Not sure if there’s a place to post setups, but wanted to see what people thought! Would love any feedback or opportunities for improvements 
trade-show First Farmers Market booth setup
- Thread starter Sdpeppercompany
- Start date
salsalady
Business Member
Welcome SDPC!
Nice clean set up.
Couple notes....
Where is the price? Should be very visible.
Basic description and heat level, along with price- very helpful for information on a sign (or 2) so you don't have to tell every single customer...again....and again....and again...ad nauseum....
Whatever you do with the FM set up, remember you have to repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat..... everything that is not BLATANTLY on signs to answer customers' basic questions so you dont have to 500-5000 times per day.
I have seen other vendors using a plastic condiment squeeze bottle for samples instead of pouring out of the 5 oz woozy bottles. They use disposable bamboo (or plastic) single use tasting spoons. Using these squeeze bottles reduces contact and contamination and also smaller sample sizes to reduce the amount of produce per sample....saving you money on your samples. Might need a waste bin in the front or off on each side for customers to pitch their spoons.
Your table looks pretty open. I found it conducive to sales to have some free space on the front of the table for customers to set their packages and purses on while digging out the wallets.
Put more bottles out on the shelves. it looks a bit skimpy. Have it look full and replenish from the back stock under the table after each sale.
Depending on your market's policies, you may need a hand washing station.
Depending on your FM regs...if you can... buy a roll of clear produce bags from a local grocer. Put your sauce in the bag and the customers are trolling around the market with your product on full display.
Side Note on the Logo- It's a beautiful logo, showing the SD beach and sun, but does not show anything pepper related. How invested in this logo are you? Can you share some info of the sauces you have? I see that you are invested in the community. When looking at the logo from a distance across the FM, nothing tells me this is a pepper booth.
Looks like this is your first market. How did it go?
Most importantly, Have Fun!
salsalady
Nice clean set up.
Couple notes....
Where is the price? Should be very visible.
Basic description and heat level, along with price- very helpful for information on a sign (or 2) so you don't have to tell every single customer...again....and again....and again...ad nauseum....
Whatever you do with the FM set up, remember you have to repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat..... everything that is not BLATANTLY on signs to answer customers' basic questions so you dont have to 500-5000 times per day.
I have seen other vendors using a plastic condiment squeeze bottle for samples instead of pouring out of the 5 oz woozy bottles. They use disposable bamboo (or plastic) single use tasting spoons. Using these squeeze bottles reduces contact and contamination and also smaller sample sizes to reduce the amount of produce per sample....saving you money on your samples. Might need a waste bin in the front or off on each side for customers to pitch their spoons.
Your table looks pretty open. I found it conducive to sales to have some free space on the front of the table for customers to set their packages and purses on while digging out the wallets.
Put more bottles out on the shelves. it looks a bit skimpy. Have it look full and replenish from the back stock under the table after each sale.
Depending on your market's policies, you may need a hand washing station.
Depending on your FM regs...if you can... buy a roll of clear produce bags from a local grocer. Put your sauce in the bag and the customers are trolling around the market with your product on full display.
Side Note on the Logo- It's a beautiful logo, showing the SD beach and sun, but does not show anything pepper related. How invested in this logo are you? Can you share some info of the sauces you have? I see that you are invested in the community. When looking at the logo from a distance across the FM, nothing tells me this is a pepper booth.
Looks like this is your first market. How did it go?
Most importantly, Have Fun!
salsalady
Thank you!
So we found out only a few days earlier that we had a spot available at the market.
I forgot a whiteboard marker to write our price on a sign, but It did get people to stop and ask what the price was - I might stick to not having the price listed, I'll test out with a sign this week and compare! I personally really enjoy selling people on things in person, so any opening to talk with a customer is a win to me!
Heat level and description is on the bottle, but that is very smart to have this separately printed - I will have it ready for the next one!
I used the bamboo spoons - I think you gave me that idea on a previous post! It worked great. We are actually getting a local company to gift us bags of their tortilla chipz in exchange for us displaying them at our booth at our next market, I hope this might fill some of the space. A few people did not want to try the sauce without a chip or some other food.
We will need a handwashing station for the next event, we ordered stuff online.
I expected not to sell very much at the event, but I was surprised. I really enjoy talking with customers, and was able to draw decent sized groups in! The market manager invited us to take a full time spot, originally this was supposed to only be a one time event!
Use that blue space on the front of the tent for your name in big letters. Doesn't even matter if it's your official font or not, just some white letters across the front San Diego Pepper Co.
salsalady
Business Member
Talking to every customer is great....until it becomes talking for 30 minutes to one customer thru every sauce for them to buy one $5 bottle. Streamline ......
Old but true story....hubby was manning the booth at the local small FM. Guy comes up, tastes the mild, the medium, the hot, the scorcher.......
Then says " i dont like onions....."
To which my husband replies.... " well then... dont fuckijng eat it!"
Pick your battles.....
Old but true story....hubby was manning the booth at the local small FM. Guy comes up, tastes the mild, the medium, the hot, the scorcher.......
Then says " i dont like onions....."
To which my husband replies.... " well then... dont fuckijng eat it!"
Pick your battles.....
No printed on. What's important is YOUR NAME. Even if people don't buy, even if they don't walk up, they remember your name. They see it again somewhere, or they try it next time. They hear someone mention it and they say "Oh I've heard of them!" I could easily walk buy yours and even taste a sample and totally forget about you. Even if it tasted good! Scream the name (visually)! I suppose a banner can work since you already have the canopy. Also needs to be larger in the back of you and on the table. Your name is what is most important right now. Your product must be good for people to speak your name. So if it's good, that part is covered.
Also get people to follow your IG (I did). This is the best platform to keep people updated. Create a QR code they can scan right at your table.
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salsalady
Business Member
One other set up thing I noticed is canopy weights. Some markets require them. Some don't, either way, it is a really good idea for any market stall to have weights on the canopy. A gust of wind can send it flying, damaging the canopy and possible injuring others. weights can be purchased or made with PVC pipe and concrete.
Good idea. I just read for a 10x10 40 lbs. per leg is recommended. What do you use SL? The water-filled ones?
Thought these looked good, just get cheap sand from the hardware store to fill.
Even in your blue:
Oh maybe you have a white one there in the pic.
Even in your blue:
Oh maybe you have a white one there in the pic.
This is great info! We're planning on getting a printed canopy in a few weeks - want to try and get into another market first (we're borrowing for now from my in-laws).
I'm a huge fan of QR codes, one that goes to our instagram is a really good idea!
I'm a huge fan of QR codes, one that goes to our instagram is a really good idea!
The printed canopy would look great. In the example I posted above you could put your circle logo on the top and your lettering on the front. If you click that image it will take you to that company that makes them.
salsalady
Business Member
We made some concrete filled pvc tubes with eye bolts imbedded in the top. They were bigger than required, i think about 40#, not easy to handle. IIRC, one market required 25 # per leg. It is up to each markets policies. I have seen some 25# sand-filled bags with handles for tieing to canopy and for carrying.
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HellfireFarm
Business Member
everything that is not BLATANTLY on signs
And even then you have to explain to half of them.
And even then you have to explain to half of them.
Big and bold! We've had people driving by the farmer's market see our banner from the street and stop because of it. That's always a good feeling
I've seen that happen several times, and more than one tent damaged or destroyed because of it.