DON’T WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITY

Create It.

A Note from the Organizer

The Holistic Healing Fair™ was born to share kindness, spark self awareness, build community and connect like-minded souls as we all continue our journeys. 

• A Holistic Healing Fair™ feature hundreds of local wellness businesses across Ontario every year.
• We openly consider each and every wellness business that applies. We won’t judge any business that feels their service can aid in someone’s healing journey: mentally, physically or in a special kind of way.
• We have successfully built a community of wellness vendors across Ontario, with many repeat vendors that travel with us across the Province and over 100 Holistic Healing Fair™ events have taken place since 2016.
• The Holistic Healing Fair’s will continue to, as always, be FREE ADMISSION to ensure that the events reach those that are seeking guidance.

Tips on How to Make the Most of out a Vendor Event

With being able to coordinate over 100+ events across Ontario, I have been able to observe as an on looker to see what has benefited vendors and what has hindered their ability to best utilize their booths. I have seen vendors purchase a booth and use it solely for network marketing and getting their name out I have also seen vendors who choose to only sell items at their booth that. Both have been very successful – but what about the “what ifs?” What if I don’t make my sales? Will it be a loss?

In an event where you are unable to make back what you paid for, you are still surrounded by potential clientele of future sales and you should maximize the surrounding opportunities.

The Three Pillars To Success As A Vendor At A Holistic Healing Fair™

1. The Hype Up: The weeks leading up to the event hold the most beneficial brand awareness opportunities. You should be taking the time to advertise your attendance at the event to your clientele, as well as post in the event pages to showcase what you are bringing to the events. If each vendor chose to participate in sharing the event, everyone benefits – including your following.
2. Your ONE Inspired Connection Focus: Go into the events with one main mindset – that you will seek to find one inspired connection that can change your life in a positive way. Always have an open door policy for opportunities to show up when you least expect it. It can be a future client, a future referral, a new friendship or business relationship. Hold the mindset that your attendance is also planting seeds of future possibilities. Brand awareness is key.
3. Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe: I can promise you, if you feel you aren’t having a good day and decide that you are going to sit behind your booth in an unapproachable manner – attendees will pick up on that. Regardless of the situation, you should always hold a focus to connect and find your one inspired connection. Your smile is your brand, your booth is your business storefront. If you choose to continue with a positive mindset, your vibe will attract your tribe.

Fair warning, I repeat myself a lot in all these posts – there are key notes that I feel many businesses can benefit from and mention them multiple times to assist in the positive mindset shift in programming. Your mindset, is everything.

• Try to make a conscious decision to stand at your booth. Stay off your phone, and always smile and make eye contact. With watching events unfold I see many potential customers walk right by a booth because there was no engagement. If you engage or have the right signage, even if the potential client doesn’t purchase anything you can still educate them on your products, crafts or services and give them a business card or brochure. You truly never know if down the road they will remember your conversation and services. Even if you feel the foot traffic is not at the number you preferred, there may be that one attendee that is your biggest sale or connection – don’t let them pass by.

• Each person that attends a Holistic Healing Fair™ has the intention of broadening their perspective when it comes to Holistic Healing and absolutely anything that falls into that category. Whether it be finding a bracelet that will help balance them and remind them to breathe, a painting or item that they can look at everyday and smile about, buying a dream catcher to help them sleep at peace or having a reading for some self assurance. Every attendee that walks through our doors is seeking positive change, they may not even know what for – and that is where you come in!

• If people can relate to your story, they will relate to your products. Although we live in the holistic field and familiar with what we know, you would be surprised with how many people have no idea what the benefits of reiki are, or what it means to have a card reading done. So many people don’t know what the Chakras are, what’s really in our beauty products or household items and the long term harmful affects they hold. As a vendor, it is your job to educate those who show interest in your services and products. Reach out, be confident – after all, you did choose to sell those items and so much so that you created a business – why not share it to the world? Help people love them as much as you do.  Odds are, they will not know if you don’t tell them and best of all – they come to learn, completely open minded, when they walk into a Holistic Healing Fair™.
• The Holistic Healing Fair™ is at least 80% local, which means the market of which you would flourish in is brought right to your booth. Maximize your business benefits and have different approaches when you have your booth set up. You can still aim for making your booth money back and more, but be prepared to do the work. Engage, educate and raise awareness on why you love what you do and what you offer. Most people won’t know why you love what you do, that leaves it up to you to make a change in the way they view your table as they go to walk by.

What you can do to help market your business for future follow ups and potential future customers

• New tip for 2022+ events: Signage is imperative! With the new age of events post a pandemic, I have observed most attendees to walk through the event reading the tables from a distance. If they like what they see, then they approach! This means, if they walk by and have no idea what you are offering, odds are, they won’t stop. Some people might but you still risk missing a direct crowd who has socially separated from the pandemic. Example, I had my journals on my table and a sign with my book name. I noticed people looked but kept walking and didnt engage in conversation (they were too far away for anything more then a smile) – at the next event I had stand up print outs saying “A GUIDED JOURNAL THAT YOU RIP BURN AND DESTROY AS YOU GO”, a sign that said $25 in bold and another sign briefly explaining the book and the author. Every single person that walked by peeked over to read each sign – and after they said “ooooh cool” then they approached to find out more. Just some food for thought!

• Hold a draw at your table, asking for Names and Emails. That way you gain an email clientele base that you can send off an email to for special offers, updates and new products. Ensure it states a checkbox that they are giving you permission to contact them or its stated very clear.
• Hand out your pamphlets to those who walk by or have them on your table for an easy grab and go
• Network with other vendors – this is huge! Sometimes your best connections and clientele can be the vendor next door to you or across the room. Market, network, share your services, build relationships, do a trade, drop off your business card to everyone, and most importantly – share smiles and laughs. I promise you will be surrounded by the most beautiful and amazing people in your area at our fairs – and all with the same interest in life. To help make the world a better place.
• Offer a special at your table. Never mark your prices up for a vendor event, they want to feel they are getting a special deal. Some wise words from my Dad, “Focus on high volume and low cost, instead of high cost and low volume”

The moral of this message is to not go into a vendor event looking for only a number. Yes, it helps to make sales but you have to engage and work with what you love. However, if you don’t make your sales you still have potential to connect with so many amazing people and customers. Expand your horizons with being a vendor. If a fair didn’t go good for you, what could you have changed? What could you have done differently? Change is the only thing that is constant. Adjust your layout. Create a new sale sign. Stand at your table. Educate anyone who walks by, even if it’s just handing out a pamphlet with your services. (Quick tip: have a sticker on it that says “Thank you for coming to the Holistic Healing Fair™, this special is just for you!” and attach a 10% off coupon to it or anything that engages when no words are exchanged.)

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post, I hope it helps all of you to maximize your endless opportunities that come – before, during and after the Holistic Healing Fair™! In the end, the choice is yours. Cheers to inspired connections and positive business growth.

Choose to make it a great day, with everything you seek walking through our door!

With love on your journey, thank you for all that you do to positively change your community.

Vanessa Wilson

15955904 Canada Inc O/A Holistic Healing Fair™  

Founder & Coordinator