Tips for Successful Vending
Follow some of the tips and suggestions below for successful vending and for building your small business
Booth Esthetics
Create a Booth That Pulls People In.
Use height (shelves, risers, racks) instead of having everything flat. Keep it visually clean—don’t overcrowd your items.
Have a clear brand look with your colors, signage, table coverings, and design. Be sure your table covering reaches the floor so that customers don't see storage underneath.
Use backdrops or grid walls to give your booth a finished look and to block whatever is in back of you.
Make it obvious what you are selling from a distance by using large signage, banners, etc.
Fill your booth! If you have a 10x10 sized booth, fill it. Even if you use props, decorations, etc.... make it full. Always use 2 tables in a booth or 1 table and additional shelving, racks, etc. A booth that is half empty appears unfinished and boring. Use Pinterest and other social media sites to research what others are doing to get ideas.
Make your booth inviting, enticing and friendly... if people don’t stop by, they don’t buy.
Pricing
Price for Real-Life Buying Behavior.
Offer a good price range that will meet everyone's needs.
Extra small "little extras" items - these are the inexpensive ($1-$5) items. By selling these, you will see the profits multiply in the long run. It's better to sell 30 $2 items than nothing at all.
Small “easy yes” items - These ($5-$15) items will appeal to a larger base of buyers. Remember, many visitors are on a budget or just planned to "come and look around."
Mid-range core products - These are your main/good selling items. For example, if you sell is candles, this is where you can incorporate your "mid range." Perhaps your best seller is a 16 oz candle (your mid-range) that sells for $35; then your "small range" could be wax melts and your extra small range could be a car refresher.
A few higher-end pieces - These would be your larger, higher priced items that don't sell as fast as your mid range items.
Avoid making everything too expensive or everything
too cheap. Also, bundle items with a slight discount to increase your average sale.
Most shoppers don’t come planning to spend big, so give them an easy entry point.
Display Prices Clearly. No one wants to ask “How much is this?” over and over again.
Use clean, readable signage and highlight deals or bundles. If pricing is unclear, people walk away.
Engage!
Engage with people without being pushy.
Greet people as they walk by—don’t ignore them. If you sit in a chair for the entire show, buried behind your set-up, or you're on your phone with your head down all the time, then people won't stop. If you don't look interested in your products, they won't be either. Take the time to talk to the people passing by, being friendly and inviting.
Give out samples. If you are selling a product like baked goods or skin care, etc., invite potential customers to take a sample. Statistics show that 4 out of 10 samples result in sales. (Be sure to check your city/state legal requirements for handing out samples)
Let customers browse, but be available to them without hovering. Have a simple, natural opening line like,
“Hi! Let me know if you have any questions.”
Energy and engagement matters. People buy from vendors they feel comfortable with.
Dress for Success!
Dress comfortably but professionally.
You can still wear jeans and a tee shirt and make it look good. Clean jeans or pants, a clean fresh tee shirt can be dressed up with a jacket and boots, and for women... a few pieces of jewelry can dress up that tee shirt and jeans and give you a "fancy like" appearance.
If you have a brand, get a tee shirt with your logo.
Overall, make sure you look clean and presentable. If you appear unkept with soiled or shabby clothes, the likelihood of customers stopping is considerably lower.
This is even more so if you are selling food products. If someone wants to buy cookies, but the vendor looks dirty or unkept, they are likely to pass on those cookies and look for someone else.
Payments
Make It Easy for your customer to pay for their items.
By accepting multiple forms of payment, you're setting yourself up to succeed.
Be sure to have a cash box to make change for your cash customers.
Obtain a good Point of Sale (POS) system that will take all credit cards.
Set up your phone to take all mobile payments (Venmo, Cash App, etc.).
Clearly display your payment options.
Every barrier to payment will end up costing you sales.
What's Your Story?
Tell the story behind your product and your business.
What makes it unique? Why did you start it?
Is it handmade, local, organic, small-batch?
Why does it excite you?
Share your history with your customer and the exciting products you sell. Everyone's story is different and most customers are interested in what yours is.
Story = value. It justifies pricing and creates connection.
Inventory
Bring enough of your inventory, but not chaos. Organization is key!
Plan your numbers based on the expected attendance. If you aren't sure how many people to expect, then over stock. It's better to have too much than not enough.
Display just enough that your set-up is full and organized but not cluttered, and keep your backstock also organized and easy to access in totes under the tables, refilling your displays throughout the day.
Empty tables kill momentum—but clutter does too.
Rain or Shine
Prepare for the environment and the unexpected.
Make sure you always have tent weights even if it is calm and sunny outside. You never know if and when the weather will change. Tent weights are basically non-negotiable for all outdoor events.
Prepare for the weather; heat, wind, rain, etc. Again... you just don't know if the conditions will change.
Be sure that you have a comfortable setup so you can stay engaged all day long no matter what the weather does.
A stressed vendor doesn’t sell well.
Promotion
Self-Promotion is key to a successful business and vendor fair.
Promote your business and the Vendor Event well before the dates of the event. Post on all of your social media accounts several times leading up to the event.
Be sure to include all of the event details including venue, dates and times, and where your space will be if possible, with booth number/location.
Post lots of sneak peeks of products to promote interest, and make sure you invite your existing customers.
Vendors who promote the event and bring their own following and audience are proven to always do better.
Build your Customer Base
Capture future customers with an email list signup.
By offering a small incentive (discount, giveaway entry, etc.) you have a great chance of building a viable customer list for future events and sales.
Use a QR code sign for customers to scan and join your social media groups.
The event is not just about today—it’s about repeat business.
Take Notes
You never want to stop learning from every event.
Take notes throughout and after the event so that you can go over them afterwards.
What worked and what didn't work?
What sold out? What didn’t move?
What questions did customers ask?
What do you need to improve on?
What do you need to eliminate from your lineup?
The best vendors evolve every single market.
Vendor Success
If you are looking to succeed as a Vendor in the event marketplace, focus on strategic vendor optimization, not just your transactional sales.
Success at Vendor fairs comes from smart booth setup, engaging customer interaction, and strong follow-up - it's not just about selling products.
Match or adjust your products to the right audience and theme. Research the market to know your best line of defense as you prepare. If the market has Fall theme... focus on Fall type products or decor.
By combining a professional, customer friendly booth with genuine engagement, you'll not only sell more, but you will build lasting relationships that will lead to repeat business.
