Booth manager

When/how do you make the call at having a booth manager? How much do you pay them? I am looking at doing a county fair in a month and a half. I was looking at the attendance and last year they had just over 25,000 and in 2009 it was about 23000 and in 2008 they had 26000. DO you think I need a booth manager or can I do it on my own. My DH would normally come but he may have a job ( after 2 years of being unemployed) and I dont really know any one else to help me. How do you find a booth manager?

Ugh. I had this huge reply all typed out and the forum ate it!
Let's try this again.

When/how do you make the call at having a booth manager?

I come from a Ren/Victorian/Pirate/Fairy festival background so I've always had hawkers. Hawkers are entertainers who draw people from the middle of the lane so that once they see our stuff, they're sold. When I got into street fests, my hub (my chief hawker) couldn't make a few of them with us one year and we noticed a marked drop in intake. We did well but we were used to doing exceptionally. This theory was tested and we realized that with a hawker we at very least doubled our intake.

Think of it this way. It takes about 2 minutes to talk with people, decide on a design, go through the yadda-yadda before even painting. Then it takes another two minutes to talk care and the money exchange. Let's say you average 5 min a face, you could do 12 in an hour with a manager. Without one you can do about 7. 5 difference. If you charge $5 per piece- that's 25 an hour that you are missing out on. At the end of a 10 hour day, that's $250!!! Not to mention if your hawker/lm is trained in simple things (glitter tattoos) s/he can do that and bring in even more money.

How much do you pay them?

All my people make a percentage of net profit. Gross profit is how much you bring in overall. Net profit is how much you bring in after event fee and supplies used. A hawker who works with me earns 40% of net.
I've found that people work harder for percentage than for flat fee.

How do you find a booth manager?

Well, I started by looking across the room and batting my eyelashes at my hub. Since then all of my hawkers have been very outgoing, fun-loving friends in need of money. If you really just want a manager, just find a friend who wants extra money. Weekdays at county fairs tend to be slower so even if you have someone at night and weekends it'll help.

DO you think I need a booth manager or can I do it on my own.

I think from my answer to your first question, you can guess what I'd say. Don't leave home without one!

1. Mothers/inlaw are handy if they don't growl at the timid kids!
2. Treat them to dinner!
3. Yes! you need someone to at least handle your cash and pour you a drink!

I literally have no on . My one friend is..........unreliable. The plan had been for her to help me out but the event last weekend she bailed last minuet and I have a 3 day this weekend and she was complaining and told me she wouldn't be there for the whole thing only the on hour I really needed her. Sh has been very flaky lately and the event is 2.5 hours away. My man has no family( he was orphand at the age of 16) and I am new to the area and the few other people I know work full time. Should I look in craigslist or is there another way to go about it?

Michelle G wrote:I literally have no on . My one friend is..........unreliable. The plan had been for her to help me out but the event last weekend she bailed last minuet and I have a 3 day this weekend and she was complaining and told me she wouldn't be there for the whole thing only the on hour I really needed her. Sh has been very flaky lately and the event is 2.5 hours away. My man has no family( he was orphand at the age of 16) and I am new to the area and the few other people I know work full time. Should I look in craigslist or is there another way to go about it?

I would hire someone from the area you are going to, pay them an hourly rate and tell them they will get a bonus based on the intake so they are motivated. I'll tell ya...I would never do a fair without one now. It made such a difference when my husband understood that he could make the difference between minimum wage and good money....and he did. We doubled the intake the second day. It also left me to focus and do my work. Lynnie is so right.

Is there a local college there that you could place an ad with? College kids are fun and would work hard if they knew they'd get more money at the end...and maybe lunch.

Denise

I love my Man to death, he is amazing but he is not a people person at all so he is very against helping but still has. Unfortunately ( and fortunately ) he may have found a job after a year of looking so he has a good excuses this time. I have only had someone help me at a booth twice now and it is sooo much better, but my DH says I am relaying to much on them. I am not sure the point where I need one from where I want one.

well at an event with more than 20,000 people...ummm...i would think youll need one... the college student is a good idea or maybe the local high school (maybe ask the art teacher)

Ohhh The art teacher is a good idea too! There is no college close. I cant believe there has never been a painter there. but it is in the middle of no where. Thank you so much everyone!

I've used a line manager only once, and it was a waste of money. Of course, it was my husband. LOL. But really, I can take my own money pretty quickly and cut my own line off when needed so there's no point in paying someone else. The advantage for me might be having someone to run for food, but I'd have to cut my line off to eat it anyway so...

I have done it both ways before. I personally prefer to have someone taking the money but it isn't the end of the world if you can't find someone. Do you go to church? Maybe one of the kids at your church would want to help? If you don't go to church then start calling local churches to see if the youth group would like to earn some money by sending a couple of kids to help you out....decide what % you want to donate to the church.... You could be helping a good cause. Or call the local high school booster club, they are always looking for ways to earn $$$$$. I have seen plenty of people do it different ways. Try not to fret it will work out for you if you have to do it alone. The worst part will be trying to close down the line by yourself. Paint a sign on wood that says, line is now closed and count how many that you have, give the end person a sign to hold or place a sticker on them so that you know who was REALLY last.

I do most of my events alone, I do better at calling people in than anyone I have found so far LOL But, when hubby is able to help, it is a nice treat, and yes, it does free up a bit of brain power and makes a bit more $$ at the end of day...but if you have no one, you can do it yourself. I've done events from 20 000 to 80 000 per day by myself... I'll be happy when I find a reliable helper (hubby keeps our kids usually) but for now, I do it alone too.