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Pet-a-Palooza! Anyone participated in events?
I am excited and nervous that I’ve been b invited to participate in a pet centered community event at a church in another town near mine. It is called “Pet-a-Palooza” and it’s going on all-day Saturday, April 26. As a vendor, for $60 donation, I will get a 6’ tablet and two chairs. I’m required to bring a $10 item for their raffle.
I’ve never participated in a like event. I’m planning to bring flyers about my training, business cards, sign up via email for mailing list and hoping some of my clients bring their pets along. I’d like to get custom t-shirts for my table attendees. Also thinking to make an album of photos of past successes and some sort of boards with information about positive reinforcement.
My longtime boyfriend will be sitting the event with me and answering questions, or redirecting to me. It’s a bit more rural an area, so I’m thinking basic info about R+ training is in order! Also, I asked my “mentee” through CATCH to help out and she was excited and agreed instantly!
There will be pet themed vendors, services and even pet adoptions thru rescues and shelters and pet blessings!
Has anyone done events like these? What are your experiences? Please let me know any items you wish you had brought or ones that you did and were glad you had! Also any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you!
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26 Replies
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So exciting Paula! I love all the things you want to do! It will be great!
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@pawsup Thank you, Krista! I’m really trying to keep growing the training side of my business! Can’t believe I’ve been at it now for 5 years and mainly doing just referrals from other clients, vets and people finding me online. It seems more people are getting smart to R+ dog training. Very happy to keep spreading the education around at an event, such as this one.
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@Denise Here’s the spot for your ideas! I’ll wait to post mine. 🙂
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Thank you.
????????❤️
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Good morning Paula. I do have a few suggestions I’ve been to several of the Dog????? type events. For the raffle, you could actually make a Dog Training session. and in parentheses put your normal charge. And make it look like a little advertisement. And then put it in a cute frame that you yourself could decorate with dog stuff, and then put your business cards next to it. You may pick up a few customers for that. Also take a camera or offer to take pictures with the people & their dogs and put it on your Facebook page or something & hand them your card. You could also make a small basket with treats for your raffle gift.
Good luck!!
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Thanks for the great and creative idea, @Denise ! I like to be creative, too, so am loving your suggestions. Especially since you’ve done these events! I like the gift card for a lesson/session and decorated frame. That is a cool idea! I also like the photo of people with their dog and putting it on social media.
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These are fun suggestions, @Denise – especially the photos and social media presence!
Since you are going to be there all day, Paula, why not get the main schedule then put up an “Ask a Trainer” events at your booth in the margins (so you aren’t competing with any headliners). As people come by, certainly talk to them but also point out that at 1pm you’ll have an event where they can listen in or ask questions about their dogs. Or maybe get granular – “At 1pm I’ll be giving 5 quick tips for how to get your dog to stop pulling.”
Do you have a monthly newsletter? If so, grab those emails! “Join my newsletter list – I send out free tips and easy ways to improve your relationship with your dog every month!”
If you have the tech, like a laptop, stream your videos, showing the work you have done, and are doing. Nothing beats moving pictures. As people stop to watch, engage them. “Does your dog do that?” “How can I help you enjoy your dog more?”
Avoid the temptation to give away too much expertise on the spot. Instead, show them value – one or two tips, then IMMEDIATELY book them for a follow up. Maybe have a special first-lesson price for attendees. “I’d love to show you more and I’ve got openings next week -which is better for you, Tuesday or Thursday?” “Booking today gets you 15% off your first session with me.”
I can’t wait to hear how this goes for you! @bernerlabreclectus
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OMD…I am going to try to do these awesome things you recommended. I think they had a question when I signed up about do I need electrical hookup…I am going to ask for that if I didn’t get it already.
Also love the 5 tips for LLW a 1 pm!
I will ask for the master schedule! Suck a great idea…I’m going to have some help, too, so I will make sure to delegate (by asking for help from my BF and very qualified student mentee, who already has her own dog walking business, albeit, out of this area.
YAY!!! Lots to plan!!! Thank you for the killer queen bee ideas!!!
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Glad it’s helpful, Paula! Hopefully others will also join in and share ideas. Keep us posted on how it goes!
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Good for you to take on this new opportunity!
I know you will be great and do great!
There are already a lot of great suggestions!
I would add, people love free items and games to play.
I have put out free poop bags rolls. You’d be surprised how they attract people! You could use lollipops ( hint: kids want to stop for them so the parents have to also!)
I also had a little game of some sort to win a prize like 5.00 gift certificate to a pet store or bag of treats and making the big prize a complimentary training or dog walking session etc. Curiousity allowed for interest with people stopping, giving the opportunity to chat.
Another idea is to make grab and go handouts about pet emergencies phone numbers, pet safety in summer or around fireworks, how to notice fear or stress, body language etc. Something short, simple and informative but make sure your info is on it.
Keep us posted with after pictures and how it went!
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Gosh, I’m such an idiot. I thought I replied to your wonderful post awhile back and see it didn’t go through…I’m so sorry!!! Thank you for all the suggestions!!!
I’m actually excited about this if not a bit scared. I’ve helped out a former opera company at an expo event in a bigger city, but I’ve never “been in charge”. Scary when you are the “Big Cheese”, or in my case, little Gouda or petite Brie.
I emailed the woman in charge and got upgraded to have electrical included at my table, so I can have my iPad with photos in a slideshow type format. Thank you @catherine for the suggestion. Just need to make sure I have that securely watched at all times.
I’m hoping to get things finalized today on what I’m printing out. I have a pack of Astrobrights copy paper in vibrant neon colors. I’m hoping to print half pages of the grad materials I received through CATCH after completing Masters on Housetraining Help and 10 Training Tips for Success. Those can be grab and go…I love the idea, Jen! Also I have business cards and 2 holders to put on opposite ends. I want to print and display a page on how to find me on social media, but I have to make sure the QR thing works after printing…I had issues with that before for another opera company! TECHNOLOGY!
I have two wonderful volunteers to help me on that day: my long-time boyfriend and my CATCH mentee! Both are amazing to agree to help out. I’m really excited about spreading the word about positive reinforcement training, since it’s a more rural location than where I live…any suggestions on printables for the sake of R+ would be greatly appreciated! I don’t even care about if they go with me or not, just sick of e-collars and pinch collars and shaker cans being people’s first choices in communication with their dogs!
Thank you all for helping me!!! Lollipops a go, as well!
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I’m excited for you Paula!
Re: free resources… check out Family Paws – she has a ton of family friendly free pdfs, including some dog body language coloring pages.
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Also ASVAB: https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
avsab.org
Position Statements and Handouts (for the public) - The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
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“Idiot” would never come to my mind when describing you! Excited and eager maybe, but not an idiot! No worries! I know you are busy and appreciative of the help and support you have from me and others! The rest I blame technology, too!
Best of luck with this! I am so happy for you with this opportunity!
Please share lots of pictures!
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I totally will! ????
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OMD, @catherine ! Thank you so much!!! I just printed a bunch of those Family Paws Coloring pages. I’m hoping to print copies of the babies and dogs and toddlers and dogs do’s and don’ts. Also went to the other website and hoping to print some of the puppy socialization in color and one of the others to post on display boards…
You’re PAW-some????!
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You are very welcome Paula! So excited for you – I hope you shoot some video or photos of your booth and let us know how it all turns out! I can’t wait!
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I had a great time at this event! What fun to share with other dog and pet enthusiasts. I’ll send more soon…pretty fried here…in a good way.
Here’s some photos of today. More soon!
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What fun, Paula!! Your table is PERFECT! And now you’ll have it all ready to go for another one someday. It sounds like smashing success! Don’t worry about the people not signing up for email lists… people are wary about that. You made some great face-to-face connections and people WILL think of you when they want a pet pro. This is “guerrilla marketing” at its finest!
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Thanks, Catherine! Oh, I appreciate the morale boost. I am trying to stay positive…feels like I am spinning my wheels sometimes and marketing seems so difficult. I’m used to referrals from current clientele, so this was a deep dive into the scary deep end. Luckily, puppy kisses help! Thank you again for all your help! @catherine
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I do remember what that felt like… It was a lonng time ago, but I remember how it felt. I used to make myself go directly into vet clinics with my little homemade training class posters and make friends with the people at the desk, asking about them, and what I could do for them. (Did they need free handouts on behavior issues? Answers to common puppy questions?) and they responded by sending me clients all the time. You can’t beat face-to-face connections, and you just made a ton of them! Kudos!
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Whew! Finally in one place (bed) and can write up what worked and what didn’t…
I was pretty nervous. But the set up went well and the event was small. Only about 30 vendors in a church in the downtown district of the town. There were some bigger local companies than me. I was the only dog trainer. There were lots of dogs being shown for 3-4 different rescues, mostly downstairs. They brought up one at a time to walk the floor and meet people.
Lots of people showed interest in my booth and asked about training. They told me about their dogs or puppies, what they might need help with. I tried to give support and business cards, as well as follow up with my 10 Tips for Training Success and House Training handouts from CATCH. I brought coloring sheets from the resource of Family Paws website that @catherine shared, and a sheet I give to prospective clients about me and my business. I petted puppies and really fell for a cute male pit mix named Goose, in the photos above. My boyfriend was amazing and helped me man the table until 1 pm…he enjoyed giving treats to doggies and directing interested people to resources. We gave away candy and dog treats and poop bags.
My student mentee came around 11:30 am and stayed until the end. She has done a lot of trade shows and was a real social butterfly! She got freebies from other tables. We both made some connections with businesses and she helped field interested people handouts and respectfully directed them my way. I also had a visiting friend who stayed for a couple hours to be moral support. I could not have done any of this as successfully without these amazing people!!!
I gave a couple bags of treats for my raffle item.
I tried to get people to sign up for a email list…it took awhile to get anyone to sign up…finally my mentee signed her name and email, my boyfriend did his and another vendor gave theirs…then folks began leaving theirs. Still only 6 or so. Most just wanted to take my info.
Anyway, I’m exhausted, but it was a good event! They asked me if I’d like to come back next year. I said, yes!
Thank you all for helping me! @pawsup @Denise @catherine @jenz I could not have gotten up the courage to do this without all of you having my back, virtually! Thanks a million!!!
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This all sounds amazing! I can feel the good vibes in your “voice” reading this! I am glad you had this opportunity and experience!
I find getting peoples’ info is difficult as well. I understand it as I am one to not give out my info in fear of getting spammed and “harassed” about sales on something I may be interested in but not ready to commit. It is just giving in my case ,me, and in your potential new clients cases choice and control- just like we give our dogs! ???? It is not a bad thing. I do like the idea that you all signed your names- great idea and maybe I will do that next time.
Great job and looking forward to read how the next one goes! ????
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Thank you, @jenz . You’re the best! ????
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Congratulations, @bernerlabreclectus ! It sounds like you rocked the event.
BTW, Goose’s pics are adorable!!! ????
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Thank you, @virginiad ! Yes, he was a good and amazing little 13 week old pup. I’m glad the rescue is careful to carry him in a situation like that, but still socialize him. Wish I could have adopted him, but he was scheduled to meet his forever home the next day.????
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