Join Forces for an Online Vendor Fair | Tips and Ideas

[ChefNelson]

A friend of mine in another state has contacted me and some other direct sales consultants about joining forces for an online vendor fair (Tastefully Simple, PC, Mary Kay, and Lia Sophia). It sounds like a pretty good idea, but none of us has a great method in mind for the execution of it. Has anyone on here ever done anything like that and could you walk me through how it was done?

We're thinking of doing it as a fundraiser for the American Heart Association (because it's February). Facebook seems like a natural way to advertise "hey, go to all of our websites and shop" but I've only ever had mediocre results doing anything that way.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[cookingwithdawn]

maybe you could have it as an event on FB and list all the links to the sites???

 

[minirottie]

I've done one and at least for me, the sales were minimal. Not sure how the others fared. Ours was a FB event that we invited people to and we did it in November, hoping for holiday sales. We each had a flyer posted, and info on it and the main page.

 

[ChefNelson]

I'm not thinking it's going to be a huge money-maker either, but it's something anyway, and as there should be minimal costs involved (and potential for bookings), I'm happy to do it. I feel as though I've exhausted my Facebook pool and just don't feel like it really gets people motivated and shopping (just did a fundraiser that way last month with 400 people invited and 8 people 'attending' we got a little over $200 in orders from 4 people). I could see it as a 'component' to the overall advertising of the 'event', but I guess I was just wondering if there was some other way that other people might have tried.

 

[pampchefsarah]

If you're not hoping for big sales (ie not enough to submit it as a show), this would be my suggestion:

I've seen some sites do drawings. They sell 100 tickets at $2.00 each, for example, and then a winner is picked to get $200.00 in product/tax/shipping. Some pick a second winner for the host benefits. For a multi-vendor event, you might take the $200 and split between you (in this case $50.00 each), and you make up a "prize bag" of products. Each vendor would post a picture (or pictures) of the prizes in a communal album (I'm assuming this is a Facebook event), and 4 winners would be chosen. In this case, the winners should pay tax & shipping, and that needs to be made clear up front.

Of course, you can always try to sell more than 100 tickets, so your either your prize bags can be better, or you can have more winners (the better chance to win, the more likely the participation). I also suggest having everyone pay for their tickets via PayPal, and send it as a gift.

 

[Dutchess]

That sounds like and interesting idea - Id like to know how it turns out

 

[pcchefjane]

Are we allowed to do that? I know we can on Facebook but thought the ban was still there on other online websites unless it was a fundraiser and had been "pre-approved" by HO.

 

[ChefNelson]

Hmmm...I don't know if I like the ticket/raffle idea so much. I do want to hopefully have enough to submit it as a show if I can. I am thinking it's essential there is some sort of bonus to be gained from the event though (gift certificates for future purchases, free products, a discount, whatever). I'm not looking to do anything we're not allowed to do, pcchefjane, just wondering what the best way is to host a virtual event.