Farmers Markets = Relationship Based Marketing

[Mama3A]

Farmer's Market customers are unique. They are what I call relationship based buyers. They want to get to know  a vendor and feel like they have a trust with them before they will purchase.

This usually results in the "3 Market Rule" it takes customers three markets before they will buy from you the first time.

1)The first market they walk on by and catch you out of the corner of their eye. They don't stop for long if at all - they have already decided who they are buying from today. But now you are in their conciousness.

2)The second market they stop and talk to you, ask questions, examine products, walk away, come back again, chat some more. They may buy today but most will ask "Are you here next week?"

3)The third market they have made up their mind that either they are going to buy from you or they are not. This third market is the deal breaker - either you are about to make a loyal and possibly repeat cutomer or you will lose the sale.

What can you do? Lay the groundwork.
1) Have an eye catching and PROFESSIONAL display. Leave the loose leaf paper signs at home. This will get the customer's inital attenchion and make your first impression. YOU are included in the display. Dress professionally, do your hair and look your best.

2) Have relationship building materials ready for the second market stoppers - a leaflet on how you make / grow your product, a small photo album for people to browse, business cards and brochures. Have something that tells the story of you or your product ready to give out. One vendor I know had such a variety of products she didn't know how to condensce it. Instead she printed recipie cards for her favorite recipie and put her photo of her standing at her booth and contact info on the other side. She handed this out to potential customers. It helped her make a connection.

3) If they are purchasing you want to build a repeat cutomer. Give out contact information letting customers know to contact you to tell you how they are enjoying the product. Hand out a list of markets you will be at for the next two months and use professional grocery bags instaed of old Wal Mart bags. You still want to make a good impression as they purchase - that way they'll come back. Another vendor I know enters customers into a draw for an item so she can get contact info and have a reason to call them. She actually gives every customer a prize - something small or a $1.00 off coupon but it is just another step in building that relationship from passerby to loyal customer.

If you sell at a market arm yourself with the knowledge that relationships are what sell products. Don't simply sit behind your table reading a book. Smile, chat and interact with people. You have to draw them in. Once you have their attenchion and they feel they can count on you being a regular at your market you willl find your sales increase and the job of selling gets easier for you.

Think - what can I do to build relationships with potential customers? What can I do to broden those realtionships? How can I follow up and turn those relationships into repeat sales?

Brain storm some ideas here. tell me your product, describe your display and give me ideas on how you can use relationship based marketing.