The $1000 Club and Why I Say “No Thanks”

 

Everywhere I turn there are all these great conferences, coaches, courses and such but every single one of them is over $1000! I find this fee to be absurd! What if feels like to me is other people trying to steal my hard earned $$ for their own benefit. This is NOT the way I want to work this year. I want to offer up my services organically for those who need it but maybe can’t afford those $1000 programs. I know I can’t. How’s a gal supposed to get along in life and biz if I am always having to shell out $1000?

I go to a network function and the opt-in at the end for a gal, just like me, for her course, is, yep, you guessed it $1000 or more.

I go to a start up week event and the opt-in for the next level of the event is yep, $1000

I find this to be absurd!

They get with “get rich quick” schemes and “follow THIS PLAN” and “you too could be this rich” and yet people fall for it. How do I know people fall for it? I see my friends shelling out dollars after dollars, all the while they are struggling to pay for kids schools and meals and take care of car rides and baby sitting and wondering why none of their friends want to help them watch their kids. How can they not see that the only ones who are making the money are the ones at the top who have already been doing this for years?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying there is nothing to be learned by these people who have had success. There is. However. Buy their book. Watch their podcast. Keep your butt at home where you can afford it. There is so much to be learned online. In books. On You Tube. Via Skype. And so on. I just do not understand why people need to spend money on airline tickets, hotels, conferences, and such. It all just seems like brainwashing to me.

The “Thousandeers” as I like to call them, the ones telling you to give them $1000 or more have figured out…”Hey, if I get 200 people to give me $1000 Ill make $200,000 without batting an eye. I don’t have to work as hard and all I have to do is act like I know what I am talking about. I could sell ice cream to an Eskimo, so that should be easy!”

See, they are good at selling.

You, are good at listening.

They are good at persuasion.

You are good at opening your wallet.

You want what they’ve got.

you think by giving them your money you will get what they’ve got.

However, just by giving them you’re money, you fail to realize, you don’t have their life, their bills (or lack therof) their accountant, their lifestyle, and so on.

I am in no way trying to be a downer. I am not trying to be negative, although I am sure to them I am being just that.

I want to EDUCATE you.

You DO NOT NEED TO GIVE THEM $1000 or more.

You do not NEED what they have.

What I am trying to say is the same thing as what Glinda the good witch told Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz….

“you had the power all along my dear…”

YOU already have the answer you need inside you.

You don’t need someone to tell you how to have a great relationship.

You don’t need someone to tell you how to manage your money.

You don’t need someone to tell you how to do anything.

Guidance.

Now, THAT, you may need.

There are plenty of people, honest, good people who won’t take you for all you’ve got to help you do that. I know them. I am friends with them. They are in Chambers of commerce most likely in your area. Local folks. Mom and pop chops. A computer repair guy down the street who can fix that computer. An accountant friend who can help you manage your money and pay yourself in your own business. A healer, who can do amazing sound healing on you. An intuitive counselor, who can help you heal your broken heart.

Please consider this. Stop making the wealthy more wealthy. Help the locals support the locals.

Use sites like http://www.nextdoor.com and http://www.thumbtack.com and look around your neighborhood to find your needs. Talk to friends and family. look online. Ask GOOGLE or other sites for answers. If you are a business, talk to Chamber of Commerce or Network groups. and when you hear those crazy $1000 or more Opt-ins. Get up walk in or turn your paper over. Say no thanks.

Save your dollars and cents…common sense…

not only will it save the cents in your pocket…but it will save the sense in your soul as well.

Xoxo,

Trisha Trixie

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June 16, 2016 by TrishaTrixie™ Categories: Authenticity, Choose Fabulous, Fabulous Fauna, Hints, Inner peace, Tips, Tricks, Trisha TrixieTags: chmaber of commerce, glinda the good witch, guidance, Local, next door, oz, ruby red slippers, support local, thumbtack, wizard of oz

Shows

Last year I did a ton of Vendor based Shows. Some I loved and made tons of money (Iowa Comic Con was a big hit) and some I hated because I stood around and didn’t make one sale at all (Small Waukee, Iowa Show). All of the shows had their own uniqueness to them of course, but I started realizing a set of things about each show.

• There is a difference between Craft Fairs, Craft Shows, Vendor Shows, Tradeshows and Expos

• Craft fairs/ Craft Show

  A craft fair is an organized event to display crafts. There are craft shops where such goods are sold and craft communities, such as Craftster, where expertise is shared.

• Tradesman/ Tradeshow

  Main article: Tradesman

  A tradesman is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft. Economically and socially, a tradesman’s status is considered between a laborer and a professional, with a high degree of both practical and theoretical knowledge of their trade. In cultures where professional careers are highly prized there can be a shortage of skilled manual workers, leading to lucrative niche markets in the trades.

• A vendor, or a supplier, in a supply chain is an enterprise that contributes goods or services in a supply chain. Generally, a supply chain vendor manufactures inventory/stock items and sells them to the next link in the chain.
  

  Vendor

  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  For the unincorporated community in Arkansas, see Vendor, Arkansas.

  A vendor, or a supplier, in a supply chain is an enterprise that contributes goods or services in a supply chain. Generally, a supply chain vendor manufactures inventory/stock items and sells them to the next link in the chain.

  Vendor However, today it means a supplier of any good or service. A vendor, or a supplier, is a supply chain management term that means anyone who provides goods or services to a company or individuals. A vendor often manufactures inventoriable items, and sells those items to a customer.

  Purchase orders are usually used as a contractual agreement with vendors to buy goods or services.

  Vendors may or may not function as distributors of goods. They may or may not function as manufacturers of goods. If vendors are also manufacturers, they may either build to stock or build to order.

  ‘Vendor’ is often a generic term, used for suppliers of industries from retail sales to manufacturers to city organizations. ‘Vendor’ generally applies only to the immediate vendor, or the organization that is paid for the goods, rather than to the original manufacturer or the organization performing the service if it is different from the immediate supplier.^[1]

  Trade fair

  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  

  

  IBM stand during CeBIT 2010 at the Hanover fairground, the largest exhibition ground in the world, in Hanover, Germany.

  A trade fair (trade show, trade exhibition or expo) is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities. In contrast to consumer fairs, only some trade fairs are open to the public, while others can only be attended by company representatives (members of the trade, e.g. professionals) and members of the press, therefore trade shows are classified as either “Public” or “Trade Only”. A few fairs are hybrids of the two; one example is the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is trade-only for its first three days and open to the general public on its final two days. They are held on a continuing basis in virtually all markets and normally attract companies from around the globe. For example, in the U.S. there are currently over 10,000 ^[1] trade shows held every year, and several online directories have been established to help organizers, attendees, and marketers identify appropriate events.
  Now that I have given you a little history, onto the lesson….

• Not all shows are planned well
• Not all shows are marketed well
• Not all Vendor Planners know what they are doing
• Not all areas are best to sell at
• Some shows are just NOT worth the drive
• Some shows provide a table some dont (Make sure you have your own set up just in case. Table, chair, tablecloth covers, business cards, a candy bowl, info about other shows you are going to, a newsletter sign up if you have one, at least $100 cash, your app for selling with a CC (Square, Pay Anywhere, Swipe, etc) and most of all your smile))
• Some shows are NOT worth the cost
• Some shows you barely make your table rent
• Some shows you will never make back your table rent
• Some shows are worth making NO money at the show, because you will make TONS of money in leads after the show
• Each show price seems to have it’s own meaning behind it
  • A $25 show generally seems to be a craft or church show. Great for starting to do shows and get your name out there
  • A $50 show is a set up. Generally you will make money at these shows and the planners generally know what they are doing
  • A $100 starts becoming a risk. Some planners jump into these big shows and they have to have high rent to pay for their spaces. This does NOT necessarily mean they know what they are doing or that it will be a good show
  • Anything over $100 tend to be an Expo. Expos I just found out last weekend as I just did my first expo is a catch 22. For me, I barely made my table rent but I got a ton of leads from others and handed out tons of cards. Of course being I JUST did this show, I won’t be able to accurately say at this time if I will make money off that show or not.For others, they were either in the same boat as me or they sold like hotcakes, doing very well. I seem to notice the majority of those were food vendors.So it would seem to me that if you are a food vendor, you will do well at any show as long as you have samples.
• Amount of spaces matter for certain types of business
  • A small show tends to be about 20-25 spaces. This is best for those who do crafts, handmade items and want to start doing shows.
  • A medium show tends to have about 25-50 spaces. This is better for those that have been doing shows for awhile and have established a following
  • A large show is about 50-100 spaces and best for small business and direct sales teams
  • An expo is best for companies, organizations and possibly a small business that wants to leap into the next step of shows.
• Vendor Drama. Wow I could write a whole series on Vendor Drama and I jsut might. Locally it has been crazy here. We have had people being taken by vendor planners left and right. We have had people stalking other vendor planners. We have had people bad mouthing other vendor planners. We have even had people pretending to be other vendor planners and steal their clients and money!!
• Facebook/ LinkedIn Groups for shows
• There are a variety of groups for shows so it would be crazy to try and list them all, especially since each are is different. I will tell you however, what to search for…
• Local
• Vendor
• Tradeshow
• Tradefair
• Craft Show
• Stay at Home Groups who sell
• Handmade
• Direct Sales
• Small Business
• Business Groups
• Then search for anything that is in the field you do… like I do Fashion, Handmade, Local and Aprons so I would look for those groups

Lastly, I want to tell you to do your homework. On everything. Don’t just jump into a group. Read the rules and get to know how others do things. Check up on all Vendors and Planners and make sure they are legit. Search things out and check things before giving money. Make sure the planners can tell you where the money is going, how they are advertising, how many attendees they plan to have, is this their first show or do they have experience, etc. That doesn’t mean don’t go, it just means you now know what to expect once you have that info.

Try out a few shows. See what works for you. See what set ups you need. I have changed my set up over and over and am always looking for better ways to do things. I enjoy going to shows but it does get exhausting. Long Expos like I just did that are FOUR LONG DAYS wore me out, so my lesson there is for me not to do too many of those. All shows I feel are worth trying once.

Oh also, don’t be afraid to ask if there are other options, especially with big expos. They want the $$ but if you ask enough times you will find they might have a special handmade section of the show or All Iowa that is a cheaper booth rent and worth you being connected to that show!!

Hope this has helped you to know more about shows as a Vendor and a Vendor Planner. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

If you are a guest only at these shows, perhaps this has helped you see what chaos goes into these shows and might help you to appreciate them more! 🙂

Until next time,

XoXo Trisha Trixie

February 11, 2014 by TrishaTrixie™ Categories: Fashion FabulousTags: Attendee, businesses, Craft, direct sales, Drama, Expo, Fair, foodies, Groups, Handmade, History, Iowa Comic Con, Legit, Lesson, Local, momandpop, planner, Shows, small biz, Small Business, supply chain, Trade, trade show, Tradeshows, vendor