Lessons from an Idaho Farmers' Market

In my fifteen years of working with a small Idaho farmers' market I have observed many ways of presenting fruits, veggies, crafts, and a lot more. For this entry I want talk about the general appearance of the booth/display.

Appearance

The general appearance of your booth/display is critical to get customers to stop & look, decide, and purchase. For this post I will talk about how the appearance of your booth will get people to stop & look.

Branding

You have to keep in mind the brand image you are trying to convey. If you want people to view you as a local organic produce grower, you don't want your displays to look like the supermarket. As a local grower, you want people to associate with you. Use a rustic style table cloth that reminds people of how things were when they were a kid. Be friendly and talkative. Everything you do, say, and display is an extension of your brand.

Let me give you an example from the Idaho farmers' market that I have seen. The display is beside a large refrigerated truck and all the fruit is set out in a display for individual sale as well as bushel boxes stacked for sale. All the produce is perfectly cleaned and looks great. Obviously this operation wants to be seen as a big grower that delivers store quantity straight to you. In contrast, there is the two young kids standing by a card table with zucchini, squash, and a few tomatoes. Who sold more? Of course the big operation did, but these kids weren't trying to compete with that. They successfully portrayed an image of a backyard garden that grew a little too much.

Conclusion

Let me boil this down. Don't worry if your produce isn't perfectly shaped and cleaned. If your branding is as a local grower, those very imperfections can act as your seal of authenticity. I have rarely heard a complaint about a funny shaped cucumber or a dirty potato from farmers' market customers (especially not in Idaho). If you want a high-end brand image, work on professional displays and shine up that produce, but remember to be consistent. Again, everything you do, say, and display is an extension of your brand.