Places and ways to promote the Market?

[Mama3A]

I'm trying to come up with ideas for ways to promote the market. I though I'd contact schools to let them see if my cleverly disguised "food safety" pamphlet / advertisement can go home with kinder kids ... What other things can I do , place I should contact, ideas do you have to help me promote my market? Please help - I'm drawing a blank!
Thanks! ( besides the newspaper - I already do that and it costs a lot!)

[sugarcookies]

Don't know if this will help -- just brainstorming here.

What about doing some kind of "festival" maybe once a month -- something with a theme you could advertise with. If your ads have a special purpose, they might get more attention. For instance, if your strawberries are on in June, plan a strawberry festival around the time when you expect peak season. Ask your vendors to get involved by adding a little strawberry decor, featuring strawberry specials or any other kind of thing they can think of. If you have a candle vendor, they can have a sale on strawberry candles -- soap makers on strawberry soap. Sell strawberry sundaes or shortcakes. Ideally, you should plan a series of festivals for the whole selling season so folks can plan and prepare for it. On festival days, you could also offer balloons, kids games/activities, face painting -- "family" activities related to the festival theme. If you can freely post signs, putting out themed signs for the festivals could attract a lot of attention. The more people you are able to draw to the market, the better -- word of mouth is always your best advertising.

If you have some sort of special event, let local news outlets know -- sometimes a radio station will broadcast from a remote location (like a farm market) or the newspaper will do some kind of human interest story. Many news outlets have "community annoucements" -- if you have a special event (like a festival), you may be able to advertise there -- normally, something has to be available free to the public but that could be where the face painting or games come in. If you have a vendor with a unique story, a unique craft or something in their life that's especially interesting (and they were willing to be interviewed), let the news folks know. News is always free advertising.
You may be able to volunteer some sort of "tip" section in the paper -- how to choose the best produce, what it means to be organic, recipes for using the fresh produce in season, which produce is nearing harvest.  Have all the vendors help you do a "clean up day" for a local park -- or some kind of similar event -- something that would make the news without spending advertising dollars (and people always look favorably on businesses that "give back" to the community somehow). 

If you have business cards, hand them out everywhere you go. If your local grocery store has a community bulletin board, post a flyer ad. Do you have a website? Be sure that it's linked to your town or county web pages. If you have some kind of community welcome group (something like Welcome Wagon), they can connect you with new people moving to the area -- send them an ad or your food safety pamphlet and include a coupon or complimentary offer. I move every 6-12 months -- before I get to the next place, I do a search online to see what comes up -- what kinds of services, shopping and recreational areas there are. If you have a web page, make sure you come up in those kinds of searches.

Once you get customers in the door, make sure their visit is a positive experience. Make sure the market is clean and bathrooms are impeccable. I absolutely hate going to someplace involving food and finding the rest room dirty -- it makes me wonder what else is dirty? Make sure your vendors have a posted return policy (for non-perishable goods) so everyone feels they know what to expect. Have good lighting.  Maybe put together a basket of goodies -- a little something from each vendor -- and have some sort of drawing for it.  A drawing could be free or the number of entries could be based on the amount purchase (like 1 entry for every $5 spent) and the entries could accumulate through a month -- draw on the first Saturday of the next month or some such thing -- something that will bring people back as potentially return customers.

Hope this helps -- I'll keep thinking.

[Mama3A]

You have great ideas! You should live closer to me LOL! I'll fill in some blanks:

Quoting sugarcookies:

Don't know if this will help -- just brainstorming here.

What about doing some kind of "festival" maybe once a month -- something with a theme you could advertise with. If your ads have a special purpose, they might get more attention. For instance, if your strawberries are on in June, plan a strawberry festival around the time when you expect peak season. Ask your vendors to get involved by adding a little strawberry decor, featuring strawberry specials or any other kind of thing they can think of. If you have a candle vendor, they can have a sale on strawberry candles -- soap makers on strawberry soap. Sell strawberry sundaes or shortcakes. Ideally, you should plan a series of festivals for the whole selling season so folks can plan and prepare for it. On festival days, you could also offer balloons, kids games/activities, face painting -- "family" activities related to the festival theme. If you can freely post signs, putting out themed signs for the festivals could attract a lot of attention. The more people you are able to draw to the market, the better -- word of mouth is always your best advertising. I agree word of mouth is the most effective - but it's generateing it. We have special events, petting zoo days, balloon artists and kids games etc. I don't actually know if we really get more customers these days or not. We also host a Market In The Park outdoor festival where I am trying to involve the community by having dog agliity, Tai Chi and other types of demonstrations. We heavily promote this event. But does that help grow our weekly market attendance?

If you have some sort of special event, let local news outlets know -- sometimes a radio station will broadcast from a remote location (like a farm market) or the newspaper will do some kind of human interest story. Many news outlets have "community annoucements" -- if you have a special event (like a festival), you may be able to advertise there -- normally, something has to be available free to the public but that could be where the face painting or games come in. If you have a vendor with a unique story, a unique craft or something in their life that's especially interesting (and they were willing to be interviewed), let the news folks know. News is always free advertising.
You may be able to volunteer some sort of "tip" section in the paper -- how to choose the best produce, what it means to be organic, recipes for using the fresh produce in season, which produce is nearing harvest.  Have all the vendors help you do a "clean up day" for a local park -- or some kind of similar event -- something that would make the news without spending advertising dollars (and people always look favorably on businesses that "give back" to the community somehow).  I just figured that one out LOL hence my food safety flyer to schools. My press release to the papers was tips on how to shop the market ( Bring cash, Bring a bag etc) I don't know what the responce is yet ... we'll see if it works. Maybe we could get a regular colum with vendor recipies - I wonder who I talk to about that?

If you have business cards, hand them out everywhere you go. If your local grocery store has a community bulletin board, post a flyer ad. Do you have a website? Be sure that it's linked to your town or county web pages. If you have some kind of community welcome group (something like Welcome Wagon), they can connect you with new people moving to the area -- send them an ad or your food safety pamphlet and include a coupon or complimentary offer. I move every 6-12 months -- before I get to the next place, I do a search online to see what comes up -- what kinds of services, shopping and recreational areas there are. If you have a web page, make sure you come up in those kinds of searches.We have a web page and I try to get listed in online directories and such. It seems like a never ebding task!

Once you get customers in the door, make sure their visit is a positive experience. Make sure the market is clean and bathrooms are impeccable. I absolutely hate going to someplace involving food and finding the rest room dirty -- it makes me wonder what else is dirty? Make sure your vendors have a posted return policy (for non-perishable goods) so everyone feels they know what to expect. Have good lighting.  Maybe put together a basket of goodies -- a little something from each vendor -- and have some sort of drawing for it.  A drawing could be free or the number of entries could be based on the amount purchase (like 1 entry for every $5 spent) and the entries could accumulate through a month -- draw on the first Saturday of the next month or some such thing -- something that will bring people back as potentially return customers. You make a GREAT point with this! Our bathrooms are clean ( and they've just been renovated so they are the nices room in the bld. LOL)  But I wish we had the budget ti hire a "greeter" like Wal Mart to welcome people and answer questions etc. I'm too busy running around I don't always get the chance to talk to customers. I put in an application for a grant to hire a student - if I get it perhaps they could help plan special events and greet people etc. I think the "keep your current customers happy" vs get new ones attitutde is one we should work on too

Hope this helps -- I'll keep thinking.

Thanks for all your ideas ... I really need some outside perspective. I work for an organization but I work alone from home and sometimes I feel like it's all just me. I need some brainstorming with people! Thanks again! Any more ideas are welcome!

[sugarcookies]

Hi again! Another idea -- or at least expanding on one you mention. For the demonstrations at the Market in the Park, do most of the things you're demonstrating have a local organization? Like the Tai Chi -- is there a school or club in the community? Network through them -- advertise your event and invite them to participate. What other kinds of clubs/classes are offered in your area? Quilting? Cooking? I went to a demonstration where we saw how to make a couple very elegant and yummy meals from simple and quick ingredients -- maybe do a similar thing and add something with in-season produce. The couple doing the demo were from a local food service - so their meats and cheeses were from their service -- but someone like that could certainly add a produce recipe. You know the green beans you get at a Chinese buffet ... the ones with just a little oil and some garlic? I love those ... but have never seen a recipe for them. I suspect they're easy -- something like that would make a wonderful demonstration. Recipes (using fresh produce) for easy side dishes to go with grilled meats would be great! And don't forget fruity salads and desserts -- especially those that are easy or elegant.

What other organizations are in your area? Is there someone at an Historical Society who could do an interesting chat about local historical events? Are there others you can network with?

What about asking the local fair blue ribbon winner to share basics of canning, pie baking or making pickles? Something like that would be related to produce sales.

I've been in some produce markets that have little cafe areas where people can sit and snack on fresh baked goods and gourmet coffees -- does yours have anything like that? One place was near a large Amish settlement, so sold Amish baked goods.

Do you offer a map of your market? It could be something simple that you print off your computer or copy on a copy machine. If you have regular craft vendors that are there for the season, mark their locations. Put the maps near the main entrance -- maybe setting up some kind of little information booth. Use the booth to advertise coming events. Just make sure that whatever signage you use looks professional -- nice, clean fonts and sharp images.

Hope this helps -- at least prompts some ideas for you!

[3_ring_circus_]

WOW those are some GREAT IDEAS! I am so impressed right now you have no clue.

Our local radio and newspaper have free listings in their community calendar, ( i know you said you take a paper ad already) also check with your chamber of commerce and get listed on their webpages events, aqnd leave ads in their office the first palece people go for things to do is the chamber. our market actually works with the cahmaber in the summer months to hold a "friday night alive" the market is there every friday but on the alive nights the chamber brings in a live band  (we close mainstreet a number of times a year lol in a town of 15,000 you cna do that alot)  but it draws more people ive noticed they have contest its pretty neat.

our school sends home a packet every friday with information for parents we have a special parents folder that comes home, i sometimes get ads for community happenings so i would definately try the school out and see if they will let kids take a flyer home OR you could do an assembly at the schools about Farmers market which would get the kids excited and they will bug their parents to take them only about 50% of parents will resist lol.

[3_ring_circus_]

sorry its been a long morning and i didnt spell check my post.

[Mama3A]

Quoting 3_ring_circus_:

WOW those are some GREAT IDEAS! I am so impressed right now you have no clue.

Our local radio and newspaper have free listings in their community calendar, ( i know you said you take a paper ad already) also check with your chamber of commerce and get listed on their webpages events, aqnd leave ads in their office the first palece people go for things to do is the chamber. our market actually works with the cahmaber in the summer months to hold a "friday night alive" the market is there every friday but on the alive nights the chamber brings in a live band  (we close mainstreet a number of times a year lol in a town of 15,000 you cna do that alot)  but it draws more people ive noticed they have contest its pretty neat.

our school sends home a packet every friday with information for parents we have a special parents folder that comes home, i sometimes get ads for community happenings so i would definately try the school out and see if they will let kids take a flyer home OR you could do an assembly at the schools about Farmers market which would get the kids excited and they will bug their parents to take them only about 50% of parents will resist lol.

I took your suggestion about the schools - I made a food safety sheet for school lunches, put our flyer on the back and added a coloring page - the problem is only 1 playschool and 1 kindergaten has agreede to let me send them home. I'm running into "you have to talk to the school board" etc. It's a little aggrivating - but I'm going to keep trying. Thanks for the idea!