The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
I blame Velda.
Of course.
This event came at us late, after we’d booked our 4th quarter. It’s a first time event.
It’s a rule: Don’t. Do. First. Time. Events.
But, the organizer did help us get into the Boutique Fantastique at Saugus High 4 years ago, and she definitely wanted us to be a part of her new event that’s a fundraiser for the Valencia High softball team.
But it’s on a bad date, just 9 days before Christmas and halfway through Hanukkah (too late for holiday shopping, right?).
Oh, and they’re getting seventy (70) vendors for this first time event. That’s way too many unless the crowd is enormous.
For a first time event.
And, did I mention, Velda had to work at her “job” this weekend? So, I would be solo at the event.
However, she said to do it. It fit on the calendar. What was I supposed to do?
I know: just do the event and get it over with.
New Ideas
- We teamed up with our friend Nicole, who makes lovely ceramics. She made 2 versions of soap dishes, which are now offered for the first time by Mrs M.
- 6:30a load-in, and Mrs M took pity on me. She’ll help me set up, and then leave do go to her “job.” I appreciate the help, truly.
- I have no expectations for this event. Well, I want to cover costs, certainly, but beyond that … no expectations. I’ve stated sales could be anywhere between $500 and $1,500. I don’t care. No expectations.
- Gretchen Wilson, who hales from Pocahontas, IL, said it very well: “I’m here for the party.”
Observations
- Event # 15 of 15 in our 4th quarter.
- Sunday about 6p, it’ll be party time. But until then … back to business.
- Can I nominate the graphic for this event as the worst of the year? They need a little bit of Christmas spirit to go with their mascot. Or, perhaps, instead of their mascot. IMHO.
- Sports marketing is not my thing, so I’ll concentrate on marketing something I know about … like lotion bars.
- Load in was at 6:30a; I was there a few minutes early, and the organizer led me into parking right by the gym. Load in was as easy as it could be.
- Except for the student volunteers … who didn’t arrive until 6:45a. Don’t know why their call time wasn’t at 6:15a, but I don’t make the rules. I was mostly loaded in before the volunteers offered to help me.
- In the end, load in was easy, and Mrs M helped with set up as much as she could.
- The event started at 10a, and I had customers that came to see me fill the opening hours. It was 12n before I could look at the clock. Sales were not brisk, but I was busy helping people. Far beyond my expectations, luckily.
- I finally got lunch at 1p, and was promptly ‘whelmed again by ladies clamoring for lotion bars. Happy to help; my sandwich had to wait.
- Mostly, the aisles were empty. My neighbor hadn’t made her booth fee at the end of Saturday. Some did OK, others were frustrated. I was just happy that the party was coming.
- Sunday, the aisles were empty. As expected.
- Vendors started disappearing Saturday night, actually; not all returned for Sunday. Some vendors had started packing at 2p on Sunday, which is sad. The event wasn’t generating many sales, true, but when vendors start to leave any customers that are there just see “over.” The rules were clear: don’t leave before 4p, or you won’t be asked back. I wonder if the organizers were, uh, organized enough – and have the backbone – to enforce that rule.
- My last customer came to the booth and bought several gift bags from Mrs M … at 4:03pm. We never leave early.
- Load out was about like load in: Mrs M helped, thankfully. Student volunteers were absent, though one Dad did help us quite a bit. I was surprised that this event, conceived as a large money maker for the softball team, did not have the full support of the team, the coaches & parents. Perhaps they’d like to return to the mandatory selling of tickets to a different fundraiser, as they’ve done in year’s past?
- Our “success” at this event was driven by repeat customers coming to find us, often at our specific invitation. That’s why we had the sales that we did.
- Remember how I said sales could be from $500 to $1,500? We ended up near the high end of that range, because of our legacy customers. Had we relied on the customers brought by the promoter, we would have been near the low end of the range … and only achieved that because the other vendors were so bored, they went shopping in Mrs M’s booth. Thankfully.
Addition, 12/18/17
The Signal covered the event, complete with a picture of me and another of Mrs M’s products. They didn’t identify me well, nor did I even know the Signal was photographing me! In any event, here’s the link.
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: Bagels & cream cheese, at home.
Saturday Lunch: Jersey Mike’s small sub … not enough.
Saturday Snack: Nope.
Saturday Dinner: Backyard Grub & Brew. New place, to me, and well worth the visit. I had short ribs. Yum.
Sunday Breakfast: Santa Clarita’s 2nd best breakfast burrito, from Jimmy Dean’s
Sunday Lunch: The Heart Attack sandwich from the smoked meat vendor that was outside. It was better than average … not great.
Sunday Snack: Mrs M gave me a can of nuts to eat, so I did.
Sunday Dinner: We we went to a new place, Mama’s Table, for comfort food. We were about the only people there, but the food was good. Definitely recommended.
The Facts
- Total miles driven: 12
- Booth cost: $210
- Food cost: $16
- Travel cost: $9
- Total sales: $1,291
- Net Revenue (does not include product cost): $1,056
- # of people we met during the event from the producer: 1
- Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: several
- Saturday alarm: 5:15a
- Sunday alarm: nope
- # transactions: 35
- # soap & lotion vendors: one other, who was doing the “organic, natural” thing.
- # woodworking vendors: 2 others. 1 was making American flags in various derivations, and the other was a first-timer making cutting boards.
- Edge grain vs. end grain: 10:0
- Returning next year? maybe
Boards sold: 10
Trivets: 4
Custom Order: 1
Lazy Susan: 2
Magic Bottle Opener: 1
Cheese Board: 1
Large Cheese & Cracker Server: 1
I completely agree with you regarding the student helpers. Although they were there Saturday morning, they all but disappeared Sunday afternoon. I would think that since this is benefiting the Girls Softball Team the students and parents would be right there to help. With 74 vendors spending a minimum of $100.00 per booth space there should have been more participation. I also feel students who were there to help should have worn some form of identification to let vendors know they were the volunteers. I was glad to participate. Some of my customers came to pick up their special orders which meant I didn’t have to deliver. They also shopped at other booths so it was a win-win situation for all.
Part of the problem may be that this event is off season for the team … not sure if the softball program is active in December. That might limit the number of new player participants, so you’re left with the upper classwomen that are returning for another season. Those older players are also those most likely to have jobs & other conflicts. In the end, not my problem … but this event had a paucity of student support when compared to last week’s VHS Choir event, or last month’s Saugus PTSO event.