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Vendor Report: Festival Marketing
• Business owners say they did well at this year's Margate Street Festival
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Monday,
March 1, 2010
The majority of vendors attending this year’s 2nd Annual Margate Street Festival a week ago Sunday reported success in varying degrees. Some, like Laura Kerr of Margate's Hair Refuge, did extremely well, she said.
"It’s all in how you work it.”
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Kerr attributed her success at this year’s street fest to a couple of things. First, she had deals, “which is important in this economy,” she said. Second, her group painted kid's fingernails for free, which in turn drew parents to her booth, many of whom were very receptive to her 50% off deal.
At the end of the day, Kerr signed up nearly 30 new clients, one of which came into her salon the day after the festival.
Festival marketing is in art in itself, say local business owners. And for the most part, having a booth at the festival is about marketing, not making money.
“You’ve got to get out there and talk to people,” said Kerr. “You can’t wait for them to come to you.”
Typically, festival participation for local small business plays a role in long-term marketing, because the return isn’t always immediate. The Street Festival is another venue for small businesses to be seen by locals and a more personal approach to marketing than taking an ad out in the paper.
With festival marketing, potential customers meet business owners face to face, allowing owners to personally convey integrity and skill, which builds consumer confidence among locals.
Bob O'Malley of O'Malley’s Sports Bar in Margate, said he did much better this year than last. His secret was his staff, he said.
“They talked to everybody, had fun and did a great job,” he said.
O'Malley said his $4 burgers sold like hotcakes and that he kicked Ale House’s _ss. O'Malley says he spends roughly 18 percent of his gross on marketing the bar, with the street festival just one component.
“We sponsor dart teams, pool leagues, hot body contests. You’ve got to give people something to keep them coming back,” O'Malley said.
Social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others, said the bar owner, also helps in getting the word out about promotions, especially in the bar business.
Next year’s Margate Street Festival is less than a year away. The Margate Chamber of Commerce welcomes all business owners to participate and, if interested, to join the Street Festival Committee forming soon.
Joining the Chamber is a good investment in business and community. For more information, or to join the Margate Chamber of Commerce, call Jaimie or Frank at 954-582-0399.
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