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 Booking
up your Calendar, So many shows, so little time!
First Published: Aug 2004
Last Update: Aug 2004
Author: Kurt Irmiter
You know the saying about real estate, restaurants and retail; "Location,
Location, Location"! Well, my saying here is; Organization, Organization,
Organization,!
In this article I will deal with the process of how to go about filling your
calendar, hopefully with nothing but great and profitable shows. Keep in mind
though, this article does not deal with good show selection, which is another
topic all together which we will cover in the future.
The reason I list Organization as your top priority is that with all the
different requirements and deadlines necessary to apply to an event and the need
to apply to multiple events for each weekend you want to fill, you must be
organized.
1) Create your list. Research all the possible events on a given weekend in all
of the sources you use, and select at least five to twenty possibilities for
each weekend. To develop your list, the source I recommend is, (of course)
Festival Network Online (http://www.festivalnet.com).
Another good site to check for other sources is, (http://www.craftsfaironline.com
) which lists lots of other possibilities. Again, here I am not going to address
how you select what may be a good show for you and your product, just the
process. Make your selections as far in advance as possible, 6-12 months, so you
don't miss deadlines and then organize your list in priority order by
application deadline. If you have events on your list that you don't have the
deadline for, call those first and make sure that the deadline has not passed.
2) Narrow it down. Call each event (working through your list in order of
deadlines) and verify the information you have; dates, fees, attendance, number
of booths, nature of the event, application requirements, deadlines... This is
always a good idea regardless of the source, as things change and sometimes
wrong information is provided by the event sponsor. When you call, also try to
get a feel for the event from the person you talk with. Ask questions like, "Do
they have a lot of returning exhibitors/vendors each year", "Is it difficult to
get in", "Has attendance been up or down in recent years", "Do the people that
attend like to spend"? Ask if you can get the name and number of a returning
exhibitor/vendor. You can sometimes get enough of an idea from your conversation
to determine that you don't want to request an application. But, if all checks
out and the deadline has not passed, request the application.
3) Keep it all on track. Now that you have all these applications coming in, you
must make sure nothing slips through the cracks. You may want use a contact
manager or database program to keep your information organized, but a file
cabinet and file folders work fine too. One thing you absolutely must have, is a
"To Do" calendar, be it a hard copy day planner, or a calendar/day planner
program on your computer. This is where you keep track. Every time you do
something on an event (request application, return application, make follow-up
call...) be sure there is an entry made in your planner for the next step that
needs to be taken. It may be a week, a month or two days in the future, but make
sure there is an entry somewhere in your calendar/planner for every event you
are pursuing. You should always pursue 3-10 events for each weekend you want to
work. This will maximize your odds.
4) Follow-up is very important. Stay on top of each and every event. Once the
application is requested, put a follow-up in your "To Do" calendar to check back
in two weeks if the application has not arrived. After the application is filled
out and sent back, put a follow-up in your "To Do" calendar to check in two
weeks to make sure they got it. After you have been accepted, put a follow-up in
your "To Do" calendar to send your booth fee by the required date. After you
send your fees and contract, put a follow-up in your "To Do" calendar to check
in two weeks to make sure they got your check, contract, permits... You get the
drift.
If you will follow this process for each weekend you want to work and research
at least 5 -30 events for each of those weekends, you should have a full
calendar and hopefully a prosperous year! Good Luck!
Article by:
Kurt Irmiter (kurt@festivalnet.com)
Kurt is co-owner of Festival Network Online (
http://festivalnet.com ).
He has 20 years of festival, entertainment, and business experience.
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