FARMERS ’ MARKETS
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personal connection with you , they ' ll be more likely to return . However try not to talk to one customer for too long if others are waiting . Have a brochure , price list or other reading matter that they can look at while they are waiting . Find characteristics about your product that make it superior to that of other vendors , ie , find your unique selling point ( USP ). Are your wares genuinely organic ? Is your jam recipe different from the usual ? Is your handmade soap made of finer ingredients ? Are you catering for special dietary requirements , ie , is your produce gluten-free or suitable for diabetics , etc ? Don ' t undervalue your products , but don ' t charge unrealistically high process . Do your market research beforehand and find out what the going rate is for your type of produce . Make sure your pricing is clear . Decide whether it is cost-effective to print coloured labels .
Packaging can make the difference between perceived high-quality and averagequality . For instance , bars of homemade soap with a pretty wrapper , tied with raffia , look like they ' ve had more care than bars of soap just piled in a bin . Pick colours and a design that play on the local aspect of your product . Providing printed cards with your favourite recipes encourages purchases , especially if you focus on recipes for some of your more unusual items that don ' t sell as well . Plan your harvest and product lines so you have a consistent supply of produce .
If it is possible , have samples of your produce for people to taste . Think of a way to engage children at your stall . Try to identify and remember your key weekly customers by name . Ask them how they used your products and if they were satisfied with them or if they have any suggestions to make . Keep the weekly process of packing for market stress-free with a permanent checklist of everything you need , from change in the cash box to your business cards . It ' s easiest to have one permanent bin with all your key supply essentials for the season . You have to persevere - consider success at the farmers’ market an on-going journey of learning . Keep experimenting and trying different approaches and , whenever possible in your travels , visit other markets and bring new perspectives back home to your neighbourhood .
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