Photo booth across from cacao booth at hot chocolate run expo

I decided to invest into the booth at Hot Chocolate Run and these are the reflections for me to remember, and for you to consider if you are thinking or planning to introduce ceremonial cacao to those who run for chocolate.

Study the event

Ask these questions: how many vendors are you open to and who has signed up already? How big is the venue and what is the set up like? Who is the target audience and how many people are expected to visit? What is the intension of the organizers/what other events have they hosted? Has an event like this happen already and are there statistics or pictures? What is the average time people spend at the venue? And if you decided to attend, ask for a discount.

Prepare but don’t overpack

Outline the list of things you will bring and plan how you will set up your booth which is typically a 10 by 10. Keep in mind its a touch draft because once you get there and realize the flow, you may need to change, so like with everything don’t get too attached to your original plan. Think about what you will wear, make yourself presentable and outstanding, while planning for enough rest and nutrition before event. Set up as early as you can so you can create the atmosphere of bliss, meet the neighbors, create capturing social media post, and have everything ready on time. Needless to say it depends what you bring if the event is indoors or outside. Confirm the items you can use, such as music, incense, products for sale and for samples. Make sure there is water, electricity or anything else you may need to operate effectively. The loading zone can be exhausting, so if you see yourself going to big events often and don’t have hands on help, invest into a wheel cart.

Standard 10x10 booth is enough to serve ceremonial cacao

My list:

Space set: Altar: flowers, fire, feather, incense/sage, lounge: pillows, rug, tissues. For fun: messages, metaphorical cards, fortune book, coloring tools.

Sample station: thermos of thick mixture(2) thermos with hot water, tray, cups, spices, stirrers, frother, tissues.

Sales Station: Sign, biz cards, QR code, sign up list, Venmo barcode, credit card reader, cash change.

Operational: Kettle, mixer, water heater, cups, cooler, notepad, pan.

Miscellaneous: Water, cellphone, extra set of clothes (cacao gets spilled) extras of small essentials like pens, lighters, batteries for frother, items of other affiliates not displayed but handed when situation calls, extra table or massage table to place things on or have for people to rest (many people get excited to see massage table), other products for sale if appropriate and complimentary to cacao or event, like kiraffs, cups, crafts…

Get to know the target audience

To communicate your message short and bold and capture peoples attention try to understand their motif and offer a solution. Hint: it is not that literal or on a surface. For example the run may not be about running at all! For some its a yearly activity, for others its a one and done thing because of cool marketing- “I run for chocolate” its like I work out for beer, and I live for the applause. These people love to eat, not so much to run. And therefore sweeten your cacao and add typical flavors like cinnamon to make it taste “good”. It is a fun family event, a cool social media picture and a nice thing to belong to two categories foodies and runners. There were not too many serious, health conscious racers, and those who were, rushed through like the race has already started:) So if you want to share the ceremonial aspect of cacao, sport events may not be for you.

Marketing flyer that no-one reads, would be better off as a stand.

Conclusion

Set your intentions and release your expectations. Plan and improvise. Be aware of your audience and about your own feelings and needs. Make the best out of it, and share the best of your energy even if you can’t share cacao.

People like to look at cool creative things, people like to touch, people like to grab and go.

They don’t like to read, don’t like eye contact, don’t like to be overwhelmed with options, or confused with what you offer.

Take some time to reflect, make notes for your future self or even a whole blog article to share with other selves who may be looking for tips or need help to decide about going to Hot Chocolate Race. tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Watch more insights I recorded in a video, right after getting home from the event.