It’s the season of the summer festival where consumers nosh on fried dough, ride the merry-go-round, peruse the arts and crafts, and, maybe, just maybe, establish (or re-establish) a relationship with a local business through either a purchase or customer contact.
Community festivals like Celebrate! West Hartford, which is hosting its 25th annual event June 11-12 at West Hartford Town Hall, are a perfect venue for an insurance agent like Mario Russo, who represents State Farm Insurance in Elmwood. All three State Farm agents in West Hartford work collectively to staff the event, Russo said.
Festivals like this, Russo added, aren’t about signing up new customers. “It’s a branding booth for us,” he explained. “We want to say hello to our clients. They like to put a face with a voice. We like to be part of the community and participate.”
Sue O’Connor, president of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said festivals can be good for business but firms need to identify their reasons for wanting to participate. Business should also identify both the financial and time commitment. “They have to ask themselves, ‘Is this going to work for me?'” O’Connor added.
“We participate in Celebrate! West Hartford because it’s a fun, relaxing time to get out and be a part of our community,” said Jessie E. Read, office manager at We Care Computers LLC in West Hartford. “We get a chance to shake hands, see many of our existing customers and hope to make new ones. Since we are centrally located in West Hartford, we always find attendees more willing to grab one of our coupons or to take one of our famous free We Care red tote bags.”
There’s an alternative to setting up a booth that O’Connor acknowledged might not be popular with festival organizers. “Sometimes you’re better off just going to the fair and getting out and talking to people than being behind the table in your booth all day,” she said.
Helen Rubino-Turco, who is in her fifth year as director of Celebrate! West Hartford, said businesses need to approach festivals like hers as grassroots marketing.
“It gives people the ability to interact in a very visible, personable way,” she said. “People look forward to events like this because there is no pressure to buy something but they are interested in finding out more information.”
Festivals also can be good educational tools for consumers.
Rubino-Turco also said businesses cannot always expect instant sales or business leads from a festival. Sometimes the return-on-investment is neither immediate nor obvious. She said word-of-mouth can be generated from presence at a community event because consumers will ask each other for recommendations.
“I do it all the time,” she said, before rattling off examples of how she has recommended chiropractors, health care providers and others who she has seen at festivals. “It’s like anything else. You get what you put into it.”
Bethel firm fights bugs
Bite-Lite LLC of Bethel has launched its new mosquito repelling candles nationwide as a featured product at the New Product World in Las Vegas. These candles represent the first significant breakthrough for natural mosquito control, based upon the new “Cloak & Scatter” technology developed by Bedoukian Research Inc. of Danbury.
Bite-Lite’s proprietary blend of essential oils works by attacking the mosquito’s sensors, thereby “hiding” people from the biting insects. Bite-Lite candles can be purchased as luminaries, soy jars, soy tins and votives. Unlike other candles on the market, Bite-Lite says its candles have no soot, smoke, or unpleasant odors. More information is available at www.bite-lite.com.
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Metropark closing stores
Attorney General George Jepsen advised Connecticut consumers that clothing retailer Metropark USA has filed for bankruptcy and will be closing its 71 stores in 20 states, including three in Connecticut. Metropark USA has stores in Danbury Fair Mall, the Westfield -Trumbull Shopping Mall and Westfarms Mall in Farmington. Closing sales were expected to conclude by June 30.
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Insurance agency opens
Franklin Osei-Assibey has opened the Osei-Assibey Allstate Insurance Agency at 107 Burnside Ave., East Hartford. “I am excited about opening my own business,” Osei-Assibey says. “It is a full-service agency, offering a complete line of insurance and financial products and services to the community.” The agency sells auto, property, life, annuities and financial services.
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Mattress dealer opens
Elmwood Sales Agency LLC is opening its doors on May 16 as an exclusive distributor of Carolina Mattresses in the area, selling Carolina Bedding mattresses at discounted prices. They are located at the New Park Commerce Center, 635 New Park Ave., West Hartford. Morrow Realty, LLC represented both landlord and tenant. Elmwood Sales is owned by Ronald Gripp.
