There’s nothing like walking the paths of a local craft or farmers market and hearing the hums of chatter and the scents of freshly picked fruit. From buskers to vendors to browsers and everyone in between, the local vendor market is the place to be.
After several years of working in the vendor industry with folks like yourself, we’ve happily observed what makes this community so special and what it takes to host a great market.
That’s not to say we’re the experts here; we know that’s your terrain. However, we thought we would take the opportunity to provide some information we’ve collected over the years to our vendor partners who want to foster new potential growth opportunities within their markets.
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or looking to facilitate your first local market, let’s get into our notes!
1. Host Themed & Seasonal Events
Themed or seasonal events are a favourite here at Duuo by Co-operators; better yet, they’re an excellent way to bring locals together. From Christmas markets to women’s markets to Halloween markets, you can never go wrong hosting a specific or niche event.
Even if you host more generalized craft or farmers’ markets, squeezing in themed events throughout the year, especially those that commemorate a specific time or year or a particular celebration, nothing brings people together better than having one common thing, big or small.
2. Emphasize and Implement Sustainability Practices
It’s not just about sharing your sustainability efforts; it’s about committing to them! Whether you’re sharing it with exhibitors, vendors, or stakeholders, transparency within your market is a great way to boost your market ratings.
By actively reducing waste, using eco-friendly products or contributing to renewable energy resources, implementing these practices and sharing them with your audience will only make your market all the more special to locals.
Vendor markets are for every generation, and by emphasizing sustainable efforts, you’re automatically helping future generations of market makers and goers continue the tradition.
3. Leverage Digital Marketing & Vendor Spotlights
There’s a high chance you’re already doing this, but if not, we’ve found that digital marketing and highlighting your local vendors make a big difference. Let’s get more specific.
Sharing timely email and social media campaigns that target past, present, and potential vendors and attendees is key. Your vendors/guests know about updates or changes immediately, and you have the chance to share unique offers to guests and flexible participation options for your vendors.
Moreover, your vendors are likely the highlight of your market. With that said, make sure you tell your guests all about them! Whether you’re sharing entire lists of who guests can expect to see or selecting unique vendors to rave about, it’s important that your vendors feel as special as your market.
4. Expand vendor categories
Many markets are dedicated to specific themes, and while those are exciting in their own right, a great way to enhance your market experience for vendors and attendees is by including new kinds of creatives and entrepreneurs you may not have connected with before.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen a few farmers’ market partners begin to invite more kinds of vendors, ranging from artisanal food producers to florists to wellness brands and beyond.
Craft fairs are also jumping on the expansion train by adding new sections dedicated to areas like sustainable fashion brands, home décor, and digital artists.
5. Strengthen Partnerships & Sponsorships
A strong partnership can build brand trust with your vendors and attendees while helping offset overhead costs. Whether you’re mitigating risk for your vendors by emphasizing your dedicated insurance partner or sharing information about the local brewery sponsor to draw in attendees, strong partnerships are essential.
Moreover, a strong partnership/sponsorship facilitates more opportunity for your event to be as unique and exciting as possible. By working with the right organizations for your market, whether they emulate your theme or can offer something you might not be able to on your own, your attendance and your vendor participation can only go up.
Keep the momentum going
Even after the crowds have gone home, you and your team have ample opportunity to continue to emphasize your event and plug future ones.
Email marketing campaigns are key as they’re the easiest way to spread the word about the event’s success! Additionally, it’s a chance to show others who may not have been able to attend what they missed out on and what they can look forward to next time.
To emphasize point number 5 on this list, if you’re looking for resources to share our partnership with your vendors, don’t forget to utilize the resources here. If you’re a market manager looking to protect your event and vendors this year, learn more about a Duuo by Co-operators partnership here.
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