During my career in the IT field working for various Fortune 100 companies, I never quite felt a sense of accomplishment. Sure, technology is awesome and the money is great, but there is nothing like the feeling of making something with your own two hands and selling it to someone you have never met before….
Getting to Your Market
You have product. You have a display. You have practiced setting up your display in the backyard or in your living room. You are ready. Or are you? Have you considered how you are going to get all of this stuff to market? Not all of us have the resources to be able to get…
Practice Your Setup
There is a church show that we go to twice a year here in Houston. During the setup of shows, and this one in particular, it can be a chaotic time. During setup, everyone is focused on unloading the myriad of vehicles that seem to be parked everywhere and unpacking the stacks of boxes. It…
Have a Plan
Recently, we introduced a new line of products for men. In order to properly display this cool new line of products, I made a display for her and her products. We violated our own advice and didn’t practice setting up the display prior to the first where we would set this up. Our setup that…
Preparing for your First Market
So you are ready for your first market. Now what? Mental preparation is key to a successful first market. To prepare mentally, take a moment or two to visualize everything you will do through the day from your route to drive there, setup, selling and tear down. It is important that you understand how you…
Miscellaneous Supplies to Carry
There is a slew of other supplies that you may need depending on your setup. These supplies make it easier for you to manage your display as well as are handy to have around. Some things you want to consider include: Small trash can with trash bags Tarps to cover your products if it starts…
Do You Need a Cash Register?
Cash is king at a farmer’s market. All transactions are done in cash. Or are they? In today’s environment, cash is becoming less of a form of payment than credit and debit cards. Most people are just like Monica and me. We rarely carry cash on us but prefer to do the majority of our…
Your Packaging
Imagine you are at the market and you just made a sale. Congratulations! Now ask yourself how you are going to deliver it to them? Do you just pass it over the table and put it in their hands or do you put it in a bag or a box? If you are selling something…
Your Display
Your display is the heart of your booth. There are very few hard rules regarding your display. The only one that I can think of is “Safety First”. Make sure that it is safe not only for you, but your customers in particular. The cutting boards I make are displayed on a three-level shelf. I’m…
Booth Equipment and Supplies
Depending on your business, you will need various equipment and supplies for your markets and shows. Your equipment and supply needs will change based on the type of product you are selling and how you want your display to look.
The Vendor Life 