the remarkable market stall
TRANSCRIPT
The RemarkableMarket Stall
Jamey Coughlin Business Development & Economics [email protected]
What is remarkable?
If you saw a purple cow, what would YOU do?
• Stop• Take a second look• Come back again• Tell your friends• Talk about it
Remarkable
The Remarkable Market Stall
• Effective Display Techniques• The Right Signs• Tells a Great Story• Exceptional Customer Service
Ask yourself ONE question…
• How can I make things EASIER for my customers?
and remember ONE thing…
• The right mix of strategy, product, quality, display, merchandising techniques, pricing and customer service will make your market sales sizzle, and increase your profits and pleasure.
Today:• Display, Signage, Story & Service • Lots of information, ideas,
pictures and questions • References:
Farmers' Markets are: • Growing in popularity• Lots of buzz in the press• Locavore was word of the year• More customers each season• Offer a sense of community,
unique, fresh and quality products, connection with neighbours, shared civic values and lots of hugs...
Why bother with remarkable?
Isn't pretty nice, best stall in town, worked for 20 years OK?
Why is a constantly improvingdisplay important?
Competition is intense & evolving
• Consumers bombarded with priorities, messages, information and advertising
Customers are stressed out!• Time• Money• RRSPs• Job• Kids• Health• Planet• Future
• New markets and vendors • More people are NOT shopping at
markets than shopping at them • Profitability / balance challenges• Local Food Trend gets customers
to the market; but quality, experience and ease bring them back and coming to YOUR stall
Good News!
• Challenges common to all retail• Lots of simple tips and tricks• They work
Effective Display Techniques
BASICS
• Layout• Organization• Appearance• Cleanliness
Table Layout• Shallow is better than deep• Parallel to traffic flow is better than
aisles, alcoves or obstructions• Product should be accessible
Make it Easy!
Increase customer reach with layers
Angle product towards the customer
Layers give illusion of abundance
No bending! Knee to shoulder height
`
Display similar products together…
Produce different varieties of the same product
Offer a variety of sizes…
Is your stall clean?
• Garbage?• Unattractive containers?• Your own food and
purchases?• Are storage containers in
good shape?
CLEAN & Organized?
• Freshness is why people shop at farmers’ markets
• Product should be first quality, anything less should be marked
• Keep it cool enroute and at market• No amount of marketing or
merchandising will make up for poor quality
ONLY NUMBER ONE QUALITY
Make it easy
• Easy to see while passing by• Easy to see at the stall• Easy to find what they want• Easy to reach• Easy to purchase
NEVER lose a sale because...• A customer couldn't see what they were
seeking• You left a 1/2 eaten lunch on the table• You tried to sell product that you knew
you shouldn't bring to market• A customer saw you treat unsold
product like compost the week before
To really kick it up a notch...
Appeal to your customer’s SENSES!
Pile it high and watch it fly!
For eye appeal, mix up the color
Small details like tables cloths and baskets matter
Be creative if your product cannot be displayed
Use aroma to draw attention…
Smell Me!!!!
Smell Me!!!!
Activities & Demo's are awesome!
Sampling & freebees sell products
Don't forget the sense of humour
Additional Display Tips• Leverage all the senses• Change with the seasons • Balance abundance with clutter• Continuously restock displays • As you run out, reduce display size
The Right Signs
“A display without a sign is a sign of no display.”
• Placement• Message
Every product needs a price sign…
Visible, Legible and EASY
• The vast majority of customers will not ASK about prices
• If in doubt, they will keep walking...
Visible, Legible and EASY
Will customers block your signs?
Don’t forget to tell them who you are!
Sign construction• Avoid white background – it draws the
eye away from your products• Best coloring is black on yellow OR
green, red or black on off-white• Laminated signs!
• can be changed as needed• Keep lettering neat• NEVER be negative!
FONT SIZE
Make it Easy!
Beyond price...
• Using signs to communicate a meaningful message
What kind of information?
• Why are you special?• What's in it for the
customer?• Why should they
believe you?
Make it Easy!
Understand what you do great!• Emphasize one or two key ideas:• “The apple pie guy”• “The heirloom tomato people”• Any more and customers get confused
CONFUSION DOES NOT EQUAL EASY
What is in it for the customer?
Features are the• Facts• Figures • Practices• Details
“So What?”
Features BenefitsSlippery Peel “So What” Creates great laughsSoft & Mushy “So What” Easy for kids to eatPotassium “So What” Reduce cramping
Overt BenefitYou TRIPLE the effectiveness ofyour marketing efforts by OVERTLY
communicating your customer benefit
What they will
Receive, Enjoy, ExperienceIn exchange for their
Time, Trouble, Trust and Money
Be crystal clear:
NEVER let a customer say NO because they don’tunderstand what you’re offering
Reasons to Believe?• Farmers' Markets have a head start• Wavering confidence in the food system• Listeriosis, Melamine, E.Coli, Salmonella • Food Miles, Climate, Efficiency• Michael Pollan Factor• People don't know what to believe
What is a remarkable RTB for yourproduct, stall & business?
1. Common Sense Argument2. Personal Experience3. Verification/Pedigree4. Customer Testimonials5. Guarantee
Ideas
• Empirical Data - 3 out of 4 think....• Contests – Winner of ______ Award• Stories – our baker trained in France at...• Wall of Testimonials • Cred by association – served at Bistro• Cred by association – studies and research• Demonstrations – cooked weight of meat
vs. frozen burgers
Message
• Why are you special?• What's in it for the customer?• Why should they believe you?
• Position yourself above the crowd, and be remarkable!
Tell a Great Story
Stories• Who we are, Who others are• We crave stories / oral tradition and
human connections• Plot, Characters & Emotions• Good stories are passed on• The material value will lessen, the story
value will increase
Tell YOUR story• Help customers
get to know you• Put a face on food• Pictures, family,
visits, videos, website
Make it Easy!
Storylines
• Adventures for Sale• Togetherness, Friendship & Love• The Market for Care• The Who-Am-I Market• The Market for Peace of Mind• The Market for Convictions
Market for Convictions
• Great stories and REAL meaning are the small, sustainable operation’s UNFAIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES!
Can a locally grown, certified organic blueberry, home-baked pie…
be traded for 2 backstage passes to see the Rolling Stones?
Stories• Stories are the ultimate marketing
and authenticity tool• Humans are hard wired for stories• When we hear a great story, we
retell it• Stories connect your customers to
you and your products to your customers lives
Exceptional Customer Service
Top 5 FM customer annoyances:• Vendor can not make change• Vendor fails to acknowledge customers• Long, slow line forms at the stand• Vendor is chatting with friends, other
vendors or other customers, long wait• Vendor talks on cell phone while serving
customers!
Body Language is CRITICAL!
•57%of Communication is visual
• Smiling? Arms crossed? Sitting? Making Eye contact? Eating? Distracted?
Tips• Pay attention to your appearance• Engage customers ASAP• Give them 100% attention• Be reliable• Share your knowledge • Go the extra mile• EXPRESS GRATITUDE
Are you actively promoting?• What is coming in future weeks? (make
sure they come back!)• Provide or ask for meal ideas using
ingredients (participation)• Make suggestions and WANT the sale• Are you using your regulars to influence
new customers?
Seek and Measure Satisfaction• A satisfied customer tells fewer than 5 people• An unsatisfied customer tells more than 10• Ask questions, do surveys, do taste tests,
document results and make changes• Raise the bar• A sales drop shouldn't be the first sign of a
problem!
Understand and Anticipate Customer Demands
• How are they using your products?• When? Entertaining?• WANT or a NEED?• Are they eating right away?• Where are they shopping mid-week?• What are they doing after market?
Find Your NicheMostly Satisfied Somewhat
Unsatisfied
Mostly Satisfied Somewhat
Unsatisfied
The New Rules• The old rule was this: Create safe
products and combine them with great marketing.
• Average products for average people. Commodities...
• The new rule is: Create remarkable products that the right people seek out.
ParticipationPowerlessnessPriceQualitySafetySkills Social JusticeStatusTime
Dignity EnvironmentExperienceGuiltHealthHopeImportanceIncome Local Farm Viability
Affordable IndulgenceCalmCelebration ChildrenClimateCollaborationCommunity Complication
Important Questions
• What are their stresses?• What are their values?• What are they doing with your product?• How can you serve them better than their
current options?
How?
• Talk, Talk, Talk!!!!• Get contact info• Do a survey• Build a group of trusted advisors• Read magazines, go to restaurants
Make changes...
Selling Strategies for Local Producers : http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06222.htm
Selling Strategies for Local Producers : http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06222.htm
The Remarkable Market Stall
• Effective Display Techniques• The Right Signs• Tells a Great Story• Exceptional Customer Service
It goes back to ONE question
• How can I make things EASIER for my customers?
So Make it Easy!
and ONE thing…
• The right mix of strategy, product, quality, display, merchandising techniques, pricing and customer service will make your market sales sizzle, and increase your profits and pleasure.
Resources• NSDA Business Development & Economics• www.gov.ns.ca/agri/bde/ • Sales Strategies for Local Food Producers• http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g0
6222.htm• Growing for Market; F.M. Sample Issue• http://growingformarket.com/categories/20071227