How to have a successful event-5 things that can help

Events can be many things.  They can be a booth at a fair, a local Christmas Bazaar, or even an open house that you invite a few other vendors to.  They are all different, but in order to be successful, there are several things that have to stay the same.  Here are 5 very important things to think about before your event:

A very small open house requires a smaller display than a fair.

1. Know your event-Make sure you read the vendor rules for your event and pack for the size of event you're doing.  For instance, a fair requires a larger display, more product on hand, and possibly a canopy, while a small open house might require you to bring your own table and you would want your display to stay very simple.  Make sure you read the rules about what you can bring and what they require as well as what they provide.  Some events won't let you use your own table cloth, some require a canopy, and some limit the products you can demonstrate.  
2. Generate leads-It's best to have a give-away to generate leads for your business.  Make sure you have a raffle box to put them in.  I picked up a wooden box from the craft store, cut a hole in the top, and blinged it up with paint and glitter.  I always give away a gift certificate to generate a sale, but you can give away product, a basket of goodies like samples from other direct sales people in your network, or cash.  That's the cool thing about running your own business, it's up to you.
3. Product on hand-Make sure you have something to sell.  Most people at an event want to leave with something.  Be aware of how much product to take.  You would take much more to a fair than you would an open house.  A bazaar would be somewhere in between.  
4. Be able to make sales.  Find out if you can use your square or other card reader.  In the event that there is no wifi, do you have a hot spot?  Take cash to make change.  You want sales to go seamlessly, and people will walk away if it takes you too long to figure out the wifi password and get your square set up and ready to go.  
5. Talk to the people-If you sit and wait for the people to come to you, you will not have a successful event.  Try to engage everyone in a conversation that doesn't begin with a yes or no question.  I begin with asking how they are doing today.  Often times the automatic response is for them to ask how you're doing, even if they don't want to.  Once this happens, they feel obligated to listen to your response, at which time you can ask another question that is not a yes or now answer.  You have the power to lead them into a dialogue, but don't be hurt if someone walks by and ignores your attempt.  Keep at it, and always speak with a smile.  Not only can everyone see it, they can hear it too.  

These are just a few simple tips to make your event fantastic!