Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Dak-Fest

I'm on my yearly "booth duty" tour representing the electricity factory at local fairs and farm festivals, it amazes me how happy you can make someone by giving them candy or a free pen.

It is a great study in human behavior to watch them look at our booth and all the cool stuff we give away or have lying on the table. You can actually break the fair-goers into a few different groups in their etiquette concerning giveaways on a table.

THE BAG LADIES: Usually retired, carrying a huge hand bag and a page of address label stickers with their address on them. These ladies NEED every piece of give away material you have, and also a few more for their grand kids. They will always tell you, "I'm picking up another one of these for my grand kids." (Yeah, lady your 6 year old grand kid really needs a refrigerator magnet and a little case of toothpicks and breath mints) (Wondering about the address label sheets??? that is so they don't actually have to fill out the "register to win" sheets)

THE CUDDLERS: These are usually middle-aged to older men, who don't feel like they should take anything off of your table without first talking to you about what your business does. Deep down inside you know they could care less about your energy service and they want the shiny key chain and a hand full of peppermints...but they feel the need to "buy you lunch" before they take your stuff.

THE COOL KIDS: Usually between 16 and 40 something...they walk by, see all your cool giveaway stuff, but totally act like they don't want anything...only to send their buddy or kid over to grab the nice pens, and key chains...then they end up asking for a hat too.

THE BEARDED ONES: My colony friends...they love the heck out of fairs and exhibit booths, old young, male and female, they all sign up for the "register to win" prizes, even the 8 year olds...they take every single piece of paraphernalia, informational document and giveaway toys. These guys are my favorite...they are the reason I don't have to bring anything home after the fair is over!

I think I usually fall into the "cool kid" category, except today....SDSU was giving away ice cream...I went back 2 times for SDSU ICE CREAM, got my bowl from the same lady...she said, "Back for more, huh?" I didn't even care..."Yep, I said...getting this one for my wife." (Sidenote: Stephanie wasn't along) It was great ice cream...always has been the best.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Skipper and I have a little Colony blood running in our veins, me more than he, and we would be extremely happy receiving a Hat, a shiny key chain and I expecially love nice pens, you can keep that other INFORMATION JUNK, that is only propaganda anyway, besides I think I have it "coming" because my electric bill averages around $130.00 a month, nearly twice as much as Sioux Falls, your competion. My collection consists mostly of what I call "druggey pens", I hardly use any of them, but they are FREE and I LOVE FREE.

Anonymous said...

verlie we can go visit at the south dak. state fair and get some free stuff. he should save the good stuff for us

Anonymous said...

verlie we can go visit at the south dak. state fair and get some free stuff. he should save the good stuff for us

Anonymous said...

I hope he saves enough for you and me and our wives and each of our kids. After all he got some Ice Cream for his wife who was NO WHERE NEAR, it had to have melted before he got it to her. Surely he would not have told a "LITTLE WHITE LIE" and ate it himself, do you suppose?