I have been receiving a few emails lately from people with questions about sales reps and trade shows. This issue is fresh in my mind since I am currently signing two new reps, which would mean I have three reps total and a distributor in Australia - one step closer to Woobee world domination!
I believe in using reps, especially if you have a family. Why? Because it takes an amazing amount of energy (and money) to travel around pitching your goods. If you can find reps that do the trade shows even better! That should actually be a goal, to find reps that travel to the shows. A sales rep will cost you between 10-15% depending on the type of product you have...mine are in the 15% category. So when you are figuring out your pricing make sure you structure that cost in. That's what took me so long to get reps, I could not afford them. Woobee's are expensive to manufacture...each blanket is hand pinned because the materials slip. I have been slowly chipping away at my cost so I can afford a little help.
How to find a good rep? Check out the companies you feel are good fits with yours and see who there reps are. Shoot them an email with a link to your site and a brief description of your product (why they would want to carry it), and if you need to make a follow up call. You should know that it does cost extra for your rep to take your product to a trade show. It depends on the cost of the show, ENK is very expensive, ABC is not as expensive.
Trade show cost a lot of money. I have heard stories about small companies that sink $30,000 into one show, although doing it cheaper is easy. Generally, the booth space can cost around $1,500 for a 10' x 10' depending what show it is. If you want a 10' x 20' it would be $3,000, etc. The more booths you stack next to each other the better rate you can get. What you put into that space to strut your stuff and draw people in is where you can save money by being creative.That price is from the ABC Kids Expo in Vegas, which I believe is a good show. I have been very lucky to travel with BabyLegs to shows and sharing a booth space for a percentage of my sales from the show, and that is the only way I would be able to attend. This is why I think sales reps are the good guys. Find ones you really like to take your company to the next level. i am signing up with Rhonda Kilvin from Baby Gear Junkie in Boston/NY and can not be happier, and also Trinkets and Trappings in Chicago which I think will be a great relationship also.
Good luck out there! It is tough work!
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