The Big Show!

Hi guys!  I know it's been a while.  I have been swamped!  From working on the preparation for the New England Giftware and Specialty Food Show, to filling orders after AND making more soaps, some package redesign and new product development, I simply ran out of time.

 

I had a great time at the New England Giftware and Specialty Food Show! As a new exhibitor (and a perfectionist or "detail oriented" person - so I am told) I was very nervous and tried to think of everything possible.   I spoke with 2 business woman that had done the show before to ask them what to expect, I had plenty of documents prepared and printed, I even bought new sensible but cute shoes!   In the end, I was perfectly prepared.     I met soo many new people!  Both vendors and buyers alike.  I made new friends, captured many new accounts and got many leads for future possibilities!  

 

Here are some pictures from the show.

 

Here is my booth set up.  2 bookcases on the sides featured my product line.  I brought 5 different products to the event.  Soap bars, Sea Shells & Sea Urchins, Laundry Detergent, Dryer Sachets and the NEW Casco Bay Collection.  I also had space at the very bottom for extra storage, so added some cloth bins and kept extra "office" type stuff in there, my lint roller ( I was wearing all black after all) and other little things.  Mr. Casco Bay made me the back wall.  It is free standing so we didn't have to fuss with hanging or attaching anything to the pipe and drape set up (which came with the booth price, so it was all set up for us). We added some lights and some snazzy posters.   The table in front of it held each product so buyers could pick it up and touch/smell it and each product had a Line Sheet full of purchasing information on the table in front of it.  The booth was 8' deep by 10' wide.  It was perfect in size.  I could have several buyers in there at once.  Some looking at the book cases and others talking with me at the table.  It worked out great.  And as an aside, believe me,  I steamed that white tablecloth.  I considered bringing my steamer BACK to steam it again, but didn't.  It bothered me all weekend.  I guess I am a perfectionist after all.  Oh well!

 

I even brought a printer, see it in the back corner?

 

A closer look at my table.

 

Here is the NEW Casco Bay Collection displayed.

 

 

Yours truly, day 2!

 

 

This fuzzy guy stopped to see me one day.  A service dog, he was soo sweet and loved lounging right in my booth.  He stopped a lot of folks.  They all wanted to pet him.  His name was Bear.

 

 

Best New Product?  The show offers a table at the entrance to the event that is full of products entered into it Best New Product contest.  The Maine Made program has a similar table full of their members great products.  Lots of great new product!   This did lead several buyers to my booth to check out the Sea Urchin Soaps in person (and orders too)!  I didn't win, but my friends at Casco Bay Butter did!  They placed 2nd in the food category!  Great job!!

 

And our 3rd and last day fell on St. Patrick's Day.  Giraffe Events was soo great and helpful during the entire event, they really put on a great show for vendors and buyers alike.  Every day they came by with free water for vendors and had a Newspaper style newsletter featuring the days events and/or news AND soo much more!   On St. Patrick's' Day, when we got there, we had this cute little cupcake and a poem welcoming us. Great job Giraffe Events!

 

Special thanks goes out to:

 

Mr. Casco Bay - he did a great job building all that I wanted and dropping me off and picking me up each day.  He even came early at the end of each day dressed in nice pants and a shirt to watch the booth while I visited the ladies room.

 

Alison of Festive Fish and my friend Pat for all their advice as I prepared for the show.

 

My friend Angela who was wonderful moral support behind the scenes and every single day checked in with me and kept telling me how great I was! 

 

My friend Deede who came and watched my booth for a bit so I could eat lunch.

 

My fellow show vendors Christine of Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants and the gals at Casco Bay Butter who offered support during the show.

Onward and upwards for Casco Bay Soap Co.!