 SMALL BUSINESS FORUMIf you are a small business that does not possess retail premises, but rely on business generated through events, markets or fairs etc, you are invited to share your experiences through this site. This gives you the opportunity to not only describe your own experience but to also learn from feedback from other like minded businesses. All you need to do is !!<Contact us and we will upload your written piece. We prefer if your feedback is not to negative, just a general description on price of venue, cleanliness, customer care for traders. Also if you have found an event that you feel other traders would benefit, please share it with other small traders.
We are hoping we can get together a small network of businesses who can share information or even help each other in this very extreme economic climate.
If you would be interested in joining, please call or E-Mail us.
Just to get things started, here are a few reviews on some events I have done or am planning to do.
Worthing Monthly Market at the Pavilion Theatre; Priced at £22 for a 6ft x 2ft table provided, this venue was clean, warm with friendly traders. Stands consists of traders selling car boot sale items, new clothes, cards, lots of jewellery, baby clothes. I did not make a great deal but did a lot of marketing. Feedback from other traders is positive and you do get the chance to have another table if your neighbour does not turn up. So take a lot of stuff.
Chichester Market; Priced at £25 for a 6ft x 6ft space, (negotiable), this venue was overpriced for a poor pitch in the car park. If you are a newcomer to trading you do not get a very good pitch with a lot of the bigger stalls getting the best sites. I did 4 weeks leading up to Christmas 2008 and I was placed by the butchers and fishmongers on every occassion....hence spent more than I made!
The Grange Indoor Monthly Market, Midhurst; Priced at £25 for a 6ft x 2ft table provided, this large venue attracts a lot of regular customers who come back every month looking for you. The venue is clean with friendly traders and very helpful staff. However the event is saturated with jewellery tables from costume to gold. Experience so far is positive but people are looking for bargains at this event.
Sussex Country Fair, Parham Park. My pitch at this event was through "Countryman Fairs" who organises huge country shows around the country. Pitches can be either in a craft marquee or you can have your own Gazebo on an outside pitch. Prices are expensive, this year I shared with a friend to help with costs.
Liss Indoor Market; A pleasant indoor market with up to 20 tables selling a variety of items such as bread, crafts and books. The venue is clean, with pleasant helpful staff with a few regular traders. I have only done 2 days at this event and will go back when the busy summer season is over.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park; I have done this show twice now and have done well on both occassions. Traders can pitch out in the open under their own gazebo or apply for sites in a variety of marquees depending on your goods. It helps if you can share a pitch with a friend. Prices for pitches vary from £93 upwards.
Gorgeous George Street, Hove; This event is run by the Common Cause Cooperative. This organisation was established in 1991 in Lewes, East Sussex, to promote community development that is co-operative, supports the local economy and is environmentally sustainable. "Something Different" has had 2 successful plots with this organisation in George Street, Hove. There is an eclectic variety of locally sourced foods and products and the organisation is fantastic. For more information visit www.commoncause.org.uk
The Eco-Village;This organisation is a branch of a much bigger organisation; 'Sust'. Sust is a sustainable business consultancy who believes in helping organisations to grow and develop in a sustainable way whilst minimising their impact on the environment. Sust developed The EcoVillage to help organisations promote green products, services and initiatives. The EcoVillage is designed to sit within large-scale mainstream events in order to promote greener living to the widest possible audience. "Something Different" has exhibited with this organisation twice and have found the team to be very passionate about the service they provide, not only to their customers but also the exhibitors. If you would like to know more about the company visit www.theecovillage.co.uk
|
