Markets are a great opportunity for vendors. Whether you are trying out a new idea, or you have an established business and are looking to build on your brand, CoLab Market is for you! Markets are a unique way to engage directly with your customers and let them know about what you offer. You might not make every sale, but by letting someone know about the products and services you offer, you are building your customer base and growing your business.
In order to set yourself up for success, we have put together tips on how you can make the best out of your market experience.
It is important to have ongoing brand exposure to keep current customers engaged, as well as reach out to new ones. There are many ways to get your business name and information out there, many of which are free and easily accessible for both you and the customer. We have included information about some common free or inexpensive ways to market your business. Keep in mind, this is just a start, and the more you want to expand and invest in both time and money, the more channels you have available to you to market your business.
Online Business Tools
Your Google Business profile and Yelp help you get your basic information out there, such as how and where to purchase from you, and your city and province. Make sure you keep this information updated, and keep up with reviews to see what people are saying about your business.
Emails and Newsletters
Emails and newsletters can also be a great resource, as they give you direct contact with your customers. This can also be a great way to build loyalty. Have an email sign up in as many places as possible, and consider offering an incentive, such as 10% off a purchase when signing up.
Social Media
Social Media is a valuable and inexpensive way to market your business. It’s a great way to reach a wide audience and keep customers informed of new products, sales, and most importantly, how they can purchase your products. You can create a free business profile on Instagram and Facebook.
Think of your social media profile as you would your business card. Include your logo, location, website (if you have one), and contact information. It is best to link your website from your Instagram profile, and if you have more than one link to add, you can use free tools such as linktr.ee. Make sure the information you provide is accurate and up to date, as many customers will rely on this.
When you increase your social media engagement, you increase brand exposure. Engage with other people’s posts, make comments and respond to them too. You can also use social media to build relationships on Instagram, such as making posts about other products and brands you enjoy.
Markets and Pop-Ups
On the day of the market, it is a good idea to have a social media plan. This can include pre-scheduling posts before the event so that you won’t have to do this during market hours. Create posts about the specific event with branded hashtags so they can be reposted. Mention the market name, location and market time on every post leading up to and on the day of the market. Social media has a wide reach so be sure to include your city.
Add information in your social media posts about where you will be on market day. Be specific about times and dates.
On market day, make sure to take photos of your booth and market activity. You can make a quick Instagram story that doesn’t take a lot of your time and will increase engagement and exposure throughout the day. Remember to tag your market so it’s easy for others to share. You can also post items and activities that you enjoy at the market. This helps to build a sense of community, and you want to build interest in the events that you are participating in.
There are lots of creative ways you can market your business. It is important to consider how much time you have available to invest in marketing your business. If your time is limited, consider focusing on fewer platforms that will have the widest reach and be most impactful.