Tips for Tabling at Events

When I first started tabling at conventions I had nothing more than my illustrations to sell. I had made some prints and stickers at home and just hoped for the best. I did however invest in a pretty-looking set up from the beginning. As someone that loves pretty things and has a good eye for composition, it was very important for me that not only my products looked good but my table as well. And since then I've only improved and adapted my styling to my current style and work. So that brings us to the first tip!

♡ Have a stand that looks pretty

Visitors see so many different stands at once, so many products - so try to bring their eyes to your stand. Wether you like soft colors or bright, make it your own - as long as it matches your products. Imagine if I had a black tablecloth and black decor - do you think my products would look as good as they do with a lighter theme? Make sure that everything looks cohesive and put together.

For decor I recommend going to thrift shops, secondhand markets or look online at shops like Amazon. Try going for decor in different sizes - a taller stand and a lower one, to make a fun composition. A lot of signs and other things can also be easily made by yourself - some paint or a printer can take you a long way!

Adding fairy-lights or other kinds of light sources can also be really nice and highlight your products.

♡ Clear pricing

As someone who can be quite shy at times and doesn't always want to interact with people they don't know, I'd say it's key to have clear prices listed everywhere. A lot of people are as shy as I can be or even more - they often don't dare to ask for the price of a certain item. Often it's not only because they're shy, but because they might feel pressured to buy something after they asked the price. 

♡ Bring enough change and a card terminal

Every year I notice that people pay by card more often than before. Therefore it's important that you have a card terminal with you to accept payments. I've started out with a regular SumUp at the beginning of my 'tabling journey', but since last summer I've switched to the newest SumUp touchscreen version and I've been loving it! It doesn't need Wi-Fi to work and you also don't need to use your phone anymore - perfect & quick! I do recommend bringing your old SumUp with you each time as a back up though!

Change for cash payments is also very important! Cash payments are always better than paying by card for small businesses - we don't lose the % of the card terminal on it, which may seem only a little bit but can quite add up in the long run.

♡ Bring your own food and drinks

Often there aren't any great food options at events. And if there are any, they are super expensive. Of course it's alright to spend money on food at events, but I always try to minimize it. For me, I always bring my own snacks & drinks and spend money on buying lunch at the event. Maybe if they have something special as a snack I'll also spend my money on that - like bubble tea or ice cream!

♡ Choose barstools instead of regular chairs

Last year I invested some money into sturdy barstools from Ikea to use at events. I've noticed that it's easier to keep an eye on my table as well as greet my customers while still sitting down. Normal chairs are fine if your don't have the space in your car or luggage to take them with you, but if you have the option I would definitely try out a higher chair!

♡ Have items in different price categories & seasons

You will get customers that are young and old, ones that have a lot of money to spend and some that don't. So try to cater to both - make products like stickers or prints that have a lower price range (€3 - €4) and of course bring some of your more expensive products as well. I have a good mix of both, and I think it works really well! Bringing seasonal items along is also a fun idea! When the event is around Halloween for example, more people want to buy things with pumpkins or ghosts.

♡ Set up the day before

If you have the option to set up the day beforehand, definitely do so. It will be way calmer than the morning of the event itself, which will also make it a lot calmer in your head. Set up also takes a lot of energy, and isn't it nicer to use that energy for the day you have to sell instead? I also like to take my time to set up (for me it ranges from 2 - 5 hours), so not having to feel rushed makes me the happiest.

♡ Talk to your potential customers

Don't be afraid of the people on the other side of the table - they're potential customers. Say hello, look at what they're wearing (I often attend comic cons so it's always nice to compliment someone on their amazing costume), look at what they're looking at. If someone for example is looking at my domes, but can't quite see the details enough, I offer them the possibility to hold one of the domes and look at them more closely. This way a customer feels a little more connected to you and appreciated.

♡ Befriend your neighbors and fellow vendors

One of the best things for me that has come from vending at all these events is the people that I met. All those other amazing creators that make the most stunning work! I love to support them, even if it's just by following them, chatting with them at events or buying something. Knowing the people around you can also help in tricky situations. Last year I got ill during one of my events and a few of my fellow vendors came over to help me while I tried to rest a little bit.

♡ Believe in yourself & your work

There will be people that won't like your work - believe me. But in this scenario it's the most important thing that you stand up for yourself and your work. You're also your own boss which means that if someone is being mean, you don't have to hold back and can just say whatever you want. There's been plenty of times when someone was being mean and I just replied with "If you don't like it - just walk on".

♡ Always be careful

Unfortunately theft is a thing and especially at very busy and large events they might try to steal something from you. It has only happened to me in one occasion (at least that I know of), and unfortunately I didn't see it. So always keep an eye on your stock. A tip I have for that is to place more expensive items closer to the 'inside' of your booth, and cheaper items to the front - because let's be honest, if anyone steals something you'd hope it was something cheap and not something expensive right?

Of course it's also very important to watch your money. Try keeping it in a locked box or a wallet that you can keep close to you. You never know when you look away or set away from your booth for one second - it can be stolen just like that.

♡ Bring a helper

Having someone with you during an event is the best thing - they can help you when it gets busy and you always have someone to talk to when it gets slower. Especially at my busiest events like Dutch Comic Con for example it is a must for me to have another person with me. It can get extremely busy - too busy to keep up by yourself. It's also very difficult to leave your table when you're all alone. It can cause visitors to steal or it may cause you to lose sales.

♡ Outside or inside

Are you attending an outside or an inside event? This is something very important and very different. I realized how different it was when I applied for my first 'real' outside event last year and realized a week beforehand how unprepared I was.

The first thing to think about is the weather - it can change instantly and it's never really predictable beforehand. There can be rain, so bringing sails to cover your items and stand is a must. And for those sails you need clamps (a lot of clamps). 

The second is that there is probably no Wi-Fi available, so make sure you have a card reader that either connects to your phone's data or one that doesn't need Wi-Fi to work. I've been using the new SumUp as I mentioned before and it has been working perfectly for me at outdoor events.

The third is to bring warm clothes when it gets cold and maybe a blanket - and of course more 'revealing' and comfortable clothes when it gets super hot. A portable fan is also a must during those summer months!

Honestly I could go on with tips & tricks, but I think I got the most important things written down here. I really hope you liked reading through this and that it maybe helped you if you've been wanting to table at an event.

Lots of love,

♡ Celine