Welcome to our Blog.
In this first article we have come up with our top tips for success at running a market stall, we hope it helps you!
• Get the word out there!
As soon as you are confirmed at the market, start promoting your attendance. Use your social media accounts, share on your personal Facebook wall and post about attending in market groups and pages like http://themarketroll.com.au/ and https://www.facebook.com/PerthMarketScene/. This gets people excited about attending the event which means more customers for you! You can also advertise with MiLi Markets from as little as $5 and we will promote your attendance to our 8000+ followers.
• Be Organised!
Make a list of what you need to take to market and tick things off as you go. A good idea is to save the list on your computer and print it out before each market, adding and removing things as you refine your needs.
Most events have a defined space you can use for your stall ie. 2m x 2m, so a helpful thing to do is mark out the space at home with tape or chalk and set your stall up before you head to market. It is easy to overestimate the space you have, so a mock setup helps you to see exactly what you can fit.
• Have you got the right stuff?
Think about what sort of display you want to create and make sure you have the equipment to set it up. Will you need clothing racks or tables? Baskets or tubs for display? At the very least, a table is important along with a fitted tablecloth or a cloth that covers the table to the floor. Nothing looks worse than a bare table or being able to see the legs of the table and anything stored under there!
A trolley is a VERY worthwhile investment – saves multiple trips back to the car.
• Who are you?
People attending a market will be hit with a jumble of sights and sounds as soon as they walk in. Make sure your display is appealing and clearly states who you are! A professional looking sign showing your business name is essential if you want to be remembered. Hand written signs look cheap and don’t give the impression of a serious business.
Often people won’t buy at a market but will want to look at your Facebook page later, or order a custom item. Ensure you have business cards or flyers directing customers to where they can find you later, like a website or your Instagram. A well maintained Facebook page is essential for driving sales after the market is over.
• Less is not (always) more!
You need to make sure that your display has enough items to make people stop and browse, but not so cluttered that their eyes glaze over and they walk on by because it’s too confusing! Too few items on display looks like you don’t carry much stock or haven’t made many things, it will decrease confidence in your business. You don’t need to display every colour option on your table, have other styles stored underneath and if a customer shows interest, it’s a great opportunity to interact and say, “That comes in other colours, would you like to see them?”.
Refresh your display for each market especially if you are a regular stallholder. People will assume they’ve seen it all before if your stall looks exactly the same each time.
• Don’t be Pushy!
Who really enjoys the used-car-salesman-approach? Nobody! Let your customers approach, smile and greet them, then WAIT for them to show interest in your products. Then you can interact about that product, but rein it back if you see them turning away or stepping backwards, it’s a sign you’re pushing too hard.
• Attract the Penny-Pinchers
A range of different price points is essential to initially draw people into your stall. There are people looking for quality at markets, but there are also people looking for absolute bargains! We recommend 3 pricing tiers; Budget (for the penny-pinchers), Bread and Butter (your common source of sales) and Big Ticket (sell one of these to make your day).
• The Dollars and Cents
Be prepared with a decent float. A good rule of thumb is to have enough change so that if each of your first 3 customers bought your cheapest item with a $50 note you could still complete the transaction.
Multiple payment options are a very good idea, if you don’t want to invest in an EFTPOS machine then consider PayPal Here or even take orders for small deposits. If there are ATMs nearby, acquaint yourself with their location so you can direct customers quickly and easily.
• Be Picky!
Choose the markets you do very carefully. Don’t just sign up to any old market until you have spoken to others about their experiences with that venue or that organiser. Investigate an organiser’s experience, ask questions, post queries in Facebook stallholder groups like Perth, Bunbury and Surrounds (https://www.facebook.com/groups/237381632983312).
The less experienced an organiser is, the less you should be paying to attend their market. Of course, when attending a MiLi Market, you can be assured of a quality experience and lots of shoppers!
• Let’s Get Real
You will have bad days at markets, and you will have days where you sell so much you wonder how you’ll restock in time for the next one. Do your research and find out what others charge for similar items to yours, and how well they do. If you are constantly being bypassed by shoppers, look at your display and your pricing…are they unappealing? Customers vote with their feet, if they’re not buying then you need to re-evaluate!
There will be bad weather days, and days when it seems nobody is out shopping; just keep your chin up and give it another go. There’s no point getting moody, complaining or giving up, next time could be completely different. Accept that market selling is VERY variable, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
• For goodness sake, Smile!
No matter what else you do at market, be friendly, approachable and smiling! Even if the day is crappy, look at it this way…you’re in control of your own business, you’re out having a day to yourself, you’re having fun!
NEVER sit like a lump behind your display, what sort of message is that giving to customers? That you don’t care? Stand up, adjust your display, fiddle with your business cards, just keep smiling and you will attract people. Chat to your neighbours as well, it’s great for networking, and it is super handy if you need to go to the toilet or grab a coffee. A happy stall is a successful stall!
• R.E.S.P.E.C.T
Market organisers, like MiLi, have a lot going on all the time. We are constantly researching new venues and different concepts, answering emails, processing payments etc etc. Be patient, be loyal and be friendly…it goes a long way and you will be more likely to be remembered favourably and asked to attend markets regularly.
We hope some of these tips are useful, especially if you are just starting out. Enjoy doing markets, it’s your own business you are building and you should be proud!