It has now been just about 5 years since I did my last Bike Week show and left the road to start up TheCheapPlace.com. I used to work for a big Patch Retailer before, one whose name I don't want to mention. But we travelled all around the States setting up tents and retailing at Rallies. Our tents were different than your average t-shirt guys tents who all seemed to have the same merchandize with different price tags. Patches and sewing was always the main business, but to attract people we had to fill up our tents with small items and make the whole thing look super cozy. Let me list some of my experiences.
Patches sell the most when they are displayed on the table and you allow your customers to touch them, and place them over their jackets or vests. If you have your patches behind a glass display you're not going to be selling as much patches.
Offering sewing on the spot will dramatically increase your patch sales. It's not unusual for a Sewer to make 2-3 hundred dollars on a busy day just from tips. Don't forget lines attract crowds. Don't worry about having a fast sewer. As long as you have a line of people outside your tent it will attract more of a crowd. Consider getting a sewer. You'll do better
The plastic yellow chain! You know those light yellow chains you buy from Home Depot. Get some on your next show. Along with an assortment of cheap doorags or bandanas with plastic hooks you can attach to the chain very easily. Hang the chain from a corner to corner. Every show I would fill up a yellow chain with about 300 doorags, $6 each or 2 for $10. By the end of the show you would have a few left. It's an item that sells. I hope to source and distribute them efficiently fairly soon.
Neoprene Face masks is also another great item to sell to Bikers. I would have never known had I not witnessed it myself. After all I thought they were only used as ski masks. But any Biker who rides under the rain knows how bad those rain drops feel on your face when you are going at 70 miles an hour. All you have to the is remind them that they are very handy to keep one or two in the saddle bag. $12 a piece and 2 for $20. 1 out of every 4 Biker I told this about would give me a $20 and take 2. So try this item and offer them to your customers when they are checking out. You can get a very good deal on them till end of April. I have more than I need in all Black at $3.60 a piece (regular price is $5.) Face Masks are a good item to offer to Bikers.
Cargo Nets, Fingerless Gloves, zipper pulls, clip on bags are all great little things you can offer to your customers and make your tent standout. I do happen to have leather fingerless gloves for $2.50 a piece till end of April too. These are wholesale prices based on $100 minimum order.
One last tip before I finish this weeks letter. Back 5 years ago, people used to use cash, I hope they still do. But say I sold 3 shirts for $30 and with tax rang up $32.10 and I got 2 $20 bills. It always pays to speak the following phrase "Would you like to make it an even $40 and pick another shirt on your way out." Get a 100 customers to say sure to that deal and you would make $800 more in sales.
Next week I'll talk about which rallies were a must attend and which rallies were a nightmare. Ride Safe
