SPOTLIGHT ON OUR ASSOCIATES………………………..………………………….... b) Most grounds attractions will be happy to donate a show (or
PROMOTING YOUR FAIR AT NO COST By Wade Henry
Often, when we think of effective promotion for a Fair, Festival
or Event, we think of slick ad campaigns sent over the media channels of radio, TV or Highway Billboards. These campaigns can be expensive. And website/social-media advertising programs can cost much in terms of both money and time. There are great ways to promote the Fair with little or no cost. One way is to send your entertainment to the local schools. Many Fairs don’t realize who their best salespeople are out in
the field. Of course, the best salesperson for a Fair is a KID. Indeed, some adults bring their children to the fairgrounds simply because the kid(s) know the Fair is in town and will persistent with the “hard sell salesmanship” (so characteristic of kids) that will get them there. Ever notice how persistent a kid can be when asking for some-
thing? Have you noticed how advertising for many cereals and other
foods are directed – not at adults (who buy the food)….but to chil- dren? Once a kid knows what he wants, his enthusiasm for it can be-
come virtually un-killable. The kid is then transformed into a salesperson for that product or service. And he will nag his parent (s) until they submit to the whim. And in some families, there isn’t even any resistance. (And, for some products – which are good for the family….there shouldn’t be!) In many cases, it’s not the parents who are bringing kids to the
Fair. It’s actually kids who are bringing the parents! So the question becomes – How do you reach the kids in your
promotional actions? With all those carnival rides, bright lights, games, entertainment and animals – kids clamor for the Fair ex- perience. If they know the Fair is in town, they will bring parents, family and friends. They don’t have driver licenses of their own – so they will always come as a group. THE KEY TO PROMOTING TO KIDS IS TO VISIT THE
SCHOOL(S) IN THE AREA. The very best way to accomplish this is to visit the elementary
and/or high schools in the area. In this way, you can expose yourself to HUNDREDS OF KIDS AT A TIME. Here’s a sample promotional campaign that would cost a fair
nothing: - Select a grounds attraction that you are already paying to be at
your fairgrounds. - Get the entertainer’s agreement to donate a “publicity show” to
a local school. - Deliver the show in the school gym or auditorium on a week-
day morning. -. As part of the entertainment, have the talent enlighten the
audience about some of the exciting things that are happening at the Fair. - At the end of the presentation or show, invite them to come to
the Fair with family and friends. That’s really all there is to it. In some cases, the entertainer may not be willing to contribute
the extra show as part of his/her contractual arrangement. If this is the case, see if he will switch one of his sets on the fairgrounds with a satellite show in the community. Or pro-rate his daily rate for an extra show at the school. In many cases, the entertainer will gladly contribute the extra show(s) at no charge. The five step campaign for school visits has many advantages
over high-cost advertising. Here’s a summary: a) Most grounds attractions are entertainment personalities who
have a great deal of experience in communicating with kids. They are very effective with school audiences. School shows is a smart use of this talent.
Monkeys Riding Dogs! "I have the greatest job
on earth" explained Phil Hendricks, self pro-claimed "Monkeys Butler." Hendricks, with his wife and daugh- ter travel the country with the Banana Derby, monkeys riding dogs show. "Everywhere I go people smile and laugh, its really fun showing the monkeys and dogs." The Banana Derby now in its fourth year is a ground attraction, self contained show playing State and County Fairs, festivals carnivals and casinos. The Jockeys, capuchin monkeys, race around the track on mans best friend. "Combining Monkeys and dogs really brings out the smiles" added Hendricks.
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more) to a local school. They are committed to your Fair for the week and are already there in town. No extra travel is really in- volved to make a school show happen. c) Any school has a gym or auditorium. This is an optimum fa-
cility to use for a short presentation/show. Hundreds of your key target audience can be spoken to at once. d) Live shows and presentations are MUCH more exciting and
memorable than material delivered over the mass media – even for kids. Why spend thousands on mass media advertising when you have live entertainment for use at your fingertips? e) The optimum time for a presentation at a school is in the
morning. With most fairgrounds opening at noon (or after), the schedule is very doable for your hired grounds entertainment. f) The type of attendees most Fairs want is the family. It’s usu-
ally families who gain the benefits of Fair education. And families spend money on rides and food. The way to reach and promote to the family is through the kids…which means schools are the optimum medium. Providing a presentation at the school(s) will inevitably result in
HUNDREDS of salespeople equipped to return home and sell your event to their families. And these salespeople, by their very nature, will be some of the most persistent and enthusiastic sales- people you could possibly have. Wade Henry is an expert Fair entertainer and member of the
International Association of Fairs and Expositions. He lives in Clearwater, FL. As an accomplished Free Stage and Strolling Entertainer, he has delivered over 8,000 performances in the past 15 years at hundreds of Fairs. Wade has also delivered many shows and presentations to schools. He can be reached at 727-244-921 or visit his website at:
www.wadehenryshow.com
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