Selling your products at UPEW - a few tips!
Ken Gracey
Posts: 7,401
Hey all,
I've got a few tips to help you sell your products or parts of any kind at UPEW. Many people on this forum will sell their microcontroller products at UPEW, but others will sell single parts from their collections. Whatever you are doing consider the following:
- Request a table if you have something to sell (or a project to show).
- Put your inventory ON THE TABLE - don't hide it in a box under the table. If people don't see it (and lots of "it") then they don't buy it. That simple.
- Label and bag your products.
- Be sure to tell the customer where to get documentation if applicable (on the label?).
- Clearly note the price and any discount applied by being at UPEW.
- If you have many products that could cover a whole table, devise a method to show them upright rather than stacked.
- Have change. People bring cash to these events.
- Keep a pad of paper handy to take notes and deliver on the promises you make.
- Have business cards and e-mail/web addresses in your product packaging.
- Get your customer's e-mail address at a minimum so you can contact them in the future.
- Keep a digital camera handy in case a photo would best jog your memory in the future.
This may seem obvious, but you wouldn't believe the number of headaches you can prevent and how much more effective you could make your trip if you do these things.
Don't let the potential for theft determine your mode of operation. Theft is always possible, but this is a small group with a controlled entry.
Most of us are technically-minded rather than sales-oriented, so perhaps my tips will help you do both parts equally well if selling some of your stuff is one of your goals.
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Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
I've got a few tips to help you sell your products or parts of any kind at UPEW. Many people on this forum will sell their microcontroller products at UPEW, but others will sell single parts from their collections. Whatever you are doing consider the following:
- Request a table if you have something to sell (or a project to show).
- Put your inventory ON THE TABLE - don't hide it in a box under the table. If people don't see it (and lots of "it") then they don't buy it. That simple.
- Label and bag your products.
- Be sure to tell the customer where to get documentation if applicable (on the label?).
- Clearly note the price and any discount applied by being at UPEW.
- If you have many products that could cover a whole table, devise a method to show them upright rather than stacked.
- Have change. People bring cash to these events.
- Keep a pad of paper handy to take notes and deliver on the promises you make.
- Have business cards and e-mail/web addresses in your product packaging.
- Get your customer's e-mail address at a minimum so you can contact them in the future.
- Keep a digital camera handy in case a photo would best jog your memory in the future.
This may seem obvious, but you wouldn't believe the number of headaches you can prevent and how much more effective you could make your trip if you do these things.
Don't let the potential for theft determine your mode of operation. Theft is always possible, but this is a small group with a controlled entry.
Most of us are technically-minded rather than sales-oriented, so perhaps my tips will help you do both parts equally well if selling some of your stuff is one of your goals.
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Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
Comments
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My Prop Info&Apps: ·http://www.rayslogic.com/propeller/propeller.htm
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Post Edited (Rayman) : 6/7/2010 12:50:01 PM GMT
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Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
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Nyamekye,
This is off topic but I will answer; this is historical. When the first expo was created the "unofficial" was attached to not offend Parallax, which is the story that was shared with me. Since then it appears Parallax has embraced it but I don't believe it as an official Parallax event. Besides that I like the name it sounds cool. [noparse];)[/noparse]
Truthfully, we couldn't be more thankful of OBC and his direction of the UPE events. We support him as much as possible yet he's certainly free to do whatever he wants at these expos. He could invite any vendor he desires, give the microphone to anybody he wants to, and schedule UPE events when he feels like it. UPE events belong to all of you; we're only involved to the extent you would like us to be!
We really feel honored to have our role. The only pressure I try to add to the whole situation is that we add a UPE for the UK. We need to support our friends across the ocean the same way. OBC is almost ready for that!
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Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.
Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
(I'm not a fan of binary answers.) So instead I dubbed it "Unofficial" and did it anyway. I tend to live under the
principal of GO DO and apologize later if required. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Anyway, Parallax did indeed come on board with the idea, yet these are still run as hobbyist run events.
In otherwords, Parallax makes suggestions and provides advice, (we listen!) but the team makes the final decisions.
As it happens this relationship works extremely well as we are all on the same page. It also serves to
protect Parallax as these are "our" event, not "theirs" -- If someone is unhappy, (which we try our best to keep folks happy.)
it is with the team/hobbyist which run the event, not Parallax.
For example if the fire marshal shows up Monday to talk about campers in the parking lot, Ken can direct them
my direction.. (My flight leaves Monday for NE Ohio) <SMIRK>
[noparse]:)[/noparse]
OBC
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Propeller Feature Projects: PropellerPowered.com
Visit the: PROPELLERPOWERED SIG forum kindly hosted by Savage Circuits.
I start thinking about an "IPA" (IPA german for UPE inoffizielle Propeller Ausstellung).
I want to emphasize the word START. I'm not yet in the mood of saying "no problem come over to germany we meet at the city-hall of Kassel"
Germany has not so much propeller-heads as far as I know. - maybe together with flip.dot.org
best regards
Stefan
Ken,
Great advise, and just the kind of stuff that I need.
At the UPENE-09 and UPEC-10, I also noticed that the better tables had "dynamic" displays. Motion and interaction always attract attention (did that Nickle-O-Matic even get a chance to slow down a bit?). Unfortunately, I have not taken my advice yet, but hopefully that will change with UPENE-10, rather than UPEC-11.
Thanks for the advice and thanks for Parallax's support of the hobbyist community.
Art
P.S. Also fun reading the history of the "Unofficial" designation for the expos - even though I had heard it all before, it's still fun to read about it again.
@granz - I agree, something interactive and moving is a lot more interesting than just staring at boards. SHOW, DON'T TELL.
@ray - your merchandising is weak, but you've got something better, a really awesome product!
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