Exhibition Frolicks

Well that got you looking in here didnt it! I thought we could write any exhibition experiences down for people to read.

Last spring I was in at the Househunters show in Dublin. Between the auctions I was womaning a stand on my own offerinf Spain and Morocco.

The Irish dont particularly like Morocco so it was rather quiet - good job after all the beer consumed!!!!!

Anyway this guy comes up to me asking about Morocco. So I goe into my speech about Tangiers, the new port, freezone etc and I feel this chap is really taking it all in, until he asks me where Morocco is.

Well, I tell him its in Africa and he proceeds to ask me where Africa is.

Im still not sure if it was a wind up!!!

Sounds like buyers for Morroco do the same amount of research as some in Spain  (except for those here on the forum of course)

The last exhibition I did was at Sandown Park a few years ago.  It was a waste of time 1 sale from 236 visitors to the stand.

The highlight was a snotty little man and his wife came onto the stand, we had a bar set up with nibbles and Spanish wines. He rapidly polished off 3 glasses of free wine whilst telling us all how great he was.  One of our salesman had spent all morning eating olives and spitting the stones into a bowl on the bar.  Mr Snotty eventually decided to leave and grabbed a

Had to repost above, smileys podcast is causing havoc!!!

Sounds like buyers for Morroco do the same amount of research as some in Spain  (except for those here on the forum of course)

The last exhibition I did was at Sandown Park a few years ago.  It was a waste of time 1 sale from 236 visitors to the stand.

The highlight was a snotty little man and his wife came onto the stand, we had a bar set up with nibbles and Spanish wines. He rapidly polished off 3 glasses of free wine whilst telling us all how great he was.  One of our salesman had spent all morning eating olives and spitting the stones into a bowl on the bar.  Mr Snotty eventually decided to leave and grabbed a handfull of peanuts.  We all laughed our heads off when he realized he had a mouth full of Rogers well chewed olive stones.  It was worth the €15,000 exhibition cost just to watch that!

Viva Espana - Day 1. Thought I would write a quick diary sonon agents can see what we do for our money

Last night worked til gone 9pm from 8.30 am (no lunch) ensuring everything was set and ready printed etc for the show. Went home and packed

7a, - bloomin eck - the alarmclocks going mad. Left home 8am to fuengy to go to bank and collect some velcro stuff to keep the posters on the wall. 10am airport, carpark Dave collects the car and onto the plane I go. WHy is it quicker to leave spain than leave UK??

Arrive at just after 2 then lug the hand luggage of 18 kilos wieght along to collect the big suitcase weighing 23.5 kilos! Off to vivtoria on the gatwick express via a cash machine.

Then taxi (not getting the tube this time as I still have the blisters on my hand from before!) to Olympia where of course only half is ready! Hang around for a couple of hours and im in the Theatre of Dreams - rather embarassing name that one! Finally leave at 6pm and get on tube 1 stop to earls court.

Find hotel - hey ho another fleapit but at least I can turn around in this one. TV wont work AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHH so man comes up and fiddles with aerial. No joy so get moved! Pack and unpack again

Then out, do a bit of shopping come to inernet place cos laptop has knacked out onme as well (lucky day today!) In a bit Im going for some grub then back to hoel.

Trouble is there is anightclub underneath..... and walking past it I actually remember staggering into it last march. I joined up with a group of students, nice bunch, and then got them shots of tequila! Hilarious!

So, looking forward to tomorrow and the Dynamite Boyz ... I promise to get some pics for you girls.

Nite nite all

Hi Smiley - I wrote this in the local internet cafe in Earls court - my laptop decided to not work! Still its a bit old and I think the trip has tired it out.

After that I went for a thai meal, very nice, did a bit of shopping in sainsbury's which satys open until 11pm! And a health food shop that stays open all night! Bit dodgy if you ask me, I mean who wants vitamins at 1am???

Well Day 1 started well, I got to the hall at 8.30am but the day was quiet. Fridays tends to be a business day anyway but even so! It really is very obvious that Spain is not the flavour of the year.

Still the shows were good and the competitors for the flamenco competition - which is being judged by Brendan Cole on sunday was excellent. Sevillana dancers, a tuna band and loads of free booze on offer.

I behaved myself right up until the exhibitors party which for some reason was not held directly after the show, but instead was at 8pm at the roof gardens kensington. Bit poncy but there you go and as usual the free drink ran out at 9pm!! well all im gonna say is it was a good night, my feet are killing me after all the dancing and after about 4 hrs kip, was back into the show.

Day 2 saw all the estate agents complaining about a total lack of customers and really it was bad. I got very few people interested in the auctions, the ones who did come mainly wanted to sell! Anyway Im catching up on emails and phone calls now, going for some good carbohydrate food to get me going and then who knows!!

Catch up with you all tomorrow!

Day 3 - YEEEHAAA Finished. My feet have gone totally numb by now and Im shattered! It was a quietish day but 3 clients specifically camr to see me which was really nice.

The show ending was quite spectacular, the free drinks throughout the day helped adn I bought myself a massage pad which is fantastic.

Got shot of all my catalogues and now going for a quiet meal. Home tommorrow with 2 weeks until last and final exhibition.

Hi Janice - I wondered if anyone was bothered about what we get up to. I darent put everything down for general consumption but needles to say we work hard and then a hardened core go and play hard!

Can be a bit tiring after hardly any sleep for a few dyas but what the hell - you only live once!

Hi Rixxy,

How do you get on in general at the exhibitions?

We are thinking about one in Dublin later this year,are they proving cost affective?

Have stayed away so far due to cost implications,got to be careful with the market how it is.

Really feel for you on the employyee nightmare,we have one girl but she is very good(touch wood).

Georgia

Awww thank you! I didnt mean bothered by what we do etc but I meant bothered about the exhibition and what happens.

Anyway I, fond of a lot of people on this forum, speak good sense, nice and direct and not afraid to speak their minds!

Georgia - to be honest with you some are worth doing but some arent! Its a real dilemma cos although they cost a few thousand euros per time - well really around 6000 taking into consideration flights, food and of course the booze!!!, what is the alternative?

People do attend and even the poorly attended ones have resulted in a) sales and b) brand awareness.

I did 9 from september to nov last year - to be honest it was gruelling, but it raised the awareness of us and now we have between4500 to 5000 unique visitors per week to our site, so I went for a different reason.

If you are only selling Spain, then its a real touhg call as last expo was Spain only and was dire. I really felt for the agents there and even Macanthony didnt get anyone to the stand, or ocean or livingstons! They had spent serious money and so no way did thay make anything.

You could be better off advertising in papers as no one is advertising Spain now, or pick certain shows that are very well attended.

I only got back into them as doing what we do, we get a stand at a deducted rate, so just about covers itself, but earlier part of this year i had pulled out from them all!

Thanks for the thoughts re the employee. Im trying really hard not to get so wound up about it - not much ruffles my feathers but this one is biting - and to be truthful its not the money. Although it will hurt its the principle and of taking pity on someone they throw it back at you!

Ive lived in Spain 12 years and have been taken for a ride several times! Each time I learned but this girl I felt so sorry for - no money, in a strange land trying to find her way, she had been ripped off as well! So put her on her feet and helped her and then this. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Hey ho!

"In a strange land" - what nationality was she babe as I think we all assumed she was Spanish - well I did anyway

It must be annoying for Argentinians who remember the Malvinas/Falklands conflict to arrive in Spain only to find Britain has another Island off the coast of Spain!  Bet it makes them feel like occupying the Isle of White - mmmm that´s ok with me!