store has a healthy selection of handmade products, consider bringing these to your local market. Legwork is essential to f ind the right f it . When you visit a market , ask yourself what vendors are selling, and what people are purchasing. Evaluate whether your product s will appeal
to the demographics you see at the
Katie Goodine works on building customer relationships through home parties and stellar customer service. Strong store sales have followed.
for ten years. She has been a regular at the Salt Lake City farmers’ market for the past three years. Your local farmers’ market might be a logical place
to begin and some may certainly be thriving. Consider markets in larger cities too. Castillow drives the 45 minutes from Pleasant Grove to Salt Lake City nearly every Saturday during market season, passing numerous smaller markets on the way. Salt Lake’s thriving market, averaging 8,000 visitors per Saturday, makes the drive well worth the time, she says. Check the specifications put out by the farmers’ market
you are considering. Many stipulate that only handmade products be sold at market. Stacy Miller, executive director of the Farmers’ Market Coalition, says farmers’ market shoppers are typically most interested in “supporting local farmers and freshness, and uniqueness or diversity of products.” The Farmers Market Coalition advocates the health and growth of North American markets. If your
market. Also look at the quality of the produce, the main draw for most shoppers, Miller advises. Abundant, fresh and varied displays of quality produce cultivate a steady clientele; meager selections don’t. Also ask yourself whether you can fill a niche that no one else is filling. If you’re selling pottery, consider whether it stands out from the other product offerings. Is yours more artistic, of a different style, or more affordable? Miller says that Saturdays tend to offer the best opportuni
ties for craftspeople. Saturday markets are usually bigger than weekday markets, with more entertainment, vendors, and shoppers who want to linger. Determine where you would like to set up your booth. Castillow points out: “You want to be as close to the produce as possible, because that’s what drives the market.” Ask whether your desired spot is available, or how long of a wait there is. Inquire about the average number of visitors and the
vendor fee. The market may offer a seasonal fee that benefits you if you plan to sell every weekend, and allows you to claim a spot for the season.
Packing for the road Since your home party or farmers’ market booth is an extension of your gift store, presenting an image consistent with your shop is vital. At a farmers’ market, your sign, bearing your store’s logo, needs to be bold and visible from a distance. Promotional literature like brochures and
A restaurant owner I know in town sets up a kiosk in a local mall around the holidays to sell gift cards. Do you have any other ideas to deliver your store’s message to a larger audience? Email your creative marketing strategies to
papte@giftshop.com for possible publication. —Poornima Apte, Editor-in-Chief
112 GIFT SHOP n Winter 2012
GiftShopMag.com
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