44. How to Rock Pop-Up and Vendor Events This Summer

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Summer is here, and that means one thing for small business owners: pop-up shop season! Whether you're a vendor event newbie or a seasoned pro who needs a refresher, this episode is your go-to prep guide. Whitney breaks down what to bring, how to set up, and how to hype your booth like a boss before the event even begins. Plus, get your hands on a free pop-up checklist to help you feel totally prepared!

What You'll Learn:

• The ultimate vendor event checklist (don't forget your portable charger!)
• How to prep your booth to attract and engage
• Easy pre-event marketing tips that build buzz
• What to do during and after to maximize your efforts
• Bonus tips for creating memorable moments and growing your email list

✨ Free Resource:
Download Your Free Pop-Up Checklist Here

Connect with Whitney:
Instagram: @aguonstudios
Website: aguonstudios.com

Join the Conversation:
Going to a pop-up soon? Tag Whitney on Instagram so she can hype you up!

Cheers! Thank you for joining us for another episode. Have a chaotic moment, question, or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message or leave a review! If you loved this episode, share it with a friend who thrives in beautiful chaos too.

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The views and opinions expressed by guests on Caffeinated Chaos are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or positions of Whitney Aguon or Aguon Studios LLC. The content shared by guests is for informational and entertainment purposes only. We encourage listeners to do their own research and form their own...

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
We're diving into something Iknow a lot of us are thinking
about as the weather starts toheat up, and that is pop-up
shops and vendor events, whetheryou're brand new to doing
in-person events or a seasonedpro who just needs a little
refresher.
I've got you covered.
We're talking about prepping forsuccess, hyping your business

(00:20):
before the big day, and all thelittle details that make or
break the experience.
Oh.
And a quick heads up, if youwant a little extra help, I've
put together a free popupchecklist you can download right
now.
It's linked in the show notes.
Grab it and make sure you don'tmiss a thing when you're
prepping for your next event.
So since it's hot outside, grabyour iced coffee and let's get

(00:42):
into it.
Welcome to Caffeinated Chaos,where business deals happen
between diaper changes andfriendships are fueled by
caffeine.
I'm Whitney GaN, your host, andI'm here to talk all things
business parenthood, and ofcourse keeping up with the BFFs,
whether you're juggling theboardroom, the playroom, or just
here for some coffee fuel chaos.
We've got you covered.

(01:02):
Get ready for real talk, laughsand a whole lot of heart as we
dive into the beautiful messthat is entrepreneurship,
parenthood, and everything inbetween.
So let's embrace the chaostogether.
Ated, of course.
Summer is prime time for vendorevents.
People are out and about.

(01:23):
Markets are thriving, and it'sthe perfect time to get in front
of a brand new audience.
Think about it.
Outdoor festivals, local farmersmarkets, craft fairs, community
block parties.
People want to shop small andsupport local.
Your perfect customer couldliterally just be scrolling by
with a snow cone in hand.

(01:44):
So if you've been waiting for asign to get your booth game on,
this is it.
Let's talk about how you canprep like a pro.
Okay.
Here's your checklist.
Before you even show up oneinventory check, make sure that
you have enough product readyand then some.
It's better to have extra thanto run out early.

(02:05):
Two, have clear pricing.
Price tags should be superobvious.
People hate guessing and there'sjust not enough of you to go
around to answer everyone'squestions about how much things
cost.
Three table setup, bring atablecloth, cute displays, maybe

(02:26):
some height levels to makevisual to make it visually
interesting.
Don't just lay everything flat.
I used to help my friend withthis in her Kindle business.
Layers my friends lots and lotsof layers so that you can have
things.
Look visually appeasing.
This one's a bit of a checklist,so make sure you have the
following.

(02:46):
Do you have a car reader forpavements?
Plenty of change if you areaccepting cash bags for
purchases.
Business cards.
Portable charger for your phone.
Water, snacks, sunscreen, ifit's outdoors, but also you
should still have water andsnacks if you're indoors, tape,
scissors, safety pins, you know,all the just in case stuff.

(03:11):
And this one is really importantand one that I love.
Practice your layout at homeseriously.
Set up a mock booth in yourliving room, it will save you so
much stress the day of.
Take a picture of what exactlyyou want it to look like.
This especially helps if youhave someone else who is helping
you so that they can refer tothe picture and not have to keep

(03:33):
asking you, where does this go?
What about this?
How do I set up this?
It's great to have a picture andalso you can keep using that
picture over and over for eachpopup.
Okay.
Let's talk now about marketingyourself before the event.
Okay?
If you show up and hope for thebest, you are leaving so much

(03:54):
opportunity and money on thetable, here are some ways that
you can hype yourself ahead oftime.
Create a countdown, post it onyour social media, Instagram,
Facebook stories, buildexcitement.
Start teasing it at at least oneto two weeks, I would say one to
two weeks beforehand.

(04:14):
Start showing behind the scenescontent.
Show yourself prepping for yourproducts, packing your booth
kit, loading your car.
People love to be brought alongfor the ride Share event
details.
Where is it?
What time?
What are other vendors that youknow are gonna be there?
Make it easy for people to showup.

(04:37):
One of the things I always foundinteresting was events would
happen and people would be like,okay, what?
Where's the parking?
So if you know where the park,where the best parking spots are
for this event, suggest itbecause they will be grateful
that you gave it to them andthey will come see you.
Exclusive offers.

(04:57):
Okay.
This is where I want you tostart thinking.
Is there gonna be some kind ofexclusive offer for the event?
A freebie, a discount, somethingonly available in person.
People kind of love that feelingof exclusivity.
Four.
During the event, I want you tomaximize your impact.
All right?
So you've set up now what?

(05:19):
Don't just smile and sit and youknow, wait for someone to start
engaging you.
I want you to smile and greeteveryone.
You don't have to be salesy, youdon't have to be pushy.
Just be friendly andapproachable.
Okay?
I want you to capture content.
Take pictures of your boothselfies at the events, mini

(05:39):
videos walking around.
You can use these for days afterto keep the momentum going, and
this gives you great contentthat you can repurpose later as
well.
Collect emails, have a littlesignup sheet or QR code for a
giveaway.
Grow your list because those arethe people who will most likely
buy from you again and againwithout having to constantly go

(06:03):
to a vendor pop up.
So grow your list while you'rethere.
Okay.
Network with other vendors.
Some of your best futurecollaborations, referrals, and
even friendships will come frompeople behind the neighboring
tables.
Make friends with yourneighbors.
I just wanna throw in some bonustips here.
A couple bonus tips that youknow are just a few extra things

(06:26):
that could make a hugedifference.
Have an.
What's called an elevator pitch.
Ready?
Be ready to quickly explain whoyou are and what you offer in
one to two sentences.
So this is something you mightwant to rehearse ahead of time.
So think of it as something justshort and sweet.

(06:47):
Create a wow moment.
Whether it's a fun.
Branded freebie, eye catchingpackaging, or just an over the
top friendly service.
Give the people something thatthey will remember you by.
All right.
And most importantly, follow up.
After the event, hop on socialsand think everyone who came by,

(07:07):
post a little recap.
Encourage your buyers to postwhat they got and tag you.
Share what you loved about it.
Keep building these connections.
It's all right.
So those are just a few extralittle bonus tips that I have
for you.
Summer is seriously the besttime to put yourself out there.

(07:30):
When I go out and I meet vendorsat popups, my business really
supports small vendors, and so Iused to like.
Be the ones printing cards orbanners or anything like that.
And I would show up with allthese bags to a popup location
as everyone is setting up, and Iwould pass them out like candy,

(07:53):
like, oh, here's your businesscards.
Thanks for your order, and who'sthis?
And there's this.
So for me, I attend popups toget to know the vendors and
support local artists in myarea.
But as a vendor who is sellingat the.
Popup.
It is important that you comeprepared, that you make the most

(08:13):
out of it, especially if you arepaying a fee to be part of it.
You wanna make sure that you atleast get your money back and
grow your business while there,right?
It's all about moving theneedle, so seriously, summer is
the best time to put yourselfout there.
Meet new customers face to face.
Breathe in some fresh new energyinto your business.

(08:35):
It doesn't have to be perfect.
Trust me, some of my bestsellingevents were the messiest set up
behind the scenes.
Just show up, smile big.
And remember, you are plantingseeds for future sales,
collaborations and opportunitiesthat you can't even see yet
don't forget to download ourfree popup checklist from the

(08:56):
link in the show notes.
It'll help you feel moreorganized, confident, and
hopefully ready to totally rockyour next event.
Remember, you've got this and ifyou're going to a popup soon,
tag me on Instagram so I canhype you up too.
And if you're nearby, I willdefinitely be checking it out.
That's it for today's episode.
Thanks for hanging out with me.

(09:16):
Don't forget to subscribe to thepodcast.
Leave us a review if thisepisode gave you just a little
bit of boost of confidence.
Until next time, staycaffeinated, stay chaotic, and
don't forget your sunscreen ifyou are gonna be vending
outside.
Bye now.