Oriental dance is so popular in America right now, there are innumerable dance seminars sponsored all over the country starring many great artists. The busiest vendors in the U.S. have literally seen it all – from small one-day workshops, to full-blown week-long dance festivals. While the dancers, students and audience members enjoy and often expect there to be several vendors providing a wide variety of supplies, everyone’s focus generally falls upon the guest teacher and star of the show, the show and all its performers and, of course, the dance lesson’s content and location. Seldom does anyone really think much about the vendors and the great effort it takes for them to be there.
I thought it would be worthwhile to reveal how a dance event is viewed from the perspective of the vendor. When a dance event is planned, whether or not it includes a show, there are many needs to address and prioritize. The sponsor has to consider the needs of all, including her own requirements, those of the dance workshop, the teacher, the students, the audience and the vendors. Somehow, the poor vendor is often given last priority.
For example, during the workshop, it would be best for the teacher and the students if the room in which they danced were kept quiet, so that their concentration is not interrupted. Thus, the sponsor often tries to arrange it so that all the vendors are set up in a completely separate room from the dance room. However, vendors will tell you that their sales are usually much lower when they are in a separate area from the dance room, as customer traffic is less, both during the workshop and the show. It is better if the separate room is at least directly attached to the dance room. It is best for the vendors if their tables can be spread around the circumference of the actual dance room and be an integral part of the event.
A vendor faces other issues when she considers the location of her vending space. Some of them may seem small and inconsequential, but they can present big problems. For example, if the event location is not on the ground floor of a building, is there elevator access to the upper floor? Most vendors travel with several extremely heavy boxes and suitcases that can weigh 70 pounds each! It is sometimes impossible to carry these items upstairs. Needless to say, it would be helpful if sponsors considered this when deciding on the vending location. Sponsors should inform the vendors in advance if stairs are involved and whether or not there is an elevator. If there is no elevator, then the sponsor should arrange for someone to assist the vendors in carrying their items into and out of the building.
What about the room’s fire codes? No sponsor wants to bother to set up her wares only to find out that everything must be torn down and moved because her tables are blocking a fire exit. Such a catastrophe can be avoided if the sponsor does a little research with the facility and pre-plans where the vending tables are set up.
How much time is there to set up and tear down? This issue is often a big headache for most vendors. To handle their merchandise with care, it takes more time than one imagines. At the very least, one hour should be allotted before the event for vendors to unpack and set up. More than one hour would be more comfortable. The evening before would be ideal. The vendors also need to know in advance when they need to be out of the room, so that they can plan their packing accordingly. If there is little time following the event, then the vendor must start to pack before the event is even over!
What about security? Most vendors travel solo. They don’t have the luxury of tag-team vending. They often have to ask each other for help when they need to make a bathroom break. It is imperative that their merchandise will be secure if left overnight in a room, and that there is a security person around during the event.
Vendors depend upon the sponsor to be fair. If there are less than 50 students in the seminar, there should only be two major vendors, and maybe one extra “specialty” person, like a mssage therapist, someone selling wigs, someone offering mehendi, etc. Otherwise, the income per vendor will be so low, no one will go home breaking even! Think about it: vendors pay their own way to be there, including food, hotel and even paying a table rental fee. After all the expenses, it takes a decent number of sales to make any profit. Sponsors really need to focus their income as coming from the workshop and show, rather than counting on the rental fees of a lot of vendors. In this case, the old saying “less is more” truly applies. A few high quality vendors are worth more to the event’s success.
This is the last key issue: quality over quantity. If the sponsor chooses fewer vendors, then she needs to take care regarding the quality of those vendors. That’s okay with all the vendors in the market that have no fear about the quality of their goods. The only ones who will complain are the ones with lower quality merchandise. Mixing the quality levels of the vendors might hurt overall sales. How? If the customers are not aware that the vendors are not on an equal plane, they may not understand the price differences. The cost of a secondhand costume is not the same as a brand new one! If a sponsor wishes to include secondhand or flea market-type vendors, then the sponsor should inform the major vendors before they agree to attend the event, as it may make the major vendor decide against attending. And, it is the responsibility of the sponsor to make it clear to all the students and customers why the quality and prices range so widely.
Hopefully, this vendor perspective enlightens those who are considering sponsoring their next dance event. Let’s make it a win-win situation for everyone involved!
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©2002 Jasmin Jahal