Barbecuing in the rain isn’t as much fun as it sounds which is why one of the biggest investments, I have made in promo for my BBQ team is our tent. We bought one of those tents that has a full sublimated cover so that we can really get our branding out there, but also has a frame that’s built to withstand more than a little wind and has a lifetime warranty on the frame for manufacturer defects as well.
This year my operations manager told me that we should buy a second tent because after a BBQ contest it’s hard to take to a golf tournament or tradeshow because it smells like BBQ and because we should take advantage of our BBQ branding and promote it more, so stay tuned because once we finalize the more in depth logo, I’m sure a second tent will be close behind.
I’ve been at lots of contests where it’s raining and windy and it’s nice to have a shelter for the BBQ’s and us and yes we can both be under there because the tents we sell are all Fire Protection rated for Fire Retardant and Water repellent. I have also been at contests where people with good weights watch their tents buckle under the wind and people without weights have chased their tent across the parking lot. This is never us because we bought a good wind resistant tent and good weights to go with it.
Last year we upped our visuals a bit by adding 2 shark fin flags to out arsenal. They are made for events where we can sell BBQ, they have spiked ends because usually when we vend we are on grass, so it’s easy to stab them into the ground, but you can get a cross base instead if you prefer. Signs in my opinion are the best form of advertising, so when we fly our shark fins it brings in the people. Last year at one event we sold out of 130 racks of ribs in a couple of hours while other vendors struggled throughout the day. Signage works.
The only thing I haven’t bought for myself that I really want to and now that I am writing this, I just might order it now is branded anti-fatigue matting. Standing around in front of a BBQ or at a contest it’s nice to have a cushiony branded matt to stand on. It’s an easy way to take the pressure off of your feet and build your brand at the same time….. ok I’m doing it! So whether it’s a tradeshow booth, an outdoor cooking setup or just a promotional area for your showroom or front office, you can see here how I’ve made tents, signage, matting and more work for me, hopefully it’s made you think about how it can work for you.