Vendor 101

Old Mansfield Village

Want to start or improve a career as a successful vendor?

 What could help make it happen?

Vendor success triangle.

A successful vendor business is based on three basic elements:  Location, Product and Presentation. The elements are interdependent and to ignore any one of them could lead to reduced sales and ultimate failure of your enterprise. Vendor business based upon sound business practices and concepts are becoming more common as sales at festival are more competitive and profit margins are reduced.

Location. Like any business location is important to your success. The organization and traffic flow at the festival you are considering is knowable information. People must walk by your business if you are going to make a sale to them. Long established festivals have established walking, parking and purchasing patterns and the more you know about them the more likely your success. And like any other location consideration price of the location is directly related to traffic flow. Mansfield Restoration LLC, Mansfield Civic Center, Mansfield Terrace and Mansfield General Store are in the very heart of the Mansfield Covered Bridge Festival. Look at the map.

Product.  Know your market and know your product. A saying among experienced and successful vendors is.."do not fall in love with your product."  Nearly all products sold by vendors have a life cycle like any other business. The Covered Bridge Festival is a huge event and vendors from all over the United States are there. Amateurs who expect instant success are cautioned that the pros are here and know how to select a product.

Presentation.  Poor presentation  can wipe out any advantages you may enjoy in Location and Product.  And remember, presentation is a combination of signage, product display and your personal image.