Front & Center: Rhonda Marks helps Convention Center blossom this weekend with home and garden ideas
But first thing tomorrow, Rhonda Marks will be looking ahead to autumn – specifically Oct. 7-9, when her NW Premier Promotions will host hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees at the annual Home Idea Show.
Today, though, Marks is still focused on spring, because this is the weekend of the Spokane Home & Garden Show, which she also produces.
During a recent interview, Marks explained why it’s hard to start a show from scratch, how weather affects attendance, and what she likes most about the event-promotion business.
S-R: Where did you grow up?
Marks: The Yakima Valley.
S-R: What were your interests?
Marks: I liked art, so I studied graphic design at Spokane Falls Community College.
S-R: What was your very first job?
Marks: Sorting cherries in a fruit-processing plant when I was 16.
S-R: How about after graduating from SFCC?
Marks: I worked for an ad agency doing graphic design – creating logos. Later, after I had my son, I went to work for the Northwest Mining Association. That’s when I first got involved with trade shows.
S-R: How so?
Marks: The association put on a big convention every year, attracting about 8,000 people from all over the world. During the 1990s, I helped run it. When I left the mining association, I went to work for the woman who organized that convention, as well as others. She did mostly business shows, but also one commercial event – the Home Idea Show. She didn’t like that as much, so she sold it to me.
S-R: Why not start your own?
Marks: Trade shows are very hard to start because a lot of exhibitors won’t participate in a first-year show. They’re not sure you know what you’re doing. And venues like the Convention Center can be quite expensive to rent – almost $50,000 for a three-day weekend. It’s less risky to buy an existing show.
S-R: How much does a show cost?
Marks: Usually the equivalent of three years’ profit, so it depends on whether they’ve had three good years or three slow ones. I paid around $150,000 for the Home Idea Show in 2002, but the owner let me spread the payments over five years.
S-R: How did your first show go?
Marks: It was pretty stressful. I slept very little, worrying whether enough people will come through the door to make my vendors happy. Now that I’ve gotten the process down, I work smarter rather than harder, and sleep better – except for the week or two before a show.
S-R: What was your most lucrative year?
Marks: Probably 2005. I think that reflected the economy.
S-R: And your worst year?
Marks: 2008 and 2009 were basically break-even. Usually about two-thirds of my vendors return the following year, so I only have to fill a third of my space. But early in the recession, a lot of my vendors went out of business.
S-R: What else can go wrong?
Marks: One year we had a series of accidents. A beam fell on a landscaper’s head while he was helping assemble a pergola. Then a security guard tripped over something in the dark and broke his arm. After a couple of other disasters, I was thinking, “Let’s get this show over with!”
S-R: What about good memories?
Marks: Just the other day, a vendor told me I’m the easiest show promoter he’s ever worked with.
S-R: How much do vendors pay to be in your show?
Marks: A 10-by-10-foot space starts at $670, and they get a discount as they reserve more space. A centerpiece, 10-booth space is around $4,000, and might include an outdoor kitchen or water feature.
S-R: How has the Internet affected your business?
Marks: It’s made it a lot easier. I now draw exhibitors from all over – Florida, Canada – who find me on the Internet. A lot of my vendors don’t even have fax numbers anymore.
S-R: Does weather affect attendance?
Marks: Yes. The worse the weather, the better the attendance – particularly in the fall, because if the weather is nice, people would rather do chores.
S-R: How have your shows evolved?
Marks: Styles and palettes constantly change. Back in the day, toilets came in a variety of colors. Now, not so much. On the other hand, we’re seeing a lot more colored stainless steel – black, gray.
S-R: Do you attend other shows to get ideas?
Marks: Yes – all the local home shows. I get ideas on how to set up my floor plan, what not to do, and see if there are any vendors I’d like in my shows.
S-R: Have you considered adding more shows?
Marks: Yes, but if I did, I’d have to hire full-time help. Right now it’s just me, which makes it easy. Having one show in the fall and one in the spring keeps me busy, but not overwhelmed.
S-R: What is the key to running a successful show?
Marks: You need a passion for the theme you pick. My two shows are perfect for me because I love home improvement and landscaping. I tried doing the Northwest Taste (Food & Beverage) Show, but I didn’t have the same passion for it.
S-R: Are your shows always on the same fall and spring weekends?
Marks: The fall show is, but not the spring one. With the Convention Center, you can lock in your dates 14 months in advance, but your slot isn’t secure until you sign a contract. Because mine wasn’t signed, I was bumped twice – all the way back to early March.
S-R: Will an earlier spring weekend next year likely affect attendance?
Marks: It depends on what it conflicts with. One year I was the same weekend as the Big Horn (Outdoor Adventure) Show out at the fairgrounds, and that hurt both of us.
S-R: What do you like most about your job?
Marks: The logistics. People take it for granted that everything just falls into place, but it’s difficult to organize things so that all 350 vendors are happy, and people flow well. It’s like putting together a giant puzzle.
S-R: What do you like least?
Marks: The public side. Once we’re ready to open, I step back and let my staff – my sisters, my daughter and my son – deal with the public. They enjoy being on the microphone, announcing events and winners.
S-R: How many people will attend this weekend’s Spokane Home & Garden Show?
Marks: Two hundred vendors and 12,000 to 14,000 visitors. We get more business people and South Hill residents at the Convention Center, and more people from outlying areas at the fall Home Idea Show at the fairgrounds.
S-R: How long does it take to turn the Convention Center into a home and garden show?
Marks: It’s quite a process. We start on Tuesday with our landscapers, because they have the biggest displays and use heavy equipment. Our other vendors start on Wednesday, and the loose ends get tied up Thursday between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
S-R: When do you have to be out after the show?
Marks: By 4 p.m. Monday.
S-R: Is the future bright for this type of business?
Marks: Absolutely. My daughter already plans on taking over in about four years, which would be great for me. I’ll have more time to ride Harleys with my husband.
This interview has been condensed. If you’d like to suggest a business or community leader to profile, contact Michael Guilfoil at mguilfoil@comcast.net.