25 Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor: Farmers markets, once the typical way of selling produce for centuries, have again grown to become an important part of local community food shopping.
They’re the place to find fresh local produce, catch up with people from the community.
Share great food and take home seasonal treats that the supermarkets aren‘t necessarily going to be selling.
And if you want to become part of a local farmers market.
And sell your own homegrown or home produced food or household necessities.
Then you‘ll need to do some planning to ensure that your efforts are as effective, as they are lucrative.
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10. Have a sales pitch
Having a sales pitch already prepared in advance.
You‘re going to fare better, if you present as confident.
And already decided on what it is you want to contribute to the market.
11. Check out the potential competition before you go.
Although most farmers markets have a cooperative spirit.
There is no point in being the fifteenth stall selling berries.
As there won’t be enough customers to go around.
Think of ways to add value to your produce–if this is an issue.
Such as turning those berries into berry milkshakes.
Or perhaps turn your stall into a cooking class.
Showing people ways to do things with the berries they‘ve bought from you or others, all for a small fee.
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
12. Expect the market to provide you with some information too.
Ask how many customers there are, what seasonal fluctuations exist.
Whether there are costs to maintaining a stall (such as having to pay, even if you don‘t turn up one time) .
And what insurance is provided to cover public liability.
13. Is the market under cover or outdoors?
Some markets have a system of being outdoors when the weather is fine but moving under cover.
If it is inclement. A lack of cover may affect your decision to participate.
14. Prepare your stand or market stall.
ย Once you’re accepted as part of the farmers market, plan how you will set out your wares.
Will you have a table with chairs, a stand, a tent or just your product sitting on something simple like a trailer or bales of hay?
Depending on what you decide will be your display method, you will need to obtain or purchase the items.
You may need; folding chairs, trestle table, display tent, canopy or large umbrella, stands, tablecloths, money holder and a calculator.
In some cases you might be in a position to accept credit card transactions so consider equipment such as a portable point of sale machine or even a cell phones.
Remember that cash is often king at the farmers market, and many provide ATMs for cash withdrawals, so you might not want to go to this added expense.
- Whatever you choose to keep your money in, make sure it is secure and always in your sight. Many vendors choose to carry cash in a bum bag worn around the waist.
- If you’re innovative, you can even divide the bum bag up into coins and notes and spare change.
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
15. Prepare the day before the market.
You won’t have time to pack or pick on the day of the market.
Usually it‘ll be all you can do to tumble out of bed and get there nice and early.
The best approach is to prepare all the produce and pack the car or van by the night before, ready for an early leave.
The exception to this may be, if you’re happy to go to be very early the night before.
And get up extremely early to bake or make food just before leaving.
- In many cases, it’s easiest to bake the day before, and if the food can handle it, even earlier than that. Try freezing some products and thawing them the night before.
16. Package goods that require it.
- Pick produce the day before and have it loaded into boxes or other containers ready to go. Keep in a cool place ready for quick loading just before you leave.
- If the market requires that you list the ingredients of prepared food, make tags or labels in the days before. It’s a good idea to do this whether or not the market requires it, as customers like to know what’s in their food. If you make labels on the computer, save them to a folder for future useโโthis will speed things up when you make the same product again.
- Hook the trailer up to your vehicle in readiness. If you would need to back out with a trailer, try to reverse it (turn it 180 degrees) and back it into your drive during the daylight, when it’s easier to see. Or, leave it on the street in front of your house, if that’s safe.
- Organize the change. You’ll need plenty of change, so head to the bank, if you haven’t enough already.
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
17. Get to bed early
Farmers markets are usually on a Saturday or Sunday so.
Even though it‘s a Friday or Saturday night.
Try to get to bed around 9:00 P.M.
You’re going to need all of the energy you can get by the time morning comes.
18. Wake up earlyย the morning of the market.
ย Go extra early, if it‘s your first time; so that you can get everything set up.
As you become more experienced.
You’ll learn shortcuts that buy you a bit more time in bed but for the beginner.
It’s best to start early so that you can fix anything that might not go right the first time.
19. Engage your customers.
Always say a friendly “Hi” or “Good morning!” to people who walk in front of your booth.
Be ready to discuss your produce in details, its origins, your passion for it and how fresh it is.
The purpose of a farmers market is the ability to cut out the middleman and engage directly with customers.
So that they can grasp the love and care that has gone into producing the products you‘re offering.
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
20. Be prepared to spend time chatting
It’s part and parcel of being involved in a farmers market.
Smile, even if there are no cameras around.
Customers like to come into a booth that has friendly people staffing it.
21. Be proud of what you’re doing.
You are part of the restoration of local foods being produced.
And sold directly to consumers without all the ineffectiveness.
And distancing the larger food sales chain has brought into play.
You are helping to build community.
Create a livelihood for yourself and maybe for others.
And you are helping people eat the healthy food that they deserve.
Ways to Become a Successful Farmers Market Vendor
22. Be enthusiastic, smile.
Don‘t slouch or cross your arms as if you are not very interested in meeting new customers.
Sometimes, there are people taking pictures of the market.
And you don‘t want to get caught looking bored!
Watch your body language in general.
You don’t want to give off signals that you aren‘t interested in having customers call at your booth.
Or seem as if you are ignoring them.
23. Things You’ll Need
- Tent, canopy, large umbrella
- Display table, trestle table, folding table, stacked boxes
- Produce
- Signs and labels
- Licenses or certification (where relevant)
- Transportation vehicles, trailer
- Change and a bum-pack to carry your money on your body
- Calculator, possibly attached to the counter
- Carry bags (optional)
24. When you go to the market, bring tons of water.
During the warmer months, it can reach up to 105ยฐF or 40ยฐC and you could getย dehydratedย fast. If you live somewhere that gets this hot, always cover you and your produce with a canopy of some sortโโcustomers will appreciate the shade too.
25. More tips
Pack an emergency kit just in case of anything happening.
Conclusion
Be prepared for rain, thunderstorms, wind and blistering hot sun.
Bring an electric fan, if it will work where you’re stationed.
Bring stakes to tie and weights to weigh your canopy downโโsometimes the wind is so strong that it could blow your canopy away!
- You’ll need to be ready the previous evening, to set up your spot early. This could mean 5 or 6 in the morning!
