CURLEW - NEW AND USED MARQUEES

My advice is that if your marquee company is not selling, sell some marquees in “packages' of the marquee and lining, then with options of other equipment and some marquees on their own. 

Some people will want an “empty” marquee, some will want a “complete package”. 

If you offer a package with everything including the kitchen sink it will look very expensive. So have the price of the marquee and lining then itemise the choice of wood floor, carpet, furniture, electrics etc. 

So it makes sense a selection of different offers Empty marquees and Compleat packages. Of different widths and lignths.

Selling To The Trade Or Novice Customer?

Trade customers may be happy collecting from your yard. The other 50% may require more help or even you to put the marquee up for them. Offering “training” and “advice” can make the sale. You may have to go and see the intended site for the marquee to confirm if it’s suitable. I’ve found that it can be the people with least experience that spend the most. 

Photos are as or more important than the text. 

Your Photos Should Include The Following:-

• The marquee set up for a wedding in a lovely location  / prestigious event 
• Close up (from 3m) photos showing the condition of the PVC / lining (up in the air if possible)
• The marquees in bags / storage

Avoid The Following:-

• Rubbish in the photos
• Dirty marquees
• Photos taken when it’s overcast or raining

Often people are buying a dream (owning a successful marquee company or having a white wedding). However the dream does not include drizzle or rubbish. 

Photos of marquees in storage should be as neatly stacked as possible. It's also worth dusting them and removing other equipment from the photo. 

Things That Help Sell Marquees

• Good photos on sunny days in lovely locations.
• Clean marquees.
• Realistic prices.
• Marquees that are complete / include everything you need. 

Removing Fear

One of the main things stopping someone buying a marquee is the fear that they are going to buy the wrong marquee, not as described, they can’t put up  or that it’s going to be missing parts. 

If you can remove this fear you are halfway to selling your marquee. 

You can remove the fear of it being incomplete or broken by helping put it up! 

I used to offer to rent them the marquee for their event, if they were not happy with it when I delivered it. In 20 years of selling marquees, with this offer, I never returned with a marquee unsold! 

This removes the risk for the buyer.

Things That Put Customers Off Buying A Marquee

• It needs repairing / Cleaning
• It is missing a part
• It can’t be seen put up.
• You don’t know how to put it up.
• You don’t know who has made it or what system it belongs to.
• The photographs are poor. 

Obviously it’s not practical putting a marquee up if it’s large. However it’s often more practical to put up one section.