Farmers’ Market Entrepreneur

Sharpening Your Competitive Edge

Doing a little Doing a little research can help research can help you concentrate you concentrate on products that on products that will make you the will make you the most sales and most sales and increase your increase your bottom line.bottom line.

First Thing FirstFirst Thing First

Determine your selling pointsDetermine your selling points Determine your present target Determine your present target

customer.customer. Determine other target customers Determine other target customers

you don’t reach now.you don’t reach now.

Determine Your Determine Your Selling PointsSelling Points

Build Your Promotion on Build Your Promotion on Solid GroundSolid Ground

Identify Why Your Product is Identify Why Your Product is UniqueUnique

Step 1Step 1 - How is it different from other choices the customer has?

If you are selling tomatoes you could If you are selling tomatoes you could ask…ask…

1) Why should the customer buy tomatoes instead of beans or another vegetable?

Answers could be….Answers could be….a) These are the first vine-ripe

tomatoes of the season.b) Tomatoes are an excellent source

of licopene – a cancer fighting substance. c) They are making BLT’s tonight.

You need to You need to know the know the special special

qualities qualities and uses and uses of each of of each of

your your products.products.

Identify Why Your Product is Identify Why Your Product is UniqueUnique

Step 2Step 2 - How is it - How is it different from different from other products other products just like it?just like it?

If you are selling tomatoes you could If you are selling tomatoes you could ask…ask…

1) Why should the customer buy my tomatoes?

Answers could be….Answers could be….a) I grow heirloom varieties that

others don’t have.b) My tomatoes are homegrown and

picked at their freshest. c) I have the size and type of tomato

they might be looking for – paste vs slicing.

Identify Why Your Product is Identify Why Your Product is UniqueUnique

Step 3Step 3 – Ask yourself – Ask yourself why the customer why the customer should make the should make the purchase today at the purchase today at the market.market.

If you are selling tomatoes you could If you are selling tomatoes you could ask…ask…

1) Why should the customer buy my tomatoes today?

Answers could be….Answers could be….a) The market is only open two days a

week.b) These are the last of the paste

tomatoes I will have. c) A tomato would really taste good with

supper tonight.

Write down all the things you can think of Write down all the things you can think of regarding your product in answer to each regarding your product in answer to each of these questions. of these questions.

This list then becomes your selling points.This list then becomes your selling points. You will use these throughout the season You will use these throughout the season

in your ads, your signs and all your in your ads, your signs and all your promotional efforts.promotional efforts.

Determine Your Determine Your Target CustomerTarget Customer

Know Your Customer to Know Your Customer to Determine Your Promotional PlanDetermine Your Promotional Plan

Target CustomerTarget Customer

Who are they?Who are they? How and when do How and when do

they shop?they shop? What is most What is most

important to important to them? them?

Who are Who are they? they? If you are selling vegetables, you will be If you are selling vegetables, you will be

selling to customers who:selling to customers who: Shop for food – This is usually womenShop for food – This is usually women Cook meals Cook meals Want to eat healthyWant to eat healthy

If you are selling flowers, you will be selling If you are selling flowers, you will be selling to customers who:to customers who: Enjoy color and flowersEnjoy color and flowers Decorate their homesDecorate their homes

For Example…

Who are they?Who are they?

Frequently farmers’ Frequently farmers’

markets draw:markets draw: Older women Older women Foodies – folks who enjoy good Foodies – folks who enjoy good

food and cooking food and cooking

Who are they?Who are they?

Do a little research by visiting the market where you want to sell or talking with present vendors about who shops the market now.

Get specifics like what part of town they come from and what kind of things they buy now.

How and when do they How and when do they shop?shop?

Now that you have an idea who Now that you have an idea who is shopping the market you is shopping the market you need to understand a little bit need to understand a little bit about the target customer.about the target customer.

Knowing what they like and Knowing what they like and how they are thinking helps how they are thinking helps you make more sales.you make more sales.

How and when do they How and when do they shop?shop?

Go to the Internet and type Go to the Internet and type in the search words in the search words “buying habits” and look “buying habits” and look at your target customer’s buying habits.at your target customer’s buying habits.

Not all of these will apply in your market, Not all of these will apply in your market, but you might see a trend.but you might see a trend.

How and when do they How and when do they shop?shop?

What type of What type of advertisements advertisements do they pay do they pay attention to?attention to?

What media do What media do they use?they use?

What is most important to What is most important to them? them?

If health is the important to your customers If health is the important to your customers then add nutritional information to your then add nutritional information to your signs.signs.

If your customers like to cook then make If your customers like to cook then make sure you offer recipes.sure you offer recipes.

Adjust your display and signage to reach Adjust your display and signage to reach out to the customer.out to the customer.

Determine other target Determine other target customers you don’t reach customers you don’t reach nownow

Is there a large ethnic population in your Is there a large ethnic population in your area?area?

Are families coming to the market now?Are families coming to the market now? Benefit recipients - such as WIC and Benefit recipients - such as WIC and

Senior voucher program may not be Senior voucher program may not be coming to the market and using coming to the market and using

their vouchers. their vouchers.

Determine other target Determine other target customers you don’t reach customers you don’t reach nownow

Use the methods you Use the methods you

used to determine what used to determine what

your present customer your present customer wants and investigate the new wants and investigate the new target customer.target customer.