HOW TO FIND AND MANAGE STREET VENDORS Bridget Bayer April 27, 2016 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

HOW TO FIND AND MANAGE STREET VENDORS Bridget Bayer April 27, 2016 BAM • Business Associa3on Management EvolTwin Prin4ng Street Fairs for Community and Profit 7945 NE Alberta, Portland, OR

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Vendor Strategies, Recruitment & Management Tips Vendor Strategy Target Market Mix Number Rates Recruitment Outreach Forms Communica4on Management Loca4ons Evalua4on Promo4ons Street fairs and fes4vals are a great place to check out the vendors in your area Produc4on Set Up Take Down 2

Target Audience Vendor Mix V ENDOR S TRATEGY : M ARKET & M IX Having a good vendor mix makes all the difference for Street Fair aYendees expect to see street vendors. The trick aYendees and par4cipants alike. Street Fairs must have food is making their presence an added benefit. Know and focus vendors, retail goods, arts and craf items, plus items for on your target audience. women and kids. • What do they want to see or do at event? People want interes4ng and unique items that can’t be • What kind of person are they? found in a department store or mall. • Who shops in your area? A variety of jewelry and clothing, as well as specialty arts and • Who do you want to see there? crafs items are sought afer vendors. This is your target market(s). Compare lists with businesses, Fair aYendees will expect sell sweets, sodas and grilled area non profits and others to come up with a primary target meats unless the theme dictates otherwise. audience list for your fair. Mall Mentality Rule Describe Target Market Demographics 10 Food & Drink • How old are they? 10 Retail, Arts, Crafs • What’s their income level, educa4on, na4onality or ethnicity? 10 Entertainment or Ac4vity • Are they seniors, teens or singles? • Do they have kids, elder parents, pets? • What are their hobbies; music, books, arts? Most importantly, how do they get informa3on: • What do they read, listen to or watch? • Where do they find out about events? • Who influences them? I n the U.S., women account for about 75% of all spending. Make sure to have vendors that offer “Curb appeal can account for up to 80% of items for female shoppers. first- me sales” Roger Brooks, Interna3onal. 3

Decisions Vendor Rates Vendor Rates V ENDOR S TRATEGY : N UMBER & R ATES The vendor mix and maximum number are among the Fair vendors expect to pay different fees based on loca4on, important considera4ons for organizers. Decisions on vendor registra4on 4me, size and type. type, fees or number will be easier by referring to guidelines Depending on planned marke4ng, a first year event usually based on mission and goals. Be consistent on policies! You charges $25-$100 for a vendor space with fees increasing can count on community members talking to one another. each year Vendors are willing to pay more for great street fairs. Check online for event vendor rates in your area. Vendor Number Vendors need to make back the cost of their vendor registra4on, the cost of their items sold, pay for their 4me AYendance will dictate how many vendors end up happy and, hopefully, make a profit. with their sales. Be conserva4ve at first, star4ng with a small area. Add more later. The same booth space can cost twice as much for food vendors because they usually have a greater impact and can Your space will dictate the number of vendors (and ofen the make more sales. expected number of aYendees). Street vendors generally take up 10’x10’ spaces. Offer doubles or corner spaces to Fees can be higher for corner spots because they face 2 food trucks or those vendors requiring more room. direc4ons and are generally more lucra4ve. This is also true for vending spots at entries, stages and popular ac4vi4es Food vendors have high expenses and expect to have liYle (premium loca4ons). compe44on, so don’t bring in too many or more than one of each type if possible. Vendor Ameni4es Sample Rate Structure Fee Type Rate Infrastructure Loca4on Equipment Retail $ 60 Electricity Equipment Loca4on Food & Beverages $ 120 Internet materials Premium Table & Water Display Corner chairs Type Tent Arts & Crafs $ 50 Community Non Profit $ 30 Ameni4es Corner + $ 50 Premium + $ 50 Sponsors 0 4

Outreach Registra3on Forms V ENDOR R ECRUITMENT Street Fair aYendees expect to see street vendors. Make Vendor registra4on forms – online or paper - should ask for their presence an added benefit. Get a full compliment of vendor descrip4on, size of space, loca4on choice, contact vendors by maximum outreach. Try communica4ng early informa4on and any special requests. and ofen. Start broadcas4ng your fair date, 4me and Online registra4on programs can be free. Some offer billing loca4on, 4-6 months before fair date. or repor4ng for an addi4onal cost. Send to: • Previous year’s list Communica3on • Vendor list-serves: VendorSpace@yahoogroups.com • Google: “street fair vendors portland” • Post on social media, websites, list-serves &city resources. • Local churches, schools, non profits • Email community members to ask them to call for vendors. • Business & neighborhood lists • Visit other street fairs, farmers markets & special events to Street vendors can be the businesses on your street or in the distribute registra4on forms to favorite vendors. surrounding area. They are paying rent already, it’s the one • Add a “Call for Vendors” on press releases, “Save the Date” day each year they get a liYle bit more real estate to do flyers and early marke4ng materials. promo4ons and make more sales. • All outreach materials should include a link to get more Encourage shop owners and vendors to ac4vate the street. informa4on on how to sign up. They have to displaywares outside and make them look great! Free goodies, games, pictures or any interac4ve experience will draw people in. Historic Parkrose Summer Nights Street Fairs Second Thursdays on Sandy 2nd Thursdays • 5:00 - 9:00pm August 14 Sample “Call for September 11 Vendors” flyer Event is IN THE STREET at 106th at NE Sandy Blvd. (next to Neumann’s German Bakery, 10534 NE Sandy) Walk down with your neighbors to family fun monthly vendor fairs and enjoy shopping in Parkrose streets. Street vendors will offer diverse goods and services, listen to live music, play games and taste great food at this new nighttime marketplace. Vendors register online: https://parkrose.wufoo.com/forms/historic-parkrose- summer-nights-a-second-thursdays/ Historic Parkrose www.HistoricParkrose.com Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative www.facebook.com/HistoricParkrose 11036 NE Sandy • (503) 964-7807 Ac4vate booths with prize wheels, contests, or interac4ve devises 5

Loca3ons Promo3ons V ENDOR M ANAGEMENT Allocate vendor spaces afer confirming your list of ac4vi4es Ask vendors to help increase aYendance by promo4ng the and sponsors. Music stages require large spaces, kids’ play fair on social media. Post pictures to vendor’s Facebook or areas must be safe and away from traffic. Always keep a other social media sites. Ask vendors to Share & Retweet. 15’ (or more) right-of-way clear for emergency vehicles. Pre-write Messages Vendor booth numbering - Vendor booths are generally a Facebook: “Our Street Fair has specialty vendors, music, 10’ x 10’ space . Mark off vendor spaces by wri4ng in chalk or dance and theater performed by our local arts community.” removable marks before the fair. Take 2 volunteers and a 10 TwiYer: “Check out our fabulous Street Fair vendors (link)” foot s4ck, rope or measuring tape. Food Considera3ons - Food vendors require hand-washing Vendor Ads – Offer a shared adver4sement space to vendors sinks and grey water disposal. Leave space for those items or who might want to feature products unique to your fair. let vendors know to include them in their own foot print. Set up barbecues or cook-off compe44ons at the outer edges of the fair or in a loca4ons downwind of immediate vendors and entertainment ac4vi4es. Place food vendors and alcoholic beverages close together. The back side of these areas should have access to vehicles so that people can resupply ice or beverages. *Whenever you have street vendors, leave space for shoppers so people who want to linger won’t stop the flow of pedestrian traffic. A 6 foot wide pedestrian lane between vendor tents or booths works well. Evalua3on Street fair planning gets easier the second year. Look at your fair from vendors’ point of view. Include an evalua4on form in registra4on materials and on check in. Pick up evalua4on forms at the end of your fair. Email a link to an online form and ask for comments immediately following the fair. Make use of online survey to FB posts by vendors increase promo4ons assess opinion from these par4cipants. 6