How to run an information stall

Photographer : tunnelarmr

1. Why hold an information stall?

If you are supporting a charity, organising an event, or starting a club or society, you might want to let people know you exist and what you do. Information stalls allow people who are interested in your cause to approach you, so you don’t have to drum up conversations with uninterested people.

2. Location, location, location:

Information stalls work best at pre-planned events such as fetes, open days and conferences. Find an organisation which might be interested in your cause and see if they know of any good venues for an information stall. You may have to pay a booking fee.

Public places are a little harder to organise as venues. If you’re planning on a shopping centre, speak to the management to get permission and make sure you ask about what is and is not allowed. You will probably not be allowed to sell anything, and you may have to obtain a public licence from the council. Check whether you will be permitted to receive donations.

If you were thinking of a public place, such as a park or library, contact your local council and ask them about your rights and responsibilities. Schools and churches are likely to be the most helpful venues, and the least prickly about doing things by the letter of the law.

3. Attracting attention:

Depending on who is loaning you the space, there may be limitations on the signage you are allowed to use. A-frame signs which sit on tables or banners which hang from the desk are options that will be well-received.

Have a colour theme to get noticed. Try to look professional using a table cloth and printed signs. If you are supporting a charity or organisation, they may have signage, stickers, or other tools you can use to spruce up your stall. People are more likely to stop and chat if you are displaying a logo which they recognise.

4. Flyers and mailing lists:

Having printed information to hand out is always a good idea. Emphasise what the cause is, and what you want people to do about it. For example, you might want people to write to their local government or join a protest group. Make sure you only hand flyers to people who approach your desk – you are not permitted to harass passers-by.

If you are organising an event or starting a group, you may want to ask interested people to join a mailing list. If you wish to do this, you must state on the sign-up sheet that the emails will not be sold to other organisations or spammed, and promise to remove them from the list if they request it at any time. Check that this activity is permitted by the owners of the space before you go ahead.

Many people are reluctant to give out their contact information, so it is often more effective to give out a website or webpage address on your flyers so they can contact you.

5. Staffing the stall:

Have two people staff your stall at all times. It’s good to have support if there’s a rush period, or if there’s a difficult member of the public you have to deal with. Also, if one needs a bathroom break, the other can keep an eye on things.

If you have any merchandise such as hats or T shirts which support your cause, wear them. Your staff members should try to wear matching clothes to give a professional appearance. Have chairs standing by, but standing up attracts more attention and makes people more likely to approach you.

If your venue is a pre-planned event, you will want to create a roster so that no one gets stuck at the stall for more than four hours. Information stalls are a lot more exhausting than they look.

Public spaces tend to put limits on how long you can stay in an area, and it’s unlikely that you will get an all day pass. To combat this, you can establish a routine, and be there, say, from 11 – 2 every Saturday afternoon for a month.