How to ensure you make sales as a Farmers’ Market Vendor
- Make sure to apply early when applications open each January and once approved, pay your invoice to ensure the market dates you have been approved for are reserved for you. There is a lot of competition out there and you want to make sure to secure your spot!
- Arrive on time for market set-up and be ready to sell 15 minutes before the market opens. The early shoppers take their farmers markets very seriously and are loyal customers. They are the ones who keep your market alive by being proud supporters and community-minded advocates. They deserve and appreciate having everyone up and running, ready to do business with them. Happy and prepared Vendors bring happy customers, which bring more customers 🙂
- Have a nice booth display. This is very important! Some people create a theme and others have a simple booth. Either way, both are fine, but clear signage with prices, descriptions, and a fresh clean tablecloth each week are mandatory. We have noticed that its best to not have table covers with a lot of patterns as it can visually take away from the display of your products, which can lower sales as the tablecloth distracts from your wonderful products and glancing eyes of the people walking by.
- Provide samples of your product if possible. Think of Costco, they have proven that sampling is a way to introduce your product to shoppers and build your customer base.
- As you sell out of products, resist the urge to ‘clean up’ your table by putting things away. Don’t remove the empty baskets, trays or signage. This is one of the biggest mistakes a vendor can make. When guests of the market walk by and see that you only have a few items left on your table and see empty containers or shelves with interesting sounding labels, they are going to make a point of coming back earlier next time to not miss out! Placing a SOLD OUT sign once your table is sold out. Customers may feel disappointed when you are sold out but you will have motivated them to catch you earlier next time!
- Post your attendance at markets on social media regularly and display a list of your market dates and locations for the season. You want to be perceived as a reliable vendor so that customers know where to find you throughout the season.
- Post about other Vendors and our Market on your own social media pages too. This is important! It keeps your pages fresh, interesting, and creates a strong network of reciprocal support online.
- When you post to social media, make sure to have at least one featured item, tell them enough to get them curious to stop by and either sample it or ask you more questions.
- Support the other Vendors and network with the other Vendors! For example, if you are a grower, ask another Vendor who sells that delicious looking salad dressing for a bottle to display at your table for the day. This will foster more community within our Vendors and help each other sell. It is amazing how much we sell for each other throughout the day just by referring our guests to another Vendor for something that we either love or that we think they might like, customers will appreciate the tip 😊