Booth ideas

[Vikki]

Doug, I don't have any information for you, just another question.
But it's sort of on the same subject (actually I was going to start a thread when I saw yours).

Has anyone here done any displays for their work?
I'm thinking about setting up a booth at a local home show, and looking for ideas.
I'm thinking this would be more of an advertising display rather than point of purchase - just to make people aware of my service.
The big question is, how to present the work. I'd like something that stands right out and doesn't need a lot of attention.
I'd also like to have an appropriate (but inexpensive) give-a-way item.
If you were strolling through, what would you like to see, or what would catch your attention?
Thanks

[DJ Dubovsky]

Excellent ideas Vikki. For give aways, you can get magnetic business card backs at $20 a pack of 100 or there are companies that print your business name and info on pencils, pens, can openers etc. Don't know how cheap that would be though. The magnetic cards you can do yourself.

As for displays, check out the business challenges we did for some ideas and I would make up a folder for your table with prints of your before and after work and maybe seperate the portfolio by degrees such as minor damage, major damage, colorization, manipulation etc. Have eye catching samples laying loose to attract attention. A poster behind you to direct them to your table maybe.

I went to an Art Portfolio display recently for the graduates of the Fort Lauderdale School of Arts and thats what they had on their tables. They even put out candies and they had standing displays and a portfolio you could thumb through with business cards and information brochures. For you it would be price listings and services you provide.

Good luck and let us know how things go if you do this.
DJ

[Vikki]

Thanks DJ!
The candles idea got me thinking of having a "parlor room" sort of setting. Maybe a Victorian type with some restored photos on the walls and maybe a couple of big antique photo albums to show off the restorations.

That's a good idea to seperate the photos by categories. I think that would be the easiest way to offer some pricing guides too.

I'll have to look through those promotional catalogs....see if I can find something that ties in with photographs. I just thought of something that I could make myself - bookmarks.

I also think I'll make a video that shows the "before" and then fades into the "after". (I have a video card that lets me output to a VCR).

Thanks for getting the creative ideas flowing!

[Ed_L]

Vikki,

The magnetic business cards Debbie mentioned are really good. We used them when I was in the home remodeling business. We've had people call for an estimate 3 or 4 years after we gave them the card! People tend to use them, and they don't get lost.

Several moons ago when I was shooting weddings, I would set up a 20 X 24 on a easel (along with business cards). This would be displayed at the reception, and it got a few jobs for me. I also frequented the local firehouse, and whenever they had something going on, I would display my work there also.

I think you have some good ideas. Good luck on it.

Ed

[DJ Dubovsky]

You're on a roll girl. Go with it. Eccellent ideas all around and food for thought for others thinking along the same lines. Good for you. Never thought about the book marks but I like the idea.
DJ

[Doug Nelson]

How about a free "old time photo" as mentioned elsewhere in this forum. Use a digital camera to keep overhead down, have a couple of costumes (fronts only) and print in a sepia tone. Naturally you wouldn't print onsite, so they'd have to leave their name and address so you could send the print (normal envelope postage) and then you'd have the beginnings of a database (and each print could have your logo and/or URL).

[Vikki]

Doug, what a coincidence!! I was just talking with a woman yesterday, who has a small station set up in Ames department store, doing that very thing! (It's part of a chain)
Actually, that's how I got the idea of setting up some type of display station myself. (someone had told me, mistakenly, that they were offering restoration work, and I had to check it out)
According to her, several people initially thought she was selling restoration services, which they don't. Naturally, I gave her my card and she was more than willing to send future inquiries to me.

As far as me taking those types of photos......I don't have it in me.
I would love to be a photographer, but I'm really not qualified. I also don't want to confuse anyone about my business. But, I can do "hand coloring", and sepia, which is sort of along the same lines, so I'll make sure to showcase some of those techniques.

Thanks, everyone! I'm getting some good ideas from this brainstorming.

[Doug Nelson]

Is your friend working the days of the expo? You could cooperate, promote both your businesses.

[Vikki]

Doug,
Actually I just met the woman, and she's from Rochester. Unless she calls me, I wouldn't know how to contact her.
Too bad, that's a good idea.

[Doug Nelson]

Plan 1:
Call or visit the Ames and ask

Plan 2:
Find someone else doing the same thing

[thomasgeorge]

Vikki, Since you have a video card which will output to VCR, perhaps some sort of slide show featuring your restores and colorizations would grab some attention as well as advertising photoCD albums for your customers. Tom

[Chris W.]

OH Vikki,

What fun that trade show will be I'm envious.

A couple of ideas for you:

Print out an example of each ie. restoration, manipulation, retouch, etc. on photo paper showing the before and after probably on an 8x10 size or bigger if you could do it. Then using the push pins get the heavy duty board I'm not sure what it's called but it is a poster board with styrofoam in the middle. Put your images on it and stand it on an easel next to the table...or if you can have an easel at each end of the table...that would be big enough to stop people who are walking by and make them take a closer look. Then as the others suggested perhaps get the plastic sheet protectors and put more samples as well as pricing info in them then put it in a binder...maybe might do a couple or three of those just so people don't have to wait in line to view them. Also keep them open to a sample page as they're laying on the table as this would be another eye catcher for people walking by. You might also get some one-sided flyers done in black and white with your basic info...you could design it yourself and then have a print shop make a bunch of copies on maybe a cream colored paper....that way people can take info with them so they don't forget.

I don't know how much you might want to spend on giveaways, but here's a site that sells blank magnetic photo frames with your company info in the center punch out part.

http://www.extra-mile.com/decal/gl-1248photofrm.htm

You might be able to find a wholesale company that sells them for less as they just can't be that expensive to make.

Just some ideas hope they help a little.

Have a great time at the show and lots of fun!