Advice from B & K Enterprises
Kathryn Wright organized the South Jersey Pumpkin Show for years. She is the owner of B & K Enterprises and is sharing why promoters should spend more money advertising their events.
“Advertise, advertise, and advertise some more,” Wright said. “There are many promoters, organizers, and nonprofits that hold street fairs, craft shows and pop-up shops. For some reason, they think posting the details on a few Facebook pages and placing one sign out in front of the facilities is going to bring out thousands of shoppers.”
She said free listings in local newspapers will also not pack a show with shoppers.
Wright attended a craft fair at a local school with more than 125 vendors. She said the vendor fee was $45, and 33 people went there to shop.
There were no newsprint ads, no yard signs, and not even a sign in front of the school, Wright said. When she asked the promoter about it, the stock answer was, “We are a nonprofit,” she said.
Wright said not putting effort into promoting a show is the biggest mistake organizers make. Her advice for overcoming this is to take one-third of the total proceeds collected from vendors and sponsors and put that toward advertising.
Advertising should include newsprint, radio commercials, direct mail postcards, posters, and yard signs that are readable, she said. Wright recommends having vendors email the flyer to their friends, families, and business contacts. “Create a press release and email it to at least 100 media outlets,” she said. “Go to other big events and hand out to visitors a flyer about your event. This is just a little idea. Make a website for just your event with when, where, what.”
The South Jersey Pumpkin Show was Oct. 8 and 9.