What are some things I can do for trade show success on a small budget?
148490
Here are some tips on how you can maximize your trade show participation from the article "Five Tips for Trade Show Success on a Small Budget" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol135/tradeshow.htm\n\n1. Have a sales representative exhibit your line at a trade show if you can't afford a booth and travel expenses\n2. Rent a temporary space at a wholesale gift mart or showroom\n3. Share a trade show booth and expenses with a related but non-competing business in your niche.\n4. Make over your current displays instead of buying new ones. \n5. Purchase used trade show displays rather than springing for new ones. \n\nYou may also want to read the other articles on how to make the most of trade show marketing on this page: http://www.powerhomebiz.com/marketing/trade.htm
446464
if you are working for a company, try to check if they can match what you raise. or you can buy a nice gift like ipod, portable dvd, ticket for games then raffle it by selling ticket and draw. or you can bake a cake and sell it at your office. collect gift stuff (make sure it's brand new, with tags) that were kept from x'mas season from your friends, neighbor, family and co-workers to auction or sell as garage sale but explain that it will be donated for a good cause, that will support your action. good luck...
785544
Garage sale. Advertise your neighborhood about it. Put a leaflet at the Mc Donald's.\n\nDon't ask much for it, remember that new parts are much better and cheaper than what you bought...\n\nEbay is good but not local so the price of sending would be more than the stuff itself.
1077667
You can look up fundraising on the net and find lots of companies that are willing to help you sell their stuff. Also, many direct sales companies, like Avon, have a fundraising catalog you can sell from, giving you a portion of the sales. Of course, there's always the time honored ones like bake sales, brat & hot dog sales, car washes, garage sales, auctions, golf events, walks & rides (for miles traveled), raffles and other such activities. You can put cans out at several businesses, with your particular event listed on the side. Hold a spaghetti, chili, chicken, steak, soup, salad, or other such dinner. I belong to Habitat For Humanity and I'm on the fundraising committee. We're looking for new ideas, because we've done all the above ideas. They're good, but we're always looking for something unique, that will get people's attention. We do something called Shanty Town, where everyone goes around getting pledges to sleep in a cardboard box overnight. They create whatever kind of box they want, decorating it and coming up with themes or whatever. We've turned it into a real festival, with rides and games, music & food. This was our third year and we raised over $12,000...and in a rural community too!. Being creative is important, because there are hundreds of other organizations trying to do the same thing. Hope it all works out for you. <*)))><
918621
work out how much you need to earn a day  then add this to the cost of your materials (retail).other than that go to breakfast meetings at your wholesalers and talk to other sparkies they will help im sure.
681878
Depends on whether you are looking for major dealers or small shops. \n\nIf you are looking for the big hitters then you need to go through their buying departments and get them to stock it.  \n\nIf you are looking for the small guys then go to trade shows, take a stall and get them interested.
851586
Look for neighborhood bulletin boards at grocery stores, etc. and put some of your business cards on them.\n\nWrite postcards to your friends telling them about your new venture, and offering to help with holiday gift ideas.\n\nInvite a few close friends over for coffee, cocktails or white chili*, and have some of your wares conspicuously in view.  Don't make an overt sales pitch, but be ready with enthusiastic questions to the inevitable questions.\n\n*  My answer to your earlier white chili question was mostly tongue-in-cheek.  Sorry if I offended you.
805961
find craft show's and festiables in your area and get a booth area and set up. after a few times the word will get out about you. have cards printed to had out to all that stops at your area. for every  100 cards you hand out you can expect 10 sales.
970461
If you are serious find your market's trade association and plan on exhibiting at their annual and local shows.  This is where the buyers come in and find out about new products.  It costs a little but you can't find a better place to get your product in front of the buyers at one place.
977313
It depends where the stall is, and what the market is (What kind of people walk by).\nA market stall relies solely on passing trade - people do not travel specifically to buy from your stall, if you follow.\n\nChristmas is coming. Go to the wholesaler and get Xmas decorations, crackers, lights etc (Try to avoid electricsl stuff though). Make sure they are good quality and things that people can buy at the bigger shops. Sell these items cheaper than people can buy them for at the big shops. This is vital.\n\nSweets - buy loose sweets in those big plastic bags, or big plastic jars (Like wine gums, jellies etc) from the wholesaler. Break them down into small lots, bag and seal them, and sell them as individual (Small) amounts - 1/4 pound used to be the best weight.\nThe kids will pester their parents to buy these from you, and while they are there - do a sales pitch on the parents to buy your other stock.\n\nYou asked for new ideas, and these are not really new, so maybe I haven't helped too much? Sorry if that is the case.\n\nMaybe stick to the best sellers, and add new ideas in addition until you find the one you are looking for.\n\nGood luck!
117331
Try a few of these methods and watch your sales soar! \n1.   Launch a Web site. Web sites provide your company with worldwide exposure and give your customers convenient access to your services and products.  \n  \n2.   Host a grand opening or open house. Invite local business owners and residents from surrounding neighborhoods. Provide refreshments, drawings for door prizes, free merchandise samples, and have plenty of business cards and company brochures on hand.  \n  \n3.   Monitor the quality of your services and products constantly. Satisfied customers who spread the word about your business are the best source of new customers. Pay attention to pricing, customer service, product availability and prompt delivery.  \n  \n4.   Explore various types of traditional advertising methods such as classified ads, yellow page ads, television and radio spots, and display ads in magazines and on other Web sites. Go with what meets your budget and best reaches your target group.  \n  \n5.   Support a local charity by sponsoring a fundraising event such as a food drive, toy drive or walkathon. Arrange for a formal presentation of your donation with cameras at the ready and try to get a local newspaper to publish the photograph.  \n  \n6.   Distribute fliers and business cards door to door, place them under car windshield wipers and tack them to local apartment, college and community center bulletin boards.  \n  \n7.   Maintain a visible presence within your industry. Participate in trade shows, attend community events and offer to speak on your area of expertise at seminars.
1067693
working with a distributor would be the easy way to go, but you'll have lower margins to deal with.  why not test the market by working with some paintball field operators to test your products and sell directly to them along with other direct sales outlets such as ebay where expenses are low...\n\nyou should have some marketing material ready to promote your business.  i used to work as a sales consultant so if you need additional advice, email me to my yahoo address.
42299
I recommend you go to trade shows.  There are some that are just for the gift industry that would probably be helpful to you.  I've included the links to a few shows.  The best thing about purchasing from shows is that you get to see and touch the merchandise in person.  All you need is a business license and a tax id.  I hope this helps.  Good luck!
35535
Sell some things you no longer need. Ebay is great but using the local paper is fine too. Got a lot of stuff and/or friends with stuff hold a garage sale. Another thing you might want to consider is a job with a temp agency. Around where I live you can make very good money with a temporary job assignment and the agency will find you the job.
18309
Give a party for a reduced rate and make sure the host gives out your card. Word of mouth is probably really important in your business.
109188
Wow, you are like me, enjoyment of many fabulous things :) Okay So I have just a few ideas, take a look see if you can see yourself doing any of them.  I will put some links below that are to sites that give free articles, success stories (for ideas)and help with business forms, plans, naming your Biz and helping with marketing ideas, etc...\n\nTeach/tutor Cumputer use (basics at day cares or senior homes)\n\nwrite and ebook on low cost decorating and sell through a website (there is a reason most of the HGTV networks shows are on how to get a designer room on a budget)\n\nSell your arts and crafts creation via a website and/or ebay\n\nstart a fashion or home decorating website or blog (then sell advertising space)\n\nAt the end of the day it should be something you are passionate about, hope you find that :)\n\nGood Luck
664507
open and e-bay store.  go to stores that are not chains-- like little specialty shops (especially if you live in a tourist area!)  and offer them 15% of what they sell them for.   agree on a price and see if that works out.