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Vendor Speed Dating: Are They Gonna Swipe Right or Keep Scrolling?

Vendor Speed Dating: Are They Gonna Swipe Right or Keep Scrolling?

The silent reason you’re not getting booked even when you’re good.

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The Real Story

Let’s talk about Tolani

Tolani a mobile bartender.

She’s based in the GTA. She’s done weddings, birthdays, brunches, and even two pop-ups at AfroFest. She’s good. Like, actually good. Her cocktails are balanced, her bar setup is sleek, and she knows how to deal with a drunk uncle without making it awkward.

She’s polite. Professional. Clean with her replies. But here’s the thing: over the last 3 months, she’s only been booked twice…

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Weird right?

Meanwhile, her friend, Nala

With the same rates( well, pretty similar) less experience, and a table that leans sideways, has been working every weekend.

Tolani is confused. She starts to question her prices. She wonders if it’s the logo.

Maybe it’s the city? ( maybe…)

What if it’s not that? 🤔

Here’s the truth:


Hosts Book Based on Energy, Not Just Talent

Talent gets you noticed. Presentation + professionalism + proactive clarity gets you booked.

So what’s Tolani doing “wrong”?

Let’s take a look at her vendor presence:

  • Her page is clean, yes, but cold. No behind-the-scenes. No booth in action.
  • Her highlight says “Drinks Menu”, but the link is broken. ( well, no one;s trying that again)
  • Her last video was posted with no context. No caption. No date.
  • No pinned post with booking info.
  • And when she does reply to DMs, she says: “Let me know what you’re looking for and I’ll send a quote.”
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Hosts don’t want to start from scratch. They want to see what you do and say:

“Ah, she’s ready. I can fit her in this lineup.”

So who gets booked instead?

Someone who:

  • Has a pinned reel from their last event
  • Posted a pricing sheet for summer bookings
  • Added a location in their bio (“Serving Toronto, Mississauga + Brampton”)
  • Includes 3 sentences that paint the picture:

“Portable bar for weddings, showers, private parties. 2 signature drinks, custom signage, setup/takedown included.”

It’s not magic. It’s intentional communication.


Here’s What Hosts Are Really Asking (and What Vendors Overlook)

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1. Can I picture you at my event?

  • Have you posted your setup at an actual event? (Not a mockup. Not your kitchen. A real booking.)
  • Is there a photo with people? A crowd? Movement? (Blank spaces = boring.)

2. Are you event-literate?

Do you know how to work within:

  • Venue restrictions
  • Setup/teardown times
  • Vendor load-in
  • Promo timelines
  • Space sharing (you’re not the main act, you’re part of a mix)

This is where new-to-events vendors flop. They think “I’m good at what I do” = “I’m easy to book.” But if you don’t understand how events run behind the scenes, you create stress and hosts remember that.


3. Do you promote events you’re part of?

Listen—if you’re only posting your own thing, you’re not a community player. Hosts notice that.

Even just one story repost, a vendor tag, a “Can’t wait to be at Brunch & Vibes this weekend!”. It all helps.

If you show up in silence, don’t expect to be invited back.


4. Can I trust you to be low-lift?

Every host is juggling 50 tabs in their brain.

The vendor who gets remembered is the one who:

  • Fills out the form without being chased
  • Sends all assets (logo, photos, description) in one go
  • Brings their own table (or confirms if they need one)
  • Doesn’t text “hey” and wait
  • Doesn’t require 3 phone calls for one invoice

Being low-maintenance is a superpower.


What You Can Do Right Now (And Why Most Vendors Don’t)

Most vendors avoid this stuff because “it’s a lot.”

But the ones who stay booked? They do it. Consistently.

Here’s the short list:

👉🏽 a post that says what you offer, where you serve, how to book

👉🏽Add ONE 10,11, 15-second video of your setup at a past event

👉🏽Create a highlight called “Book Me” or “Events”

👉🏽 Repost event flyers. Even just one slide.

👉🏽Check your links. Seriously! ( Yeah , like actually check them…)

👉🏽Reply with details, not “what’s the budget?”

👉🏽 If you’re rebranding or on break, say that clearly.


Last Thing No One Talks About:

There’s a whisper network behind most event scenes.

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People ask:

  • “Have you worked with them before?”
  • “Were they late?”
  • “Did they clean up after themselves?”
  • “Did they complain when they didn’t sell out?”
  • “Did they bring good energy or weird energy?”

You may never hear that conversation, but it’s happening.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be:

  • Prepared
  • Presentable
  • Predictable
  • Pleasant (yes, attitude matters)

So yeah…

You don’t need to fake it.

You don’t need to over-produce.

But if you’re wondering why you’re not getting booked, and your product is good!

Check your presence.

Because someone out there is making half the effort but getting double the invites…

…and the difference is usually one thing:

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Until Next Time- Keep it Smart, Secure and Stress Free

✌️ The Festiivize Team

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