Can you make hot dog vending without hot dogs profitable? If you think not, this is probably why your wallet doesn't have more in it. And I'm not talking full of old 7-11 receipts.

Every day hot dog vendors and street food vendors send me questions or concerns. Usually I must then ask to send me pics of their setup or go scout them out on Facebook for pics.

Hot Dog Vending Netting Just $80

Yesterday I got another one.

Ben, people love my food, my prices aren't too high and I have a great spot in front of a very busy thrift store but my best day so far was $88 and on average for these first 3 weeks $80 a day if I'm lucky.

So – I asked for pics -Today I got them.

A PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Just as I figured. He's got everything but – signage. (signs – banner – etc) One small white board with his menu and a “we accept credit cards” sticker on the breadbox. THAT'S IT!

I'm In! Just not ALL-IN

This screams – I'm barely in business. And before you get all defensive and say suggest he may be going to buy some hot dog vending signs later – let me save you some time. In his email with 4 pictures – he says…

I know I don't have signs yet but will be getting those as soon as this starts doing better.

Now Thats Some Backwards Logic

It's like saying, “Once I lose some weight I'll start eating healthier.” or “Once I start making more – I'll start saving money.”

Odds are – he'll go OUT OF BUSINESS if he doesn't get signs immediately. Not that he can't survive on $80 dollar days – but for the work and effort – most of us would quickly lose that “LOVING FEELING”.

Would You Start Hot Dog Vending Without Hot Dogs?

What hot dog vendor could expect to start without hot dogs and buns while he waited on drink and chip sales to make him more money? NONE! It doesn't work that way.

Signs are cheap and to risk half-butt income days when you could be doing 2 and 3 times as much sales – is ludicrous. (as in ridiculous)

I CAN'T AFFORD SIGNS!

If it means, like me – that first couple or three days – I had to buy 3 or 4 packs of hot dogs at a time (meaning during our 2 hour lunch shift my wife had to run down and re-stock at the grocery store) – so that you can afford signs – then by all means… sacrifice a tiny bit now and GET SOME DANG SIGNS!

WHERE TO BUY HOT DOG SIGNS

From Amazon, BannersOnTheCheap, SignsOnTheCheap to Ebay – there are many places to quickly get some ready-made hot dog vending signs.

Swooper flag signs work great but so do banners and plastic signs (like politicians use). Or why not all the above?

And then after a good day or two – you can get some premium banners (even custom ones) with much better quality from Keith G. in our VendorsUnited.com group – or see the banners here.

DIY SIGNS

And if you literally aren't eating because you have no money – then make some signs. Grab some cheap stencils and spray paint some cardboard. Color the cardboard with white, red, or yellow, then do stencil message with another contrasting color.

I used homemade cardboard signs when I started. But just for the first few days. Then I could afford some better signs.

[TIP]Red on Yellow works great.

Eleven Times Out Of Ten

Almost every-time a vendor writes me about not making enough money with hot dog vending… it comes down to signage and their setup.

I've done many private consults and some public consults or (cart and setup critiques) and pretty much – it's always about signage.

Here's one you can see the entire video where we show the difference signs make…

Don't Create Unnecessary Obstacles

I see vendors waiting on signs and think.. OMG! These guys are just creating problems for themselves. Why make it harder on yourself? Skip a movie, turn off Netflix for a month and make a few hot dog signs.

I promise – the pay-off will be huge.