We’re not going to tell you to smile and be polite—you knew that long before you considered setting up a tabling event—but we will help you take your tabling skills to the next level.
If shows aren’t your scene, you can table at your local mall, park, street or craft fair, middle school, high school, or college. Read this guide, then click here for additional info.
The Secret to Success: Sign-Ups, Sign-Ups, Sign-Ups!
Hand someone a leaflet, and you’ve hit them with the message once. Have someone sign up for our monthly e-news, and they’ll get the animal rights message again and again and again. The best thing that you can do for animals when you’re tabling is get sign-ups. It’s more important than having a conversation or handing out literature. The following tips will help you encourage sign-ups:
• Ask everyone to sign up. Tell them about PETA2’s contests and giveaways.
• Get folks to sign up while they’re in line.
• Approach people with a clipboard, pen, and sign-up sheet, and hand them the pen when you ask them to sign up.
• Offer free stickers and CDs in exchange for e-mail addresses.
• If people are reluctant, assure them that they’ll only receive one e-mail message a month from us and that we won’t give their info to anyone else.
Getting Permission
Sometimes we’ll e-mail you with tabling opportunities, but if you’re serious about tabling, you’ve got to take the initiative. Talk with the owner or manager of the venues where you’d like to table to ask whether you’d be able to set up a table at events or at a specific show. They’re the ones with the power to give you permission. Let them know that you won’t be a hassle; you can provide your own table and materials—all you need is a little space.
Even if you’re unable to table, you can still pass out leaflets at shows that you attend or give info to people as they enter the venue.
Prep
• Don’t be foolish—check out our tabling checklist before you head out. You wouldn’t want to get all the way to an event and then find out that you’d forgotten the sign-up sheets!
• After you have permission to table, e-mail peta2@peta2.com to get a PETA2 tabling pack.
• Call the venue to see if you need to take your own table and to verify that they’re expecting you.
• Have a TV/VCR combo or a laptop? We can send you a looped video of “Meet Your Meat.”
• Which members of the band are sympathetic to animal rights? Who’s vegetarian or vegan? Find out, and tell folks at your table.
• Arrive an hour before doors open. No exceptions! Call the venue or go online to confirm the time.
• Act like you know what you are doing when you show up. This decreases the likelihood of a run-in with the venue. Be polite but strong—don’t let them push you around.
• Tables should be neat, not cluttered—sign-up sheets in front, higher stacks of lit behind shorter stacks, TV/laptop behind the literature, etc.
• Set up in a high-traffic area—near the merch table if possible.
At the Table
• Draw people in. Dance, wave, make signs (“FREE Stickers!”), shout at passersby, set up a Lite-Brite—whatever will get attention.
• Stand up while you’re tabling, but don’t block people’s view of the table. Be attentive to people who approach.
• Hand everyone a “Question Authority” booklet. Say, “This is a good one.” They’ll take it.
• Don’t leave the table unattended. Eat ahead of time, not while you’re at the table.
• Have a good pitch and stick with it. At a hardcore show? Mention that The International Noise Conspiracy and Dillinger Escape Plan are down with PETA2. Mention contests and giveaways. If you’re not sure what we’ve done or what bands we’re working with, don’t worry. We’ll help you with your pitch.
• For goodness’ sake, get sign-ups!
Afterward
• Thank the venue owner, manager, and staff members (even if they were jerks) and anyone else you dealt with, such as the band’s tour manager.
• Hand everyone a leaflet or business card as they leave.
• Send us your Street Team report, including sign-ups, to collect your points: 250 for tabling and 50 more for each sign-up.
