[Stonehenge]

This time of year is big for home and garden shows in our market. It seems each year there's a new one. I believe there are 5 or 6 this year.

Will you have a booth at any of the shows in your area?

At our show we also have the opportunity to conduct seminars - here I am about to hurl a retaining wall block at an audience member who wasn't paying attention at our seminar.

If you do or you don't - why?

[Stonehenge]

Here's our booth during construction:

[Rex Mann]

Jeff,

Our "Spring" show was the first weekend of January And, we had an outside booth and had to wear because it was so sunny.

It was the first show we have ever done. Boy did I learn allot!
We have done one job, which came from the show. However, I need to do several more to BE.

It was $1500.00 just for the booth

Peace,

Rex

[site]

We tried a booth at a local show for a few years, but quit. Some folks there were going all out to get new work there and would spend thousands on the display and have a full crew set it up over a couple of days. We aren't that hungry, so we didn't match the effort and came off looking weak. I think if you are willing to be above average at the show you can get a good return for your time. Otherwise stay home.
Here is an idea I never got around to trying- Dump out a yard of play sand on the floor and edge it to keep it clean, then throw in a bunch of toy tractors for kids to play with. Set up a table alongside with a portfolio and some cards. No plants. No stonework. Parents would be able to let down their guard for a minute and talk. Kids would get to touch something. I imagine this would ease the selling.

[chc]

Thought about it, but weather & some health issues got in the way & we missed the register deadline. We'll work a lot harder with our centers of reference & local advertising this year. Hopefully ,we'll be a little sharper on our timing next year.

[Bexter]

Ours is coming up this next week. Set up Tues and wed.
We get lots of leads from it so that partly answers your question of why. We also rent the show itself hundreds of tropicals and get our feature booth for part of the deal.
Remember you asked about having turf in your booth a couple of years back? We will have a few square meters of it this year. We are going to strip it from our display area that is a permanent set up in one of the greenhouses. We will then replace it when we can get sod. Also leaving part of it unfinished..showing a work in progress. Really want to push the construction this year.

[Stonehenge]

I was thinking about an idea like that myself - maybe have a laser level running, some life-size cutouts of a couple guys working, etc.

We did manage to have sod this year - I highly recommend, for those who intend to freeze it, that you do it in rolls, and NOT roll it out to freeze. I did that, laying them on a plastic tarp (believing that would make removal easy).

I ended up having to use the forks on the skid steer, shoving them under the sod to free it from both the tarp and the ground. We ended up with lots of chunks, but were able to piece them together into about 50 sqft worth of good looking sod.

It was actually really long by show time - I should've cut it, letting the smell of fresh-cut grass permeate the area.

[jwholden]

Jeff,

It looks like you were successful reaching your target audience at your seminar. I see three couples sitting together watching you demonstrate how to raise a stone over your head.

When you get the call, and insist they both meet with you, you have already established a connection.

Kudos!!!

[Stonehenge]

The seminar turned out to be a really good way to get some leads...almost as good as the booth itself.