Most of the time, when people think of event revenue, they picture big-ticket items like, well, the ticket, or the VIP experience, not merchandise tables.
Event merchandise can be the cash cow that brands your event for years. Imagine thousands of your attendees sporting their “Halloween Haunt 2022” shirts for the rest of the year—until the cows come home, even!
Not just any merch table is successful, though. If you want to learn how to rock your merch table, read on, and we’ll teach you how.
1. Start Promoting the Merch Before the Event
Ideally, by the time your attendees arrive at your event, they have already seen some of the merch on the ticketing page and website. Early exposure to the available options helps build desire and gives people more time to reach a decision.
Just because someone felt uninterested in the beer mug on the Sunday morning when they purchased the tickets, doesn’t mean they won’t be in the mood for the mug while they're standing under the Ferris wheel the night of the event.
2: Create unique limited releases of merch
Instead of creating generic merchandise that is the same year over year, try to create limited edition and limited quantities of your merch that is unique to this event.
Perhaps it is a collaboration with a partner that takes the design to a whole new level or maybe some merch is autographed by notable guests of the event.
Today’s event attendees are looking to obtain merch and swag that will not be available to all forever. Often they would rather get something that commemorates the moment in time they attended the event.
3. Hold a Contest
Whether it’s a wheel of fortune or a ping-pong ball toss, a contest adds more fun and the potential rush of a win.
The prizes provide positive brand promotion and happier attendees. Not to mention, when contestants and their friends linger around the table cheering each other on, they’ll naturally check out the rest of the merch.
4. Keep Company Information at Every Table
Not all attendees are ready to purchase on the spot. Some want to do more research, others want to make bigger orders.
Offer attendees a business card or a website and let them explore and purchase on their own time.
5. Clear Signage & Appealing Visuals
This is especially important at large events. When herds of attendees make their way through dozens of merch tables, something has to catch their attention enough to warrant a stop.
Your station should be appealing, and your signage should make it clear what you are selling.
Protip: If you need to rent tables, i-pads, and other equipment, check out our preferred partner: choose2rent
6. Place Your High Energy Volunteers at the Merch Tables
From the shy introverts to the bubbly extroverts, there are roles for every type of willing volunteer. Place your most enthusiastic people at the merch tables.
Finally, if you put these tips into practice, your merchandise will fly off the tables!
