First time vendor - any tips?

I'm going to be a vendor at the upcoming NY- White Plains expo.
This will be my first experience operating in this environment, and I'm afraid that I'm going to be in over my head.

I was hoping that some of you guys could share your experiences and give me some hints/tips.

Thanks a lot.

congrats steve! It can be a fun time. Some things you might want to keep in mind are..........
Present yourself in a professional manner. You dont have to wear a suit, but dont wear that old t-shirt with stains and rips in it!

Take your quality animals for sale. nothing sick, no retained shed skin etc.

Be prepared to answer questions about your animals. Most buyers are pretty knowledgable about the animals they intend to buy, but you may also have something for sale they know nothing about. Also, people tend to feel more comfortable with a vendor they can communicate with.

Present your animals in a clean manner. You want to show your dedication and hard work to the public. You dont want to be that guy at the show who has his stuff sitting in 10 gallon cracked dirty tanks.

2 very important things to consider..........

Dont try to deceive the public. Be an honest dealer and build a reputation.

Have fun! Dont get down on yourself if your sitting for a while and nobody is buying. Enjoy thee atmosphere,talk to other vendors, compare prices, etc. A show should be fun regardless of whether you sell anything or not. Have fun,enjoy the time.

GOOD LUCK !!!!!

The difference between a good and bad show is not always selling or not selling. You will see vendors having a really tough time for a bunch of small reasons. Here are some tips.

Bring: extra light bulbs, more than you need, they will break
lots of paper towels and something to clean with
extension cords, long enough to get to an outlet down a row
if you sell chameleons or frogs bring your own water
have extra bedding with you to replace what gets soiled
a cooler with drinks and some food is always a good idea
show food and drink selection is not usually good, is usually
expensive and a very limited selection
Evan Stahl

GOOD POINTS EVAN .............. I FORGOT TO MENTION THE MISC SUPPLIES. I HAVE A TOOL BOX THAT IS JUST FOR REPTILE SHOWS. EXTENSION CORD(S), SNAKE BAGS, MISC TOOLS, BAND AIDS, PENS,MARKERS,TAPE, HAND SANITIZER, ETC. ITS GOOD TO BE PREPARED.


AND PAPER TOWELS ARE A MUST !!!! LOL I BRING A SMALL SPRAY BOTTLE ALSO

A tablet of paper and a pen. Right down everything you forget at your first show so you have a checklist for your second show.

Remember the cash box (2nd show we did I made a 3.5 hour round trip middle of the night run to get it off the closest shelf, not the way to start a busy weekend)

After your all set up, relax and have fun. The sales will be what the sales are at that point. Network, as you'll find the connections you make at a show can do more for you than the raw sales.

During the show, take a walk around (if you have someone to watch your booth). See who's busy and who's not. Then find the points that explain why. Is it the way things are displayed? pricing? selection? etc. Then right them down on the tablet so you don't forget.

Presentation means a lot. If you are selling herps or supplies supplies it is critical that you present them in a good light!

As for the herps: They should be healthy, kept in individual containers - unless possibly selling as a pair, and the containers must be clean. Don't line the bottoms of the containers with anything the herp can get under. Use heavy weight paper cut to fit (bring extra liners to avoid displaying a poop filed container). Place the containers into a nice display such as one of the deli cup display boards. Larger animals can have a substrate of wood shavings (bring extra for clean up).

Mark each individual container with the name of the herp it contains and the price you are asking. If you know, also mark if male or female.

Know the animals you are selling and their care requirements. Your helper needs to know too. Maximum size, diet, type of enclosure and size of enclosure required, temperature/humidity requirements, breeding, lifespan, etc...

Then set lighting so that it highlights the animals. There are lights that work wonderfully for this sold at places like office supply stores. They are clamp on lights with a long arm, I think made for drafting tables. The arm is bendable at a joint in the middle and the base swivels. You clamp it onto the edge of the table and aim at the herps or the supplies you are selling. Use at least two lights.

Bring spare bulbs and at least a 15 foot extension cord and one multiple outlet strip.

Bring plastic bags for your customers. My wife saves bags from the supermarket for dog doo pick up when she walks the dogs (yes in NY we have to clean the mess)- I grab a bunch of them as she has so many she will never use em all.

If selling animals, bring herp care sheets for each animal you sell.

You may or may not want to include your email address on those care sheets, or on your business cards. Did I forget to mention business cards. Pick up some business card stock at an office supply store and sit down to design your own card on a program like MS Publisher.

Make sure to get Salmonella Warning sheets from Bruce, you have to give one out with each sold animal.

Fill your table with items for sale, be it herps or supplies.

Bring at least one helper - you cannot run a table by yourself - no way! Someone must always be at the table - don't forget to leave the cash if you go off.

Bring plenty of paper towels.

Bring a small first aid kit just in case anyone gets hurt by something you are selling or by something on your table.

Bring plenty of small demonination bills. I suggest $50 in ones, $100 in fives and $100 in tens.

DUCT TAPE - lots of unexpected uses for this stuff, but usually only if you don't have any with you.

Hand Sanitizer as already said is a must, but also bring a sign saying that people must use it both before and after handling your animals. You don't need any diseases from other people's herps at the show.

Bring a nice tablecloth. Preferably vinyl for easy clean up of spills. Unicolor - dark green works well. It should overhang the edges of your table at least a few inches. Look much better than a grungy wooden or plastic table top. Use the duct tape at back of table cloth to attach it to the table so no one inadvertantly pulls it off with all the herps.

Bring a sign if you have one to hang from front of table cloth, or to hang from frame on top of table. See the LIHS display when there. We use a frame made from PVS pipe - lightweight, easy to assemble and carry. It has a professionally made sign attached. If you plan to do business you may as wel;l attract customers. Have your business name, telephone and email on the sign. Maybe your name too.

My opinion: Don't sell to kids under 18 without a parent's or a guardian's approval.