Baby Fair Success

Hi Everyone! I'm proud to say that the Baby Fair this past weekend was a success! It was BUSY even though it was a little dreary outside. I'm happy to say that I generated a lot of interest in Announcements Galore {especially thanks to our scratch off discount cards from Karen at MyScratchOffLabels}! And, the women LOVED the basket donated by Market Mommy and all of you wonderful mom entrepreneurs who contributed.

The winner of the basket was Amber S. and the winner of the $50 gift certifciate was Kelsey M. Both are great prizes, but Amber is really getting a treat! Below are all the great items included in the basket and their generous donors. Please be sure to check them out, they are all fabulous!

Baby Fair Prize Basket Included::

Gift Card to from Candi at Care4Hire

Necklace and Earrings from Erica at The Jewelry Stylist

'So You Want to be a Work at Home Mom?' From Jill at CWAHM

My First Photo Album Laura at Board Book Albums

Two Aprons and Tea Towels from Michelle at Cupcake Swirl

Baby’s First Journal from Lindsay at Glow Baby

Onesie from Robin at Grandma's Shoppe

Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! Book Series from Stacey at Cedar Valley Publishing

Scratch Off Baby Shower Games from Karen at My Scratch Off Labels

Bag and Organic Bath Mitt from Jules at AmoliaMae

Notebook from Market Mommy :o)

Thanks again everyone!!

Baby Fair Eve:: Tradeshow Tips

It’s finally Friday and tomorrow is the big Baby Fair that I am participating in. It seems like I’ve been preparing for the fair for years when it’s actually only been a few months. It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned because next week I plan to post details about all the great mom entrepreneurs who donated prizes for my gift basket and hopefully some photos too!

Anyway, since it’s the eve of the Baby Fair, I thought I’d offer a few tips for participating in such events. Whether you are attending a craft fair, baby fair, tradeshow or another event, all of these things apply.

• Choose the right fair:: First and foremost you need to make sure you are attending a relevant event. If you sell animal products, don’t attend a tradeshow for beauty companies, etc. A lot of effort and money can go into participating in an event, so make sure you do your research upfront and ensure it’s a good place for you to be.
• Follow the rules:: All shows and fairs will have their own set of guidelines, restrictions, requirements, policies and so on. Make sure you read them and do what they ask. You don’t want to be booted at the last minute for failure to comply.
• Signage:: This is critical! You want everyone walking through the doors to know who you are and why you are there. Your entire display is important, but eye catching and descriptive signage will go a long way in attracting people to your booth. {As always, be sure everything coordinates with your branding and company logo!}
• Takeaway:: Make sure you have something that visitors can take away with them. Whether it be a small sample, a promotional item, a business card or a coupon, they need to walk away with something concrete. Or, sad to say, they probably will never remember to give you a second thought, even if they initially wanted to.
• Giveaway:: Raffling off a product or gift certificate is always a sure way to generate excitement and interest in your booth. And, since you’ve already done your research, you know that the audience is appropriate :D Plus, this is a great tool to grow your mailing list. If they are interested in winning your product, they most likely will be interested in receiving your updates, coupons, etc.
• Touch and feel:: Tradeshows and fairs are a great opportunity to showcase your products up close and in person. So, make sure you have plenty of them! Potential customers want to see, touch and feel what you have to offer. This is literally the best way to show off your quality and craftsmanship.

Here’s to a great weekend!!