Over the past four years I’ve run a stall at quite a few wedding fayres. Some events were excellent, some were quiet, and a few left me wondering whether I should stay in the wedding industry at all.
Wedding fayre season is in full swing, and I get asked several times a week to take a stall. I decline most invitations—usually because of the cost, the distance or an unattractive venue. Occasionally, an event will catch my interest and I’ll say yes.
That’s how I ended up staying up until 2am the night before a local fayre recently. After that event I decided to stop doing wedding fayres and posted the news on Facebook. People have asked why, so here are my reasons:
* I’m fortunate to receive enough orders through word of mouth, repeat customers and website traffic. Cake-making is not my sole income, and after returning from maternity leave I was relieved to find customers still remember me and trust the quality of my work for their celebrations.
* I’ve enjoyed meeting other wedding professionals in the area and have made friends with several of them. Unfortunately, I’ve also met business owners who are overly competitive and dismissive of others’ work. There’s a lot of talent in this industry—there’s room for everyone and it would serve us better to support each other rather than trying to poach clients.
* It’s generally expected that cake and food vendors supply free samples at fayres. I’ve learned how much to prepare, but what frustrates me are fellow stall holders who expect to be fed. I have a family to feed and prefer to take any leftovers home.
The workload for a stall holder is significant. Preparing can start weeks ahead, and after an event I often find myself playing catch-up. When you’re starting out, fayres are valuable for making contacts, spotting trends and building confidence, but right now I need time to reorganize. Over the coming weeks I plan to convert my craft room properly, update my home insurance, and spend more time with my little ones.
Key tips if you are booking a stall at a wedding fayre:
* Budget for the cost of free samples you will give out.
* Bring refreshments for yourself and a helper. Some fayres sell drinks and snacks, but if you spend all your potential earnings on refreshments, it defeats the purpose of attending.
* Have a system for collecting contact details—forms or a notepad. You’ll get much more from a fayre if you follow up afterwards rather than waiting for customers to contact you.
* Be prepared to work hard. Many vendors sit behind their tables; stand up and greet people as they approach. It’s tiring, but it pays off.
* Speak up if something isn’t right. If your table isn’t as expected when you arrive to set up, say so—you’ll often end up with a much better stand after addressing the issue.
* Bring a laptop with a slideshow. You can’t display every example of your work on a table, but a running slideshow keeps visitors interested and gives you time to finish conversations without losing potential clients.
* Network with other stall holders. The contacts you make could lead to future recommendations.
* Enjoy the experience. A positive, friendly attitude attracts customers—being quiet or grumpy won’t help.
Good luck!