Equipment to Get Started

In this episode, we dive into the essential equipment needed to kickstart your festival vending business. From choosing the right tent to effective display strategies, we cover everything to ensure your success on the road. Tune in for personal anecdotes, actionable tips, and expert advice to help you set up a professional and appealing booth.

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Transcript

This is Festival Vendor, the podcast that takes you on a thrilling journey through the vibrant world of festival vending and traveling, as we uncover the challenges, rewards, and inspiring stories of those who've embraced the road and transformed their businesses into unforgettable adventures." Welcome back, fellow vendors! I’m your host, Raven. In this episode of "Festival Vendor," we're going to cover the essential equipment you'll need to get started with your vending business and take it on the road. From tents to tables and everything in between, we've got you covered!

Before we jump in, let me share a personal experience with you. When we first started vending at festivals, we were very lucky in our choice of tent. Our first tent was an UnderCover we got through our Costco membership, and we loved it. It was an industrial grade tent, and it stood up to so many Texas downpours and Oklahoma wind storms and Utah heat. It was easy enough for one person to set up and take down whenever necessary, and the company makes it pretty easy to purchase replacement parts. So we had the tent element covered - but pretty much all the rest of our equipment has changed since then. As we gained experience, we learned the value of investing in quality equipment and planning ahead. It made all the difference in creating a professional and successful vending experience.

Let's start with the first piece of essential equipment: a tent or canopy. Whether you're at an outdoor market or even some indoor events, a tent is a must. It provides shade and protection from the elements, ensuring a comfortable shopping experience for your customers. Look for one that is easy to set up and take down. There are a few things that are a must to ensure that you will be compliant with the regulations of most larger markets - Many events require fire-retardant tents, and some prefer vendors to have white tents for uniformity. This isn’t always the case, but because so many events do require this, it’s a good idea to start with a white tent.

When choosing a tent, consider regulations of larger markets.  Starting with a 10x10 size is a wise choice since most events offer vendors a 10x10 space. Invest in the best quality tent you can afford, as it will serve as your home base throughout the festivals.

In my early days, I went with a lower-priced tent, and it quickly showed signs of wear and tear. This not only affected my branding but also caused undue stress during setup and takedown. Lesson learned: quality matters!

A caveat here - themed events like renaissance festivals encourage you to have a period-appropriate tent. We're going to dive into that more in another episode because it’s a far trickier situation.

Next up, you'll need a sturdy table to display your products. A 6-8 foot long folding table is a popular choice, but how many tables you bring depends on factors like product quantity and space restrictions. this is dependent upon the actual space you’ve been assigned, as well as the rules and regulations of the event. The best thing to do is actually map out the space before you go, especially if you’re new to vending. We have found time and time again that bringing more just in case is the best thing to do. IF you have room for four tables in your vehicle, bring four. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.  There have been so many times when an event has sent us information and told us we could only have one or two sides open, but then when we got there, we could have three sides open after all. if we didn't have the extra tables and the extra display equipment, we would have been stuck

According to a report by Business Wire, 93% of consumers say product visual appearance influences their purchasing decisions. So, having a well-organized and appealing display can significantly impact your sales.

Consider mapping out your booth space before the event to ensure you have sufficient tables and display materials. As we learned from experience, bringing more display equipment just in case can save the day when event guidelines change unexpectedly.

At a renaissance festival, we learned the hard way that a modern-looking display didn't resonate with the audience. After investing in period-appropriate displays, our booth's appeal and sales skyrocketed.

Your display materials should align with your overall branding and marketing strategies. For themed events like renaissance festivals, period-appropriate displays may be required. We are going to dive into that more in another episode, because it’s a far trickier situation. 

In addition to aesthetics, consider the weight and size of your display materials, especially if your vehicle space is limited. Planning everything ahead of time will give you a feel for setup and takedown processes, ensuring a smooth vending experience.

Display materials: You'll need display materials like tablecloths, shelves, or racks to showcase your products. These can be purchased or made at home.  you can often find really great display pieces at thrift stores or in your local community. the display materials that you use should be directly linked to your overall branding and marketing strategies. For example, one of our businesses has a relatively rustic look and feel. So all of our displays are wood only, supplemented by wicker baskets and other natural fibers. Another one of our businesses is far more modern, and so we use a lot of metal and plastic displays in that case. It's important that your displays not only match your branding, but are also relatively easy to pack up and put away quickly when necessary. Another thing to consider with your display materials is their weight and size. Naturally this is going to depend on your vehicle. And just as we suggested with the tables, we highly recommend planning everything ahead of time to get a feel for what it's like to unpack, setup, and repack your displays.

According to Small Business Trends, 85% of customers say signs can tell a lot about a business's personality and character, influencing their decision to enter the store or booth. Effective signage is crucial for attracting customers. Invest in a clear, easy-to-read sign that showcases your business name and possibly a logo or slogan. Having a vinyl sign printed for you is a great way to start and lends professionality to your business. Wooden signs may also be required for themed events, but they are more difficult to take and store, so keep that in mind

Additionally, consider signs for each product, including pricing and relevant details. And don't forget to provide contact information or a QR code linked to your social media to stay connected with customers after the event.

Another vital piece of equipment is a reliable payment processing system. From a cash box to credit card readers or mobile payment apps like Square, having multiple payment options will cater to diverse customer preferences. We do want to caution you that the more ways to pay that you offer, the more you will have to keep track of for your taxes. Also, don’t forget that different payment applications have different fees associated with them. You’ll have to absorb these fees into your costs, or at least, consider that they will impact your profits.

Mastercard says that 87% of consumers say they use cards more than cash, even for small purchases. We find that generally we see a 60-40 split between cash and card, although that does shift from event to event. 

To ensure a smooth shopping experience, make sure you have enough product inventory. Balancing the right amount of inventory can be challenging, so regularly restock based on customer demand and after-event assessments. This of course leads to another really big question which is how much to take. Some people have a real calculus for how many products to take but this is really going to depend on what you sell and where you're selling. To some degree this is information you won't have until you start doing events which is why in our previous episode we recommend that you are deliberate in your after-event assessments. For those of you who are just getting started the best advice is to take as much as you can. The same rule applies here as it did before. It's better to  have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Transportation is also a key consideration for on-the-road vendors. Choose a vehicle that is reliable and versatile to carry your products and equipment efficiently. This can include a car, van, or trailer.  This is something that we're also going to cover more in depth in another episode because this is a huge part of being an on the road vendor. In any case you'll need something reliable and versatile. We've been really successful with everything from a tiny Kia sedan to the largest SUV Ford makes,  but the vehicle struggle continues to be real even for us. 

Americans are spending more time on the road than ever, with the average age of vehicles reaching an all-time high, not to mention the cost.

Remember, investing in quality equipment and planning ahead will set the foundation for a successful vending business. So, whether you're just starting or expanding your journey, make sure you have all the necessary equipment to showcase your products and attract customers to your booth.

That concludes this episode of "Festival Vendor." We hope you found our insights and experiences helpful as you equip your vending business for success. Stay tuned for more episodes where we'll continue to share invaluable tips, inspiring stories, and personal anecdotes from the festival vending and travel world.

Thank you for joining us, and until next time, happy vending and safe travels!