If you are thinking of selling your wares at your local markets or fairs, here are a few tips to make your stand a success. They can be a really good place to promote your brand if you know some of the basics.
- Have samples of your stuff on hand. If you’re selling food, have some that’s cut up and on plates. Don’t wait for people to ask. Also, free samples can be a good way to attract shoppers to your stall. Even if they’re only interested in a free snack or cool postcard, they’ll have to get up close to your stand and may find something like they there.
Be prepared to chat about how your stuff is made, whether that’s how your organic produce is grown or the production processes behind your clothing. People who like to shop at markets and fairs are often really interested in the process.- If you can, get a stand near the front of the market. Shoppers sometimes just stick to the stuff and the front and never end up making their way to the back. If you can get in front, you’ll be in a great position.
- Make your stand attractive with colourful table cloths and clear signage. Less is more here – don’t crowd the stand with too many products!
- Keep products at eye level and above – people don’t like to bend down. And it’s also easier to steal things when they’re out of your line of sight.
- Connect with people, both customers and other vendors. Chat about how you may be able to collaborate, what your favourite parts of the business are, how you could supply a local business with your stuff – the networking possibilities are endless.
- Take some products out of the packaging to display them. It’s easier to see what the products actually look like when they’re outside the package.
- Let people touch and feel the goods on sale. Say you’re buying T-shirts — wouldn’t you expect to be able to feel the nice fabric the piece is made of? They also might like to pick the shirts up to see how they hang.
- Show prices clearly. Nobody likes being confused about prices. Keep things simple and straightforward.
- Prepare your display plan beforehand so when you arrive you know where to put everything. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it’ll save you a lot of time fiddling with stuff on the day of the event.
- Be friendly and smile, but not over-powering. A really hard sell is often the quickest turn off to potential customers. It may be cliché, but it’s true – just be yourself.
- Give your stand a focus point. In other words, a product that is really different from the rest. Show off to your potential customers what makes your stuff special.
Be prepared to chat about how your stuff is made, whether that’s how your organic produce is grown or the production processes behind your clothing. People who like to shop at markets and fairs are often really interested in the process.
Take some products out of the packaging to display them. It’s easier to see what the products actually look like when they’re outside the package.
