Marketing Markets

Farmers markets and the like are a funny thing to work with.  The vendors are typically small businesses or farmers, with the latest trend being to bring home-based businesses into the mix when allowed.  Allowed?  Yes.  Many markets specify hand-made or locally produced only, but make exceptions at times.  Anyway, it is typically grass-root or local vendors.  Customers that love markets love the local feel, getting to know their neigbours who have committed much of their life into producing items and they also tend to enjoy the stories behind the products, the vendors, the farms, shops and the like.

Social media has been a good tool to market our markets!  Consistency is key, interesting, unusual or exciting posts bring attention with shares and comments, but repeat, dedicated customers are still the best advertising because of the very reason they are good customers; they love your products!

Booth presentation and consistent look help market your brand, signage is important, sometimes signage placed a distance away from your booth helps you stand out as well.  With repetative, pop-up markets, having a market co-ordinator in charge to keep you in your regular location amidst other vendors is important as well as keeping to the rules set out by the market admin.  The biggest problem we see is selling out of the set time frame.  It is unfair to both vendor and customer.  For a vendor running late to the market, they miss selling if the other vendors start early.  For the customer, they risk missing a product if selling starts early.  Outdoor markets don't have locked doors to control the crowd, so it is an important rule to live by.

We enjoy the entire scene as a regular market vendor.  You learn alot about your community, your neighbours and what is happening at the grassroot level!
You also get to enjoy the perks of knowing other vendors and sharing leftover products or trying samples or getting the inside scoop of what products will be available as the market season goes along.  It is a good time!