How to Attract More Shoppers to your Outdoor Market Booth
These are simple ideas and can work regardless of what type of products you’re selling at an outdoor market. It should also only cost you a couple of pennies per customer.
What you’ll gain are shoppers who are more enticed to come into your market booth and shop, stick around a little longer and be more likely to remember you and your brand.
Give market shoppers relief from the heat
Below are a few different ideas for creating a booth at an outdoor market, on a hot day, that’s comfortable for people to shop in, and might actually draw more people in.
IDEA #1 – A Cold Water Station
There are many laws a handmade business must follow so PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR CITY ON LICENSES & PERMITS. Each jurisdiction is different on what you can and can’t give out.
I was curious about outdoor market rules in my city and sent an email to the local street vending program to find out the following questions, which are ones you’ll want to ask if you’re considering a water station in your outdoor market booth:
1) Can vendors selling handmade products at an outdoor market hand out water for free or do they need a specific permit?
2) Can they serve tap water from a container or must they be bottles of water?
3) Are they allowed to add anything to the water such as mint or cucumbers?
4) Can they serve other beverages such as hot chocolate, coffee or tea?
I got partial answers and directions to get in touch with several different departments, so leave time to gather your answers.
You’ll also want to run it by the event organizer. If the main purpose of the outdoor market is based around food trucks, they may not want you handing out water and preventing some people from purchasing cold drinks. As well, the event may not have the proper permits for you to serve beverages.
If you have the proper permits and can serve tap water from a container (bottled water may not give you the same return on investment) and the market organizer will allow it, idea #1 may work for you.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- Small table – something sturdy that won’t get knocked over, not too big but big enough that it gets noticed.
- Nice container – remember, everything in your space adds or detracts from the value of your brand. Don’t empty a bunch of 4-litre milk jugs and fill them with water. Choose a container that goes with your brand.
- Dixie cups – you need these to be cheap and preferably environmentally friendly so you can recycle the used ones after the market.
- Cooler – Depending on how busy and how long the market is, you may need some backup containers to refill the jug and you’ll more than likely want a bag of ice to add throughout the day and keep it nice and cold.
- (Optional) Water flavor – lemons, cucumber, mint, lavender? If you’re selling scented or flavored products, try to choose something that goes with your brand. Again, ensure you have the proper permits for this. Adding a food item to your water may require you to have an approved commercial kitchen for safe food handling.
- Signage – this should also fit with your brand but you want market shoppers to know to help themselves and hint that it’s for your shoppers only. “Come inside & cool down”
- Trash can – a container for people to dispose of their cups on the way out.
IDEA #2 – Fans
Who doesn’t love a breeze on a hot day? Even if it’s not air-conditioned, it still gives some relief from suffocating heat. There are a couple of ways you can make this work at an outdoor market:
Handheld battery-operated fans
You can find these at the dollar store and you don’t need a ton because they’re not to give away. They’re just for shoppers to use while they’re in your market booth.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- Small table – something to sit at the entry of your booth
- Basket – something for the fans to sit in on the table
- Battery-operated fans – depending on the size of your market booth, you probably only need around 5 fans. Consider how many people may be in your booth at the same time. You also may want some backup fans in case someone accidentally walks off with one.
- Extra batteries – if the fans get a lot of use that day, some extra batteries to replace the dead ones and keep the air flowing.
- Signage – you want it to be very clear that the fans are for your shoppers only and only to be used while in your tent. You may also want a sign reminding people before they leave to drop their fan back in the basket.
- Stickers – add a tag or sticker to the fans reading: PLEASE LEAVE WITH __________________ (your business name). If anyone mindlessly walks out with the fan, they’ll know where to return it.
Paper fans
This option would be an expense but you could get some great advertising through people walking around the outdoor market, fanning themselves with your logo. Check out printing websites by Google-ing “promotional fan printing”. Depending on the style of fan you want, you can have some printed for as low as $0.28/fan.
You could even make the fans yourself. Here are a couple DIY’s: Paper fan 1, Paper fan 2, Paper fan 3.
You could also sell your paper fans. If it’s a really hot day, people may be willing to shell out a few bucks to get some relief from the heat.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Simply a table, a basket and a sign to create a station and let shoppers know what it is and who it’s for.
IDEA #3 – An air-conditioned tent
This one will take less work and can be used over and over at each outdoor market during the summer.
You’ll have to rely heavily on signage as you’ll need to communicate to shoppers to step inside, as there isn’t a visual element involved. There are a few different ways to cool down your entire tent:
- DIY air conditioner using ice, a fan and a cooler. Here are a couple of versions: DIY PORTABLE BUCKET AC & SWAMP COOLER although this may be too labor intensive to set up.
- If you have access to electricity, you could simply set up a couple of fans in your tent. Be sure they won’t be blowing your products over. There are even some that are designed for tents that hang above you so they don’t take up any display space. Check out these ones: http://thetentairconditioner.com/top-3-tent-fans/
- There are also products like this mini rechargeable air conditioner made for camping: http://thetentairconditioner.com/review-companion-mini-rechargeble-evaporative-tent-air-conditioner/
- Or you could look into solar-powered fans.
Again, use a sandwich sign outside your market booth or a large hanging sign near the entrance that grabs the attention of people passing by.
Warm market shoppers up on cold days
If it’s a chilly day instead of hot, offer a hot drink from a thermos.
Again, check with the market organizer and local laws to see what kind of permits you might need.
If you’re offering something like hot chocolate or coffee, you will most likely require an approved commercial kitchen for preparation and a food-handling permit. But since you probably won’t be dealing with as high of traffic on a cold day as on a hot one, you could splurge and purchase a box of coffee that serves several people, from McDonald’s or another local coffee shop.
Instead of fans at the front entry, have a basket of blankets they can throw over their shoulders and warm up under while they shop.
Instead of an air conditioner in your tent, bring a portable heater.
Why this works
It may seem like too much work to alter the temperature in your market booth, but here are a few benefits to consider:
It catches shopper’s eye
When people are uncomfortable, they automatically look for ways to become more comfortable and notice any items that will help them do so.
It’s like when you’re watching TV and you’re thirsty. The storyline has nothing to do with what the actors are drinking but you can’t help but focus on the drink they have in their hand.
If it’s a hot day and people have been out walking around the market, they’re likely a little thirsty and hot. A container full of ice-cold water with beads of condensation dripping down is bound to grab their attention.
It helps you stand out
How many market vendors have thought about their shopper’s comfort? Most are so focused on making that sale that they lose sight of small details.
In a sea of market vendors, shoppers are going to notice the one doing something different.
They’ll also be more likely to remember you after the market. How many booths and vendors did they walk past or into that day? How many did they get to feel comfortable, refreshed and better walking out than they did coming in? Hopefully just one; yours!
It increases perceived value
I’ve personally never shopped in a store that hands me a glass of champagne to sip while I shop but when I’ve seen it on TV, I immediately think luxury. Those little details subtly impact the value shoppers place on the products in the store.
Although you’re not handing out champagne, you are offering a perk that adds to their shopping experience with you. Each element that elevates your space will also elevate the value shoppers place on your products.
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Hey, I’m Erin 🙂 I write about small business and craft show techniques I’ve learned from being a small business owner for almost 2 decades, selling at dozens of craft shows, and earning a diploma in Visual Communication Design. I hope you find my advice helpful!
Thank you for another very informative article. It’s been very helpful!