Tips On Finding Local Events To Sell Your Products At This Summer

Street fairs, craft shows, and cute little farmers markets… What do these things have in common? If you're a small business, or a vendor of any sort, such events can mean the opportunity to set up and sell your products. A large portion of our income as Sage & Oak comes from setting up at these events and selling our products to the people in attendance. Not only are we able to make sales, but more importantly, we’re making connections. In this blog we will discuss how we, as a small business, find the opportunities to set up and vend at various events.

People ask us all the time things like "How do we get to set up at that market?" Or "Do you know how we can be vendors at this event?" (Like all the time, that’s why we’re writing this blog today- so we can direct people here instead of having to type out the same message over and over.) While we absolutely love that people see the things we do and want to find out how they can get involved, we don’t always have a good answer. Everything is always trial and error and what works for us might not work for you. Sometimes things just fall into our lap like it was fate and sometimes we work extremely hard to stand out to get involved.

So where should you start?

Social Media

The quickest and easiest place to find the most up-to-date information these days is the internet, believe it or not. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten on Facebook to check to see a small business’ hours before going because I know that can be updated (and more accurate) than Google sometimes. Think about it. When you have something really big to tell people, where do you go to get it one efficiently? Social media. People in charge of hosting these events need other people to show up to be considered a success so what do they do? They hop on Facebook and create an event page. People begin sharing the event and that promotes it to everyone around you. There are even social apps like Nextdoor that allow you to post on a more local level.

Newspaper

While the newspaper isn’t the most efficient way to find an event, it is possible. Events have to be advertised to all demographics and not all demographics exist on social media. Some people don’t have internet access or the desire to use social media so the newspaper is a way to get information across. You might have to check daily to find an event to vend at since print doesn’t change or update like the internet does, but with determination you’re sure to find one. If your city has a local magazine, that would be another excellent option as well as businesses and event planners pay for ads or periodicals to help bring people in.

Attend Local Events

A good rule of thumb is that to get support you should give support. Attend local events in your area and try to network with the people in attendance. Make some new vendor friends and connect with community leaders. See if there’s anything you can do to help them on their mission. Make your name and your face hard to forget by showing up and being helpful and people will remember you.

Other Helpful Tips

Be Kind

First and foremost. the way that you communicate when inquiring about events is important. Make sure that you are always trying to communicate in a friendly and kind manner. If you reach out to someone asking to be a part of their event and are being less than polite in the way you communicate, it will be unlikely for an event coordinator to want to work with you. The easier you are to work with, the easier it'll be to find work! Or in this case events to sell your products. Trust us, from being on the other end where you’re the one scheduling vendors, being kind can get you a long way.

Have An Online Presence

The next tip is not required, but it could help event planners choose you over other vendors if there is a competition conflict. By having a social media presence, a website, an online shop or portfolio, or something somewhere for people to reference, you are giving people a taste of who you are and what you offer. You wouldn’t apply for a high paying position in your field of study without having a resume, right? Think of it that way. A lot of times, event planners are looking for very specific products or businesses so it always helps to have something to show someone.

Write Past Event Dates Down in Your Calendar

It’s easy to miss deadlines for applications or just not see them at all. This can get discouraging as you may feel left out. There is something good to come out of it though. If you make note of the date and add it to your calendar, next year you can be more prepared so you won’t miss it. Attend the event if you can and scope it out to see what you can expect. Maybe you could even network with other local vendors and get your foot in the door for other events in the future. Don’t forget to get a business card for easier contact.

Of course this blog isn’t the “definitive” answer as to how to find events to sell at, this is how we have had success in the past. We hope you found it useful and that it opens doors to new opportunities. We can’t wait for you get the opportunity to set up and sell out of your next event!

Also as a special thank you for reading this blog, take 10% off your next order with promo code: “BLOG10”!