All of us are keenly aware of the challenges facing any business today. Yet, despite the constant stream of bad economic news the number of holistic, metaphysical, and/or psychic fairs continues to grow. The number of promoters offering a variety of venues from small to large has grown dramatically just in the last year.

Holistic fairs are getting hundreds, in some places thousands of people to come out and see/experience the very latest in the field. And people are spending money at these fairs on services and products – all in the face of a gloomy economy.

At My Holistic Network, we predict that this trend will accelerate. As the baby boomer generation enters middle age and beyond, they are not satisfied with the body, mind, spirit options that exist and are seeking a fuller, richer life. One of the places that they're going to learn about and experience alternatives is holistic fairs. It's a great way to connect the seekers with the providers in a face-to-face, educational experience.

Selecting the Right Fair for Your Business

As practitioners/providers of holistic services and products, is exhibiting at a health and wellness event right for you? How do you select the best venue to showcase your business? Which promoters are bringing in customers who spend money?

Sponsoring and promoting a wellness fair, expo, or trade show is a complex marketing event that balances costs to exhibitors with costs to attendees. Effectively promoting a health and wellness event is expensive and requires extensive knowledge of the target audience(s), buying habits, media evaluation, and site selection. When considering becoming an exhibitor in a health and wellness event, ask for the sponsor/promoter’s track record. How many events have they done? What size? How many attendees came? What was the reaction of the vendors – did it work for them? Where will the fair be advertised? Besides the fair itself, what other benefits does the promoter offer? Do the promoters help exhibitors by providing discount admission coupons? Do the promoters offer to help exhibitors with their expo plan?  Will the promoters help you decide if the event is right for you – consider demographics and specialization?
 

Promoting Yourself at a Fair

Exhibiting at a fair is more than just paying money to the promoter and showing up with some business cards and fliers. It is an investment in your business potential. To be successful it requires your commitment to promoting your participation in the event, focused energy the day of the event, and follow up, follow up and more follow up.

What does your commitment really mean? 

Before the event it means YOU need to contact all of your current customers and invite them to come to the fair and bring a friend to meet YOU!  Send emails, letters, put up signs in your place of business – promote it like it was your own event. Why? Because in 7-8 hours you can meet with highly qualified new customers who can meet you face-to-face in an easy, open environment. Offer special promotions to customers to get them to come and bring their friends. 

At the event it means your total energy is focused on meeting and greeting the people who come into the fair. Get a good night’s sleep the night before – be energetic. Welcome guests into your exhibit space as you’d welcome people into your home – with a smile, enthusiasm, and joy. Please, please, please stand up – yes it’s a long day. While you are passively sitting behind a table opportunity walks right by. Shut off your cell phone – you could have stayed home to answer the phone! Offer an in-booth raffle, sign up, free sample – something that gets people to trade with you for their name, address, and email.  Now you have a ‘prospect’ list.

After the event, commitment means following up with your prospects. Send a thank you post card – include a discount on your next product promotion, class, treatment – find something that will motivate them to call you. Don’t be discouraged when no one calls – send them a different postcard every month for the next 6 months (think holidays, gift certificates, be inventive). Or, send them a thank you email also with a promotion. Send that for 6 months. Or, invite them to be part of your monthly or quarterly newsletter. Sending emails is free – keep them on your list until they ask to be taken off. 

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