We ask our vendors to rate us using a report card.  Our grades for this years show were pretty good!  Don't believe us?  See for yourself!  (These grades are from the 54 vendors that turned the report cards in and not every vendor graded on every category.)  These report cards are important to us.  They tell us what we're doing right and where we need to improve. 

The Venue      
    A's = 44
    B's = 7

How do we compare to other shows?
    A's = 40
    B's = 11

Our food 
    A's = 29
    B's = 10
    C's = 3

Registration process
    A's = 50
    B's = 2
    C's = 1

Overall
    A's =  46
    B's =   6
    C's =   1

VENDOR COMMENTS FROM OUR REPORT CARDS.  The positive and the negative.

• "Love this event.  Great variety of crafters and artisans.  Good publicity.  Will definately be back next year."    

Thank you!  We know the importance of a show with lots of variety and will continue to search out vendors who sell "different" things.

• "Awesome show, very helpful.  Loved the website."  

Thanks for the kudos on our website!  As for our volunteers, we're pretty proud of them.  :)

• ​"Show was awesome, people were great."

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• "Nice venue.  You were very organized and check in was smooth."  

The Marina Comunity Center is definitely a great venue!

• "Miss the carolers"

Last years feedback told us that most of the vendors thought the carolers were a distraction from sales.  That said, we probably won't have the same type of carolers again.  However, we do have our feelers out for a "Dicken's" style adult choral group.
 

• ​"Very nice event.  Looking forward to participating next year."

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• "Love doing your event.  What I love the most is the help loading and unloading boxes of the items we sell.  Such a fabulous service.  Fabulous music too!"   

​As vendors ourselves, we think all shows should offer help with loading and unloading!

• "Longer hours (or 2 days) and a little more room between vendor rows"

​1) We love the Marina Community center for many reasons but the cost of renting for 2 days would be prohibitive.  It would mean doubling the cost of the vendor tables and that's not something we want to do.  2) As for space.....we want all of our vendors to be comfortable.  That said, at our vendors request we removed two rows of tables from last years floor plan to give more space and widen the aisles.  Most of our vendors were pleased with the change and commented on it at this years show.  If you felt crowded, please email us with your table location so we can look at the floor plan and see where we went wrong.    

• "Very appreciative of the handmade/non commercial vendors."  

We will continue to keep Mistletoe Madness a true craft event for local artisans and crafters.   

• "We will be back next year!"

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• "5x8 spaces need to be more clearly marked"

​You are 100% right!  Next years show will have each 5x8 space marked out entirely with blue painters tape so there will be no question mark.  

• "Six hour show was too short.  Eight would be better."

We will probably keep the show at 6 hours for two reasons.  One is cost and the other is exhaustion.  Personally speaking, my feet are still throbbing and I'm serious!  
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• "Good job promoting on Facebook."  

Facebook is an awesome tool and the perfect way to reach thousands of potential shoppers. 

• "Loved the staff of volunteers!"  

We are extremely lucky to have such a wonderful and dedicated staff of volunteers.  We are very proud of them!

• "Definately want to come back".


• "Advertisement was great"

​Thank you!  We advertise everywhere we can think of!!

• "Everybody is so friendly and in a Christmas mood.  Really fun!"

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• ​"Need more cd's.  Too much music repetition.  Need more advertising"

1) We have a good selection of music that's repeated every hour and a half but we'll be adding at least another hour's worth for next years show.  2) As for advertising, off the top of my head I know we advertise in the Daily Review, Fremont Argus, San Leandro Times, Tri Valley Voice, Castro Valley Forum, Facebook, Festival Net, Who Fish, S.F. Gate, Craigslist, Patch and more.  We post banners and signs from Alameda to Castro Valley to Hayward and leave piles of flyers in local businesses and craft shows.   We've even been known to canvas local shopping malls, handing flyers out by hand!   Advertising is key to a successful show and we don't want to miss a chance to get the word out.   If  we've missed something, please tell us what it is and we'll do our best to make it happen.  

• "I enjoyed it very much.  Lots of vendors and it was very profitable.  I will definitely be back next year."​

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• "It feels like an event that shouldn't be missed!"

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• "Nicely organized, great variety of goods, very nice helpers."

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• "Some congestion coming in and going out, a little confusion on some issues.  Volunteer walked by a few times without even saying hello or did I need help."

1) Unfortunately, when there are a number of people carrying things in and out at the same time there can be congestion.  Our volunteers were on-hand to help with this.  2) Our volunteers work very hard and assist where ever they're needed.  If a volunteer passed you by without saying "hello" he may have been on a mission!  I can personally attest to seeing them carrying vendor boxes, helping vendors move tables and racks, pouring vendors coffee and tea, even sitting behind tables when a vendor had to step away.  If you return next year and need vendor assistance, you can count on someone coming to your aid.  3) Please let us know which issues were confusing so we can work on them for next year.  

• "This is our favorite show!  We thoroughly enjoy it and look forward to it every year."

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• "Thank you for the tea & coffee for vendors.  How thoughtful!"

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• "A bigger presence on social media would be a huge help. "

We  do occasional Facebook postings throughout the year with our biggest "push" 40 days before the show date.  This is when we begin our daily postings, highlighting individual vendors and their wares.  As the show date approaches, our Facebook postings become more frequent, sometimes up to 3 in a day.  We also "boost" many of our Facebook postings which can bring the number of people reached in a single post from approx 130 to 1,200 or more!  If there are other social media places that would be as effective, please tell us.  We want to know so we can use them!!
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• "You ladies are the "+" in A+.
• ​​"Very enjoyable and with good sales.  Wonderful advertising".


• "Fantastic!  Not sure it could get any better!"