Post Show RoundUp

Well, I didn't manage to make enough to cover the new labels I have to order this week but it definitely was worth it. From a financial standpoint I did meet my goal of covering my costs and exposing lots of people to the brand. Since this wasn't as how specific to my industry - I was sort of a fringe exhibitor at this show - I wasn't totally surprised that it wasn't a slamdunk for me plus I only brought lower pricepoint products so it's hard to make tons of money at that rate.

Some of the other highlights though:
1. Very fun atmosphere - I really enjoyed talking to the end customer for a change rather than just the retailer. And there was a noticable difference. With retailers they are - understandably - at a show to make their buying decisions and get back to work. At a consumer show though people are just wandering through and more than happy to hang out and talk for a bit. That made it a lot of fun. It was also great and informative to hear people's reaction to the products and hear their thoughts. Like a market research study I got paid to watch!
2. I was more relaxed. And I wonder how much of this has to do with the fact that the costs associated with the show were so much lower then what I normally end up paying. I wasn't frantic about trying to make the show pay for itself and more which helped me relax and have more fun (which I also think translates better to the customer). What I need to remember is that technically the wholesale shows I'm going to have already been paid for in that the money has already been spent. So I need to go to the shows, relax, and have fun.
3. There were some really interesting stories at this show. It was a small local show so I got to interact with entreprenuers in a network that I don't typically operate in given the difference in industries. It was just really great to talk to other entreprenuers and hear their stories and get their thoughts/marketing tips etc. This actually gave me the idea of whether any other entreprenuers out there would like to publically share their story. If so let me know as I'd love to do some interviews with you and learn from your experiences as well!
4. This show really was a great opportunity for me to test out my marketing lines, test out the new tradeshow setup (which looked fantastic!), etc. It definitely left me feeling a little more confident for the upcoming shows.
5. And lastly, let me reiterate that it was fun. I'd love to do another local show again. The show I just attended has another one in December that I'll likely apply for. I also had a woman stop by the booth who puts on a few other local one-day shows with one upcoming in October (Halloween themed) and another in December (holiday themed) and I said I'd love to be part of those so I'm hoping to hear more soon as they seem like they'd also be a great opportunity.

Speaking of which, I LOVED that the show was local. Not only from a cost perspective (no flight, no food expense, no hotel rooms) but also from the fact that at the end of the day I could roll home, play with my dogs, kiss my husband, go out to dinner with friends. And then this morning started with a long hike in the woods with the dogs and a swim in the lake with my husband. Oh how different that is from the mornings at the other shows where it's more like walk through the Vegas casino, dodging 20-something bachelor/ette party attendees who are staggering back to their rooms drunk after a wild night, try to find something healthy to eat for breakfast, and wonder how people can stomach cigarettes before 8am. Just a slightly different feel...