working on a vendor directory for the event. I am having vendors give me a business card, and scanning it into the computer and including it in the directory. It will also say what booth at the show they are in. I am finding that the vendors really like this idea- it's basically free advertising, and people can hang onto it instead of a bunch of business cards.Keep the ideas coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 Bravo5, are you having any entertainment at the fundraiser? I did a fundraiser last month and hired a caricature artist for a few hours. He was a HUGE hit!! Most I've seen, at least in my area, require a 2 hour minimum and are about $100/hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 Anyone have any other ideas for things you'd like to have available at a show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 The caricature artist is a definite winner. We had one at an office party once. The response was so great, most of us spent the bulk of the party queuing up to have our picture drawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 The caricature artist is a definite winner. We had one at an office party once. The response was so great, most of us spent the bulk of the party queuing up to have our picture drawn.He was definitely a big hit. The next time though I will have a sign up sheet for him. So instead of people standing in line for 30 minutes they can put their name down and be shopping for at least 20 of those minutes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bravo5 Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 We don't have a caricature artist - that's a good idea. Especially since vendors and attendees may have dogs with them- it would be cute to have a caricature of the dog with their owner. Our event is inside and outside- we have a live DJ providing music outside, a moonbounce, carnival games, and playground for kids and possibly some little crafts they can do. Also a professional pet photographer is going to be there to take pics of the whole event, as well as individual sittings. I almost had a woman from the Red Cross there to do pet first aid demos, but they booked something else for her and now she can't make it. I am working on getting a dog agility demo and a "dancing with dogs" demo- I saw them recently at the chicagoland pet expo and they were a hoot!!andrea- feel free to PM me if you want to brainstorm or anything!!!:highfive: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted April 17, 2006 Author Share Posted April 17, 2006 andrea- feel free to PM me if you want to brainstorm or anything!!!:highfive:Thanks, same here...It's nice to have input to see how shows are in other areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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