10 TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR MARKET SUCCESS

1. Use Tent Weights

Not only are these usually required in your market contract, but it’s city by-law. These ensure that your tent doesn’t go flying when a little gust of wind blows through; keeping you and your customers safe. Click here to check out my favourite weight bags.

2. Buy a tent with walls

Walls are a fantastic way to eliminate background distractions so you can better showcase your products. I always choose white walls to let in the most light, and so I don’t bake in my tent on hot, sunny days. White tents tend to look the cleanest and professional, in my opinion, and are sometimes required in your contract. This is my favourite tent; it is adjustable and comes with really good quality walls that Velcro along the inner edges.

3. Curate a condensable display

Some of you have big trucks and SUVs to cart around your display and that’s WONDERFUL. You may not need your display to be as collapsible as mine, but keep in mind the size of your display vs the size of your vehicle. I fit an entire 10’x10’ display into my little Hyundai Elantra (mind you not even a single sheet of paper could fit in when I’m done, so I don’t recommend this as you probably should be able to see out your rear-view and side mirrors…) BUT I’m just saying it’s possible. You gotta do what you gotta do.

4. Create marketing pieces

Vistaprint offers lots of branding accessories to help make your business look professional, however, there are also likely many different local printing companies in your area as well if you’d rather support local. I love using my local companies because I find the pricing, quality, and customer service are always outstanding, and I usually have an overall better experience. You might need accessories such as business cards, branded banners, retractable signs, information pamphlets, thank-you postcards, product labels, etc.

5. Buy a dolly

You will never regret having this life-saving piece of equipment. Whenever you attend a new market that you are unsure of the setup structure, BRING IT. I’ve struggled too many times dragging my tent, tables, product, etc. up elevators, through shopping centers, and even blocks away from where I had to park my car. And I’m not talking one trip, think 5-7 at least. If you ever have to drag your stuff more than 2 min from your car without a dolly, you will never do it again. This one’s my go-to.

6. Set up your display at home

This will help you weed out all of the set-up issues prior to your sometimes-only-given-45min-to-set-up market. Sometimes I find drawing out your space, with actual dimensions, on paper helps too. Your set-up structure all boils down to your product and display needs. I create an ‘L’ shape, with one 6’ table along the front edge and another 6’ table tucked behind along the side edge, allowing customers to walk along both tables while keeping an off-limits area for me, my cash box, and extra product storage. Your setup may not always be the same, depending on the market layout; keep this in mind when timing your arrival as sometimes you’ll have to redesign your display on the spot.

7. Buy tote bins

Most of your display and products should fit inside these bins, eliminating the number of trips you’ll have to make when setting and dismantling your display. Bins are also great to organize your product in so you can quickly restock when products sell or locate pieces if customers are looking for something in particular. They also allow you to stack more inside your vehicle.

8. Figure out your payment methods

I love Square. I find it to be the most user-friendly and reliable payment method. The free credit card swiping device accepts all the major Credit Cards (including Amex). If you’re able to spend the extra $59 on their contactless card reader (I highly recommend this) then you’ll also be able to accept debit, Apple Pay, and other mobile payment options. You just download an app on your phone/Ipad and that becomes your POS system. It runs off of wifi or data, as it needs to connect to the internet to process payments, but you can also set up offline transactions that will process when you enter service again.

I also recommend buying a small cash box to keep all of your change handy for speedy transactions during rushes. No more fumbling around your little change purse, pouring out handfuls of coins looking for that loonie. I found my favourite cash box on Amazon for $50, however, the price fluctuates so shop around.

For more info on processing payments click here.

9. Sales pitch and answers to FAQ

You will get asked a lot of questions about your products, and it’s important to have well-thought-out answers. Think things such as size, material, your process, your inspiration, deals for multiples, etc.

It’s also important to have a sales pitch; something that encompasses what your brand is about. You’ll need both a full and simplified version.

I always invite people in with a smile and eye contact. Then I follow with a simple ^{_{“Hi there! How are you (guys/ladies) doing?”}}. If they approach my booth I’ll follow with _{“I create these with pen and marker so they’re free-hand ink sketches.”} I then leave it at that, unless the customer asks a question. There’s nothing worse than when people ramble on and on about their products when they’re self-explanatory, or when the customer doesn’t seem interested. Most people just want to browse pressure-free. If they appear interested then I’ll comment on the product that they’re looking at with a few extra details. If they ask questions then I’ll delve deeper into my brand’s mission and process. If I’m getting mixed signals then I’ll just say to them _{“Let me know if you have any questions!”}

Always smile and keep upbeat. People respond extremely well to energetic and joyful people. And remember; they’re supporting your business half because they like your product and half because they like you. If not more.

10. Other can’t-live-without items

A fully charged external battery.

Don’t forget the charging cable! Bring one in case your phone/Ipad dies so you can continue to take payments even if there’s no plugin available.

A float.

Make sure you have lots of fives, a few tens, and enough coins to give proper change. I include tax and keep all my prices as even numbers (5,15,20,50,60) to eliminate small change. No one likes a pocket full of coins.

A back-up stash of business cards.

There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of business cards because you ‘didn’t expect the market to be so busy’. It’s happened to me more times than I’d like to admit. And it’s easily avoidable.

A chair.

Especially if you’ll be doing multiple markets a week. I prefer the taller chairs so that you’re sitting at eye level with your customers, and not hiding behind your product. This is my go-to chair. I always stand during a rush, however, there are bound to be some slow times during the day and it’s nice to have the option to sit. If you sit in a low chair I’ve noticed fewer people are likely to visit your booth because you don’t look as welcoming and approachable. Sit when it’s slow. Stand when it’s busy.

A nice table cloth.

This can make your display look fantastic or cheap. I’ve seen people use shower curtains and bedsheets, and I don’t recommend this. It’s worth the investment to find an actual tablecloth. Try to keep it neutral and solid in colour so it doesn’t distract from your products and look chaotic. I have used this black fitted cloth and loved it, however, I ended up needing a lighter, more natural-tone to fit my brand so I changed to one from Bed Bath and Beyond.

A price sign.

I don’t put actual price stickers on my products because I offer my products in same-price categories with different design options (posters, prints, stickers) so it’s easy for me to display prices. However, you may have each item offered at a different price so it may work better for you to individually price each. Decide what works best for you, but I highly recommend displaying prices. People are afraid to ask. They don’t want to feel embarrassed if it’s out of their price range, or they don’t want to initiate the super common pressurized-sales-pitch, or they simply don’t want to bother you. Displaying prices eliminates all of this and helps weed out those who are likely to buy from those who are not. (This applies to most businesses, however, I realize some may not want to display prices and that’s okay. Figure out what is the best for you)

Bags. Or even better; branded bags.

I choose paper because it’s more environmentally friendly. It’s also more desired by your customers and looks more professional. There’s probably a local company that can print custom stamped bags for you, although it’s usually a bit pricey. I purchase these in various sizes and then use a custom branded stamp to hand stamp each bag. It’s more time-consuming, but cheaper. I bought mine from Jukebox (a small business out of Vancouver, BC), it’s 4″x6″ and cost $159. I also use it to brand mailing envelopes, shipping boxes, and my print backing boards.