If you’re new to selling your wares at a farmers’ market, there are a few things you’ll need to learn first. Once you get a lay of the land and understand what the customers want and how to meet their needs, you can do business with them successfully.
But until that time comes, you’ll be working towards understanding what that means through practice. Here are some of the best tips for first-time farmers’ market vendors to get you started on the right track.
Do Your Research
Make sure you’re keeping up with what people are shopping for. If you know what’s trending, you’ll always have what people want on hand. Doing this research means you’ll likely make more profit quickly.
Learn the Market
After researching the market’s frequent customers, you must understand its operation. You’ll have dry spells and times when you can’t sell enough. Knowing which days and times of the week people are most likely to show up and buy your goods will help you determine when to set up shop. Also, it’s always a good idea to have plenty of supplies on hand, like wholesale produce packaging supplies, because you never know how much a customer wants or needs.
Start Small, Then Expand
Refrain from jumping into your business thinking that you will sell out or do exceptionally well right away. Always remain humble so that during those times of prosperity and stagnation, you can enjoy the profits and develop tactics and strategies to sell even more.
Be Creative with Your Stand
If you have a spot at the market, you’ll also need to learn how to advertise properly. One way of doing this is through branding. Think of your stand as an extension of your business’ brand—list the name, logo, and visual identity that people will come to know you by. Creating a stand will not only help potential customers recognize you, but it will also allow you to stand out and compete with other vendors.
Build Relationships as You Go
Remember, businesses thrive on relationships. The more relationships you build and maintain, the better you will do. Your business will also thrive if it can help other businesses sell their products, so think about developing partnerships with your fellow vendors.
Now that you know the best tips for first-time farmer’s market vendors, you will have a good idea of what to do. All that’s left to do now is execute those ideas, and you’ll be on your way to success.