Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

[Pompal 09.]

Howdy-hay, y'all!  ;DOkay, a colleague of mine and I are sharing a booth at an upcoming 3-day festival. We are supposedly the only massage therapists there which is good for us in regards to competition. However, I still want to market aggressively and was hoping y'all could help me come up with some ideas. Keep in mind that we will not be using any electricity so no fans will be running to help keep clients on our tables/chairs cool. Instead, I am bringing a cooler of cold, wet small towels to place around their necks and have seriously thought about providing some mini water bottles to those who schedule some time on our chair/table. Of course we will have a table w/ some promotional material (flyers/business cards) on it to hand out to people.Can any of you think of other ways to entice folks to get a massage at our booth? TIA!  :Be well,Jen

 

[Janet W]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

I take it you'll be outside? Is there any way you could use a tent or something to stay out of the sun? That would help with the heat problem Make sure to hand out LOTS of business cards!

 

[FYRE & REIGN RETURNS]

What about a jug of lemonade? I bought the Country Time lemonade for just under $4 and it makes gallons. You could get a big pickle jar with a ladle, mix up a huge batch (but hold back a little water to account for your ice melting), and add some fresh sliced lemons! Yum! And probably cheaper than buying mini bottles of water. I did this last week when it was really hot (85F) and the AC wasn't on in the office: brought in a lemonade jug and used Origins' Tangerine Body Souffle during my sessions instead of regular lotion. Oh man, my clients wanted to eat the stuff!You could also offer a refreshing spritz or something - in keeping with the warm-weather theme.Another idea, go out and look for those hand-shaped cookie cutters and make up some sugar cookies and get some kids (yours, your nephews/nieces, neighbors, whomever!), to decorate them. Give one away to each "interested" person or to those who come into your booth for a chair demo or something.BTW - I love everyone else's ideas too.  ;D

 

[TwinMomof5kids]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

I should have mentioned that we will indeed have a tent to help keep us in a shady spot. I got one at a nearby Academy for only $20 and was thrilled w/ how cheap they are.I could probably persuade my boyfriend to help out at least one afternoon of the 3-day festival but don't really have anyone else who would want to devote their entire day to help me and I can't blame them really. My friends are just so busy on the weekends or trying to recuperate from a busy week by relaxing on weekends.I don't accept credit cards just yet as that is what I consider an "overhead" item and I'll wait until I go full-time later on this summer for that.  But having my appointment book out and ready, as well as some gift certificates is a good suggestion. I'll also have some coupons out there too.As for the suggestions on lemonade/cookies, the rules for the booths are very clear. If we provide food items of any type, then we had to pay another $50 in booth fees. Since we are a non-food booth business, we paid the lesser booth fee. So I really can't provide anything other than water and I was thinking of putting my business logo/name/contact # on the label so they would have it with them when they walk away.I like the refreshing spritzer idea and will definitely look into that. Texas can get so darn hot in May. Keep the ideas coming, people! Will check back regularly until the festival weekend which is in about 3 weeks.Be well,Jen

 

[Angel Unaware]

It depends on the crowd, and the kind of festival, but you might have some incense burning near the tent or on the table - it takes your zone out of the environs and into its own fragrant space for added relaxation.  It also extends your 'reach',  to attract more attention from passing people, like a kind of aromatherapy billboard.  Festivals tend to have a lot of different smells going on, from the barbecues and food, and a little aromatherapy can go a long way ;-)  For me, a little incense in the open air is one of the joys of summer festivals.Some music, or a birdsong CD, on a portable player might work out also.

 

[SnowWebster2]

This might sound dumb...but wouldnt having the cool wet towels make for a lot of laundry.  And how do you decide who would be offered one and who wouldnt.  Also how would you use the cool mist?  Spray it on them when they are on the table?Im going to be doing a festival in my home town.  We have it every year on our court house lawn (there are only 1900 ppl in my town).All I have is a table...is it fesable to try to do some kind of mini treatment there?  I would assume I would have to get permission to so.  And I know it goes without saying that it wonte be like a normal treatment.  So what do you do just give them a back, neck and arm type of treatmen?  Am I right in that thinking?Like I said I have some dumb questions but Im a newbie! lol

 

[Alion]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

Also how would you use the cool mist?  Spray it on them when they are on the table?

She could jump from behind a corner and spray them, like the perfume ladies at Dillards.  

I agree with the small wet towels, but it may be easier to use a roll of sturdy paper towels (the Viva Select-a-size towels work wonders, I always keep backup rolls on hand!) and dip them individually when the client sits on your chair. It's easy to just throw away, or keep if the client feels so inclined.

For the cool mist thing, that sounds like a great idea. Maybe something that'll leave a cool, almost tingling feeling, and maybe some nice EO or FO so they'll remember where they got it?

 

[javon]

LOL Very Cute Seforum.xxx!  The other question I thought of is Would it be better to do a 10min for $5 or $10 back, neck, arms type thing.Or to do free 5 min massage and just have G. Cert to sell.  Im know I would do a fishbowl drawing (to help get a mailing list of names)What about selling something like massage oil?  Make up some with EOs in it.  Or is that getting into some kind of complicated situation with sales tax and what not??Hope you all have a great day! Morgie

 

[kitncaboodle]

Hi Handsonhealth,As far as marketing other products, how about those pillows with the rice or flaxseed that wrap around the neck.  They are pretty simple to make (if you have a knack for sewing) and you can keep them in a cooler and offer them as part of your selling strategy ???  Also, a trick that we came up with when I use to work at the airport on the ramp...we would go into the bathroom and take a "bulk" of paper towels from the dispenser, get them wet and put them in one of those little lunch coolers.  It was the perfect solution and one that I still use.  Just make sure the paper towels or napkins are strong and not the wimpy kind.  If anything have some there for yourselves...  Good luck!JoJo

 

[SmiLeY!!! <33]

Jojolet me see if I am understanding you correctly.  Sell the flackseed heating pad things for I dont know 10$ and get a free 5min massage with purches?

 

[Aurora150]

These are all good tips...keep 'em coming as I'm soaking it up.  Be well,Jen

 

[diamond]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

Jen,At a womens showcase last year an mt was handing out little ziploc bags with a chammomile teabag and I think just a business card. It seems really simple, but I did keep it and remember it and that was almost a year ago.Kirsten

 

[goddesskieryn]

My friends call me (half joking, mostly seriously!) a "Dollar Store Diva"  I always find great stuff there.  This summer at my onsite things ( i do alot this time of year)  I am going to have a big bowl that people can draw out of IF they sign their name and address for coupons, mail outs ect.   In the bowl is going to be slips of papers stating that that person won a coupon, a gift certificate or another prize.  The prizes are all sorts of wellness related stuff from the good 'ol dollar stores!  (Or my favorite - the Dollar Spot @ Target)   Over this past few months i have collected an assortment of relaxing cds, incense, "Yoga at your Desk" CD Roms, meditation decks, nice candles, bath bombs, ice packs and water bottles with my labels.  Everything was $1, everything will get an address label with all of my contact info.I guess this would have been a spendy idea if I did this all at once, but I have been buying little by little for the past few months so it hasn't hurt the wallet at all.  In the years past i did the regular "sign up to win a free massage!"  and it always worked well, this year i was just looking for something new, or maybe just an excuse to shop!LOVE the lemonade idea - I am going to use that this year too!

 

[Pompal 09.]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

I was just wondering....I dont have a chair and I do plan to take my table but do you think it will be harder to get people to come over?

 

[DennisH (No emotions)..]

Marketing Ideas at Upcoming Festival

It won't be hard if you have a friend hop on...so people can see how what where.....Robyn

 

[dobbaaa]

I like the sample/goodie bag with tea. I may do something like that. I just hope it's not considered food items. I'll have to ask before I do that. My boyfriend has already volunteered to help me out in taking appointments should anyone want to schedule massage sessions for a later date on the day of the festival. So he'll be sort of my seretary while I'm at the table/chair providing the handiwork. I'm wondering what kind of deal I should give those who might consider booking an appointment with me that day--$10 off? half off? buy one/get one free?  Anyone got an idea on that?He'll also be a good person on the table/chair. He benefits and hopefully I benefit from getting someone else to come over and want to get on the table/chair after seeing him on it. Thanks y'all for the constant barrage of suggestions. I'll probably use 'em all before the 3-day festival ends.  ;DBe well,Jen

 

[Jb2]

Jen, What about they get $xx.xx off if they pay for their apt that day. That way you have the money in hand, and know you will have an apt.  

 

[Pompal 09.]

Trying to revive this topic one last time as I have less than a week to go before the festival and am getting geared up for it. This will be the first outdoor festival I've done in the summer months. I want it to go p-e-r-f-e-c-t-l-y  ;DSoooooooooo in case anyone else has some suggestions for my marketing days ahead, I'm all *eyes*. Be well,Jen

 

[Mikhail K]

Jen,  Do you have what your going to do planned out yet? Like how your going to advertize any special offers you are going to be doing.  Will you be doing treatments there if so how long and how much do you plan on doing them for.

 

[justm399]

I love the  idea of the hand made neck wraps!!! you could put them in the cooler and it would sve you the laudry from the previous reply...really not that expensive to make and you could slap a label on it with all your info like the bottles.  kill 2 birds!!