I am thinking of planning a xmas gift event in December. As my salon is small I am going to hire the local village community centre which is directly across the road from my salon. I am going to be providing refreshments, champers and canapes and nibbles for guests. I will also be inviting reps from my product companys to come and do demos/sell etc. The main aim of the night is to sell xmas gifts and gift vouchers and also to generate new clients. Oh and Im going to do a big raffle. How shall I advertise this? I need to get as many people as possible.

I was also wondered about inviting other local buisnesses (shoe shop, gift shop, card shop etc) to have a stand. Here they could sell their products and gain new clients. Hopefully their existing clients will come along. I am unsure wwhat to charge for a stand I thought of £40 each company. Do you think this is too much? I will provide each company with leaflets to hand out to all their clients.

It will sort of be a classy girly xmas fayre.

Have any geeks done anything simular before.

Michelle x

Hi,

I am by no means and expert, but I have been invited to join one of these evenings, its a charity event so I have just to give a % of my takings for the night.

I would invite local businesses as this would promote 'local businesses' as well as hopefully up your client base! £40 doesnt sound like it is too expensive to me.

You never know, it might be so popular it'll become an annual event!

Good luck
x

A school do this type of thing local to me,
they have Yankee candles, Thornton's, handbags etc
they charge £10 per table and ask for a donation to the raffle prizes hth

my experiences are the same as loubylou's - £10 per table and a donation for the raffle prizes (could be a free treatment voucher or gift basket of products ect)

they have a wide selection of people there so that the people visiting have plenty to look at!

Hi

It could work well for you to link up with a local charity - eg 10% of purchases go toward them or charge a small entry fee on the door that goes to them, the reason for this is the amount of free publicity that you'll get prior to and after the event - you can supply the chaity with details of the event and they'll do a press release for your local papers, will also be in their newsletter and of course all their staff, volunteers and service users. It's possible they may have a website and would get included on that to. By working with a charity you'll attract a wider audience, you get the feel good factor and its good for your business to be seen to supporting charities. I used to work for a charity - I'm using this approach for my opening event and any futute events...hope this is helpful

Clare

I would be careful that the emphasis is taken off you. You are there for a reason, to do demos, introduce your clients to treatments and gift buying and gift vouchers.
You are providing free champagne/cava and canapes, and it sounds like a fab evening.

Once you've got Joe bloggs coming in selling their stuff then the whole angle has changed, they will 'own' part of the evening.

So take care who is invited to take a stall and £10-40 takes care of the extra beverages that you have to get in.