February 20th, 2009- Sharing what I've learned from a few experiences.

I've sold my product at a few live events in the past few months, and as I've announced recently, I'll be embarking on my biggest live event sales adventure this coming July on the Vans Warped Tour in Boston. From my experiences and helpful tips passed along to me, here's a small list of things that may be otherwise inconspicuous or overlooked- I'd like to try and touch upon them here.

Plan your inventory on hand for the crowd at hand.
If you're selling at a show/concert, figure out based on the bands that are playing who exactly will be there with plans to potentially grab some gear. Demographic survey is of critical importance. This isn't so much a matter of "scene profiling" or "judging the crowd." Rather, think in terms of age range and the value of your product to the specific age group. Details such as the following- Is this an all ages event? Perhaps it's 18 plus and starts at 11 PM on a typical school night. Get a good idea of who your live audience will be if at all possible.

Presentation is extemely important, but so is proximity and convienience.

Your table/booth should look inviting and attractive. Use your preparation time wisely and plan ahead to make sure you'll have ample space for your intended purposes- if the event is open ended in terms of available vendor space (such as you being lucky enough to be the only one selling product), or if you have the width of your table and the depth of your unfolded chair worth of space to have everything out and visible. either situation is workable, but it helps to know what you're getting into.

Besides having everything LOOKING good, make sure you are able to quickly grab at products. It can be a detrement to the overall quality of service if you're fishing around in mixed totes and shipping boxes for a women's small and keep pulling out men's mediums.

I like to bring setup/teardown plastic shelving- under $30 dollars per 52" section at any Home Depot- and stack a few neatly shirt/hoodies/etc. folded in each size, in each design for quick and painless access. Keep overstock folded and neatly organized in whatever you brought the shirts to the event in-- I personally use transparent XL totes for easy visual recognition of the tote's contents.

Offer a bulk pricing incentive.

People love to save money and get products they want-- obviously. Consider implementing this theorum in a mutually beneficial manner for you and the customer. Price your items strategically- have price tags set so it MAKES SENSE FINANCIALLY to buy more than one piece.

Here's an example of what I mean: One shirt- $20. Three shirts- $55. Sounds easy- use it to your advantage and attract multi-item tickets.


***I hope to write more informative posts like this in the future regarding several aspects of remaining organized and professional in this business. Feedback is much appreciated on these posts. Do not hesitate to let me know-- william (at) thisisprestigious (dot) org.

William.