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• Club & Dept Tips

Club & Dept Tips

Making the Most of the Fair

Once you sign up for the Involvement Fair you'll want to figure out how to maximize the time you have there. Below are some tips for helping you make the most of the fair.

Make your table eye-catching. - Create a colorful banner for the front of your table or maybe coveryour table with a table cloth.  A tri-fold display board can be a great way to show people what you're about and draw their attention to your table.  Remember that you'll be sharing your table with another organization so you have 3 feet to work with.

Have a conversation with people. - Share your personality with folks and find out about their interests. This will help you make a solid connection and have a better chance of recruiting people to your group.

Have more than one person working your table. - This will help you manage a group if they come up together and will make it easier for you to grab some lunch. Sometimes it's helpful to schedule your group in shifts as well with a couple people working the first hour and a couple working the second hour. Just don't forget to overlap them and make sure that setup and clean up are covered.

Have a sign up sheet. - This will help you collect the names and emails of folks who express interest. That way you can notify them of your first meeting or send out an update about what is going on with your group.

Give people something to take away. - It doesn't have to be paper. Actually, it's probably better for the environment and for the facilities staff on campus if you aren't giving out paper. But give people that come to your table something to remember you by. If you have a calendar of events or other info that you want to give them on paper - do it sparingly. A quarter sheet is often good enough, especially if you double-side it. Remember it can be windy, so bring something to hold down any paper you do have.

Plan for the wind. - Every year the wind is just enough to make it difficult to keep tri-fold boards, banners, or sign in sheets where you want them.  Plan for creative ways to keep your materials on your table so they don't get lost to the wind.

Follow up. - Once you collect contact information, make sure you follow up with something in a week or so.

Plan for the heat & the sun. - I know it sounds cheesy, but wear sunscreen.  Every year there tends to be a lot of heat and sun.  Make sure you don't get burned. Also, bring a water bottle since you'll be talking a lot and your mouth will get dry. The heat is an issue not only for you but also for your giveaway items. Remember that chocolate and ice cream do melt, so plan accordingly.