Did anyone have a stand at the NEC Christmas hobbycrafts fair?

[helen.broadhead]

Just wondering if it is worth doing? Im thinking about it for next year.
I went as a customer to the show and it seemed really busy with people buying, but things can sometimes look different to how they actually are!

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Helen x

[Funkyhand]

Hello
I didn't have a stand at the Hobby Crafts show but I have a stand at the trade only Hobby Craft show in Feb at the NEC. I will just warn you..it's pretty expensive!
Anice xx

[helen.broadhead]

Hello
I didn't have a stand at the Hobby Crafts show but I have a stand at the trade only Hobby Craft show in Feb at the NEC. I will just warn you..it's pretty expensive!
Anice xx

Im expecting to pay about £1000 but just wanted to know if it is was worth it. A public one is better than a trade for me, but I know there was a lot of people there it is just if they are actually uying or not thats the problem. £1000 is alot of money, but if I could give at least half of the thousands of people that were there a leaflet i suppose its worth it for the advertising alone?

Thanks

Helen

[liz15a]

Hi I did the Stitches show at Gmex in September. It cost £1k for stand then further £250 for one electric power point. Then you need to invest in a lot of stands etc if you dont already have them. Then if you dont live near you need accommodation.

I was fortunate enough to be able to drive to the GMex so only had add on my petrol usage. By the time I took all these costs into account, and the cost of the stock that I sold over the 3 days (people never think of this!!), I broke even. Advertising on the day (and we gave them out to everyone) has produced very little orders. I dont want to put a downer on it but it is not the get rich quick scheme it looks from the outside.

We were demonstrating aswell and that attracted tonnes of attention/generated a lot of sales, so I wouldnt like to think what we would have taken if we hadnt done this. There were 3 of us aswell and we never stopped!

Having said all that I am going to another next year somewhere, but at least I know not to expect much in the way of profits this time and just look on it as a good expereince which it was - I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the money!

[Jane_Russell]

How much space do you get for your money?

Jane

[liz15a]

Its typically between £100 - £150 per square metre and the smallest size stand you can get is either 2x2m or 3x2m. I had a 4x2m stand for my £1000.

[Jane_Russell]

Thanks

Jane