How to Make Money at the Farmer's Market
Selling goods at a local farmer's market can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. You get to meet people who are excited about buying your products and who share a preference for dealing locally with "real people" rather than with giant corporations, and they may even become loyal customers. If you present yourself and your goods correctly, you can be successful and earn a good amount of money for your efforts.
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Things You'll Need
- Tent or other shelter
- Tent anchors (stakes for dirt, weights for cement)
- Table
- Tablecloth or other decoration
- Wood or plastic food/product bins
- Whiteboard or chalkboard
- Bags of assorted sizes
Instructions
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Set up a tent to provide shade and shelter for patrons browsing your wares, and to protect those wares from the elements. A 10-foot by 10-foot shelter is a popular choice. Make sure to secure it with stakes or weights.
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Set up your table toward the back of your tent. Leave enough room behind the table to store extra products, and enough room in front for your patrons to walk around under the shelter of the tent.
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Drape your table with a tablecloth and/or other items to make it inviting. A wrinkle-resistant, plain-colored tablecloth that won't distract from your wares is best.
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Create a full, aesthetic display of your wares on the table. Try using bins of different sizes turned on their sides so they face forward, and play with display height. Be careful, however, not to make towering displays that customers will be wary to topple over. You want to encourage a hands-on customer experience.
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Clearly list the types of items you are selling and their prices on a white board or chalkboard. If you run out of a particular item, be sure to note that on the board so customers are not disappointed.
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Smile and portray yourself as a friendly and approachable person. People shop at farmer's markets to buy locally and get to know the people from whom they buy. Make them want to come back to talk to you (and buy from you) week after week.
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Be a regular. The best way to make money at a farmer's market is to build a reputation of quality and reliability that will result in steady return clients who also spread the word about you to friends and family. Show up week after week with good products, an appealing presentation and a friendly professional attitude.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do run out of a product, take down names and make sure to bring the product for those customers next time.
Consider making business cards that people can take with them to special order items from you in the future.
Offer your patrons a bag for their purchase(s); they may not need it, but they will appreciate the offer.
Create a bin or box that holds everything you need for the farmer's market and keep it packed to avoid misplacing or forgetting needed items.
