MyConcessionBusiness.com

Posts Tagged ‘spot’

Below is Part 4 of the email I received from a successful vendor who sells mini donuts and other items at his trailers. Thanks Dave for sharing this info with our readers!

Also, you never want to get too far ahead of yourself with making the donuts. I'll start the morning off with one batch, which gets me about 12 bags. When I get down to 2 bags, I'll start another batch. When I start frying, I turn my exhaust hood on, and the aroma gets drawn out of the trailer into the field. And this aroma draws people to my trailer! Smell sells when it comes to donuts! I've seen some vendors with smell-sensitive things like kettle corn or mini donuts who want to make their entire product first thing in the morning, so they can just sit there and sell and collect money for the rest of the day. Then they sit there and wonder why they can't move their product. Smell sells... trust me! Make them as you need them, that way the smell will keep drawing people to you, and people will get them nice and hot when they're best. And if people get donuts that they think are really good, they'll be repeat customers. It took me 5 years selling at the same location to build my business to where it now is. That trailer is a stationary unit by the way... it stays at the market year-round, and has not moved from that spot since 2006. I usually sell between 150 and 200 bags of donuts on a typical day now... I think my record day in 2010 was 236 bags. There are days I cannot keep up with the demand... I've got people placing orders and waiting, and I just keep making them as fast as I can. It takes the machine about 1 minute to make 1 bag of donuts. So there are mornings I'm literally making $3 a minute for hours. And that's just on donuts. I sell so much coffee that I needed to invest in a second commercial airpot coffee maker. I could not keep up with just one machine. I sell usually around 30 airpots worth of coffee in a morning. I also do tea, hot chocolate, iced tea, iced coffee, smoothies, canned soda, and bottled water. It is a relatively simple menu, but the trailer runs like a well-oiled machine, and everything I sell is very high profit. I buy bottled water cases at Costco... it amounts to about 15 cents a bottle, and I sell it for $1.50. On a hot summer day, I could easily sell 50-70 bottles of water. Another thing I should mention, which I think is a large part of why I have been successful there at the market, is because I keep my trailer very clean. People like to see that. I also like to use all professional signage... I think hand made signage is tacky and looks unprofessional. I got those "Dave's Donuts" signs made up last year at a professional sign shop. People want to shop at a trailer that looks professional and clean, and if you have a good aroma coming from it, that's a plus as well.

Back in 2007, a fresh squeezed lemonade stand opened up 2 spots up from my donut trailer. It was a simple setup, just a table and umbrella and ice bucket, but damn... they did a good business! They'd have a line on any sunny hot day during the summer. That space had been vacant for a while, and I was kicking myself for not starting up something like that on my own. I told myself, if and when the time comes that they close, I'll take over. Well, 2009 came along and they never returned. 2010 came and the spot was still vacant. So I finally took some initiative and talked to the market manager, and he agreed to rent me the spot to sell lemonade. So then I had to find a trailer, outfit it how I would need it for lemonade, and get it to the market ASAP because the hot summer days were quickly ticking away. I found a used 6'x10' concession trailer on Craigslist that I thought would do the trick. It's my only "real" concession trailer... a Haulmark, not a homemade job. And what a difference in quality! I will NEVER buy another homemade concession trailer. The Haulmark is very well built. No leaks, and a solid floor. Here's a video of what it looked like when I first bought it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V2w5cNmDIU

Stay tuned tomorrow when Dave talks about the importance of your stand or trailer and why it should look good.  He gives you some advice on where to find wraps and things to make it look its best!

Still wondering where to start a successful concession business?   Below is an excellent site to get you started, it will help you answer a lot of questions you may have.  There is no limit to the number of questions a future business owner can ask,  this site really breaks it down for you.  Definitely a good read.

Click for Help with Starting  your Concession Business

  Finding the right location for your concession business can most definitely be a daunting task. Location is the key component to the success of any business, especially a concession stand. The location possibilities are truly endless to set up shop at including fairs, festivals, carnivals, flea markets, malls, parks, etc. Of course, the spot that you ultimately choose is often going to be influenced by just how much money that are willing and able to spend to secure your desired location.

 Outdoor events are perfect places to look when you are trying to find the right location for your concession business. You are looking for a spot where there is a consistent flow of heavy foot traffic. Carnivals and other outdoor activities are ideal to set up at because there is easy set up involved and overhead costs are generally quite low.

 Keep in mind that the prime locations at an event are going to cost you more than being in the sidelines so this gives you another huge decision to make. You may choose to pay top-dollar because you know the profit will be well worth it if you set up where the masses will flock to eat or you can often pay a substantially less amount of money and be where there is less foot traffic. However, if you are selling a more original product that other concessions may not have, you may opt for this choice because the people will travel a few extra steps to access your product.

 You may even want to consider setting up at food drives or charity garage sales. These events draw a giving crowd and if you are giving a small amount of your profits to the cause, you will attract even more traffic.

 There are endless possibilities of where your business can take you. Do not put a lot of stressful thoughts into finding the right location for your concession business. Go where the people are, sell a tasty product and offer outstanding customer service and you will do just fine.

Regardless of your age, a concession cart business is a fabulous way to enjoy the benefits of being self-employed. It is ideal for a full-time business or perfect for a summer and weekend business for college students, teachers or retirees. If you enjoy meeting new people in a fun atmosphere and making a pretty nice income, a concession cart business is for you.

To start your concession cart business you will want to evaluate your options and choose what you want to sell. Most carts will focus on one specific area like hot dogs or ice-cream but if you want to carry more than one item that is completely up do you. You will also need to decide where you want to set your concession cart up at, whether you are erecting it at the same spot everyday or traveling to music festivals, farmer's markets or other outdoor venues.

Before starting your concession cart business you will want to obtain a health certificate and determine what licenses and permits are required in your area. You will also need to decide if you want to find a partner or hire an employee. Sharing long shifts with someone, especially at a busy event may be needed so that you can keep up with the customers and take a break every now and then. Not to mention, you have become self-employed so you might also want to take a day off once in awhile without losing any potential income opportunities.

It is possible to also rent a concession cart in some areas so that may be another option for you if you want to become self-employed but you are on a tight budget. Keep in mind that even though you are focusing on selling food, you should also consider selling drinks. Most people would prefer purchasing their drink at the same location as their food so that they do not have to make an additional stop. You may also want to consider having bite-sized sample containers available to entice those people passing by. Above all, have fun with your concession cart. It is a great opportunity to make a lot of money and be your own boss so have a good time while you're doing it!