I’m one of those people who know exactly how things should be done, until the time comes for me to do what is said. For example, before I had my puppy Jade, I was the best puppy mother in the world. I spoke fluently about crate and obedience training. I secretly rolled my eyes at dogs not coming when called and stories about 1 year olds not yet housebroken. In the first year Jade lived with me, she took antibiotics three times for bacterial infections caused by eating goose poop (because my dog ​​wouldn’t come when called and ignored the “leave” command); when I moved out of my apartment (where Jade had lived with me for the last 9 months), the entire apartment had to be professionally cleaned because she Jade refused to go to the bathroom anywhere other than the carpet in my living room. And she has spent a grand total of 6 hours in a box in her entire life.

Having said that, it probably doesn’t surprise anyone that I decided I knew exactly how to set up a sales booth. Before I continue, let me explain my background. I literally grew up in the direct selling industry (my mother is the founder of the educational products company Discovery Toys). I currently work for the corporate offices of a direct sales company and helped produce the training available to our sales force on how to be successful at booths and events. I have attended numerous craft fairs and trade shows and happily pointed out what I considered to be mistakes made by vendors at these events. So when I was asked to set up a display of my product (I sell pet supplies) at a “pre-show” for the local Junior League (the Junior League is having a Christmas boutique this November and they asked some vendors that I attended one of their meetings earlier this week to whet people’s appetites for the Christmas boutique), I loved the opportunity to showcase what I was convinced was my experience in display and booth sales. Before the event, I carefully packed all the products and supplies I felt I would need for the 90-minute show and headed to my designated location. This is what I learned from that event.

RULE #1: Bring a solid color tablecloth to decorate your table

There were four vendors scheduled to display their wares at this preshow, and only one had arrived before me. The first vendor was a representative for a jewelry company and had most of their products installed when I got there. His table had been artfully covered with an attractive black velvet tablecloth. I looked at my table, which had no tablecloth, it looked exactly as it was: a folding table with no tablecloth.

RULE #2: Bring some stands and small display easels to better showcase your product

For me, the easiest way to create a display is to lay out all of my product and then arrange it. When setting up a display, it’s always a good idea to have products on different levels and to support items that might otherwise lie flat (plastic display stands can be purchased at almost any craft store). Of course, I had forgotten to bring such a thing (despite the fact that my warehouse has a container full of display accessories). So while I was trying to manage as best I could, I kept sneaking a peek at the jewelry table. Naturally, the jewelry rep not only had black velvet covered level stands that exactly matched her tablecloth, but she also had black velvet T-stands to display items like her bracelets.

RULE #3: The only items on your table should be your product and marketing collateral.

Actually, I have to give the jewelry rep credit for giving me this rule. Her younger sister, who was there helping her get settled in, was drinking a can of Coke and left it on the display table only to be reprimanded “take the can off the table, we are not advertising or selling Coke!” Line!” The statement actually made a lot of sense to me, and I nodded in sage agreement with her comment as I hurriedly shoved my own water bottle (which moments before had been resting on the edge of my table) into my bag.