Last weekend, myself and the guys from Hawk & Cleaver went to our first Comic Con. It was a laugh riot from start to finish, but there were definitely some handy takeaways from the event.
The event was called the Linc Con (based in Lincoln, oh how clever!) and was a moderate sized affair. Room enough to breathe, a steady stream of costumed nerds, and a buzzing atmosphere.
Here’s what I learned:
1. Prepare in advance
Whilst the majority of our stuff arrived on cue, and we had plenty of stuff to make our table look awesome (see picture), there were a couple of late arrival boxes of stock which was kind of annoying. Make sure you have everything you need weeks before the event.
2. Make an effort with the hosts
I was considerably lucky to have been able to meet the event hosts ahead of time, meaning that when we arrived we were able to head straight in, had a great location, and if we had any problems we didn’t need to faff around with people who didn’t know what was going on. The two guys running the event could not have been more helpful, and we did our best to push the event where we could and help in return.
3. Meet other stallholders
The worst thing you can do is get competitive. Though there are some people that won’t like the fact the corner of your table cloth is encroaching a millimetre onto their space, try to be cooperative. You’re all there for the same reason, to push your business. Be nice, play nice, make friends. Who knows? Maybe a chance encounter could open the door for future opportunities…
4. Talk to everyone
No matter who passes your table, say ‘Hi’. Be nice. No one will approach your table if you look scared or miserable. Throw a passing comment out there that makes others around you know that you’re approachable and won’t try to push hard sales. No one likes to feel like their being used as a marketing exercise. Just be a person. A person that people can talk to.
5. Have fun!
Comic Cons are lively, fun places where people leave the ‘real’ world behind and just have a good time. If you go to a Con with the intention of just pushing your business and using people as a means to make money, you won’t get very far. Most people go to cons to socialise, and get lost in the experience. Make it one they can enjoy. Be a part of it all.
My main takeaway is that it’s very different being on the stallholder side of the con. But only in that you can’t wander and your legs ache after six hours of constant standing. Try not to drink the night before too. That’ll screw you up entirely!
Any advice I’m missing? Let me know!