Creating an Attractive and Efficient Farmers Market Stand
Does farmers marketing fit your marketing plan?
-Exposure to the community (can market other aspects of farm)
-Retail price on product
-Must be off-farm or hire workers
-Weather and events can affect sales
Market Basics:
Fees – Every market is different, set fee, % of sales or combination
-contact individual markets for their fee structures
Transport – How much does it cost you in labor/gas to get to market?
Hours – When/where can you set-up/take down?
-Do you have to be present the whole day, and each week?
Stand – Is it dry, shaded, and accessible? Electricity and water nearby?
RegulationsLiability – are you insured for farmers market?
Samples – can you provide them?
Value-Added product handling – Cottage Food Protection Act
Scales – certified, batteries (if digital)
Design:
Equipment - Tables, tablecloths, shelves, knives, sprayer, pens clips, etc.
Signage – Farm name, specials, clear prices, laminated signs, facts about each crop
Layout – Full!!! Multi-tiered, quality control
Customer Service –
Experience – greet them, tell them you’ll ‘be right with them’, create market shoppers
Checkout – store type system or market type system?
Cash – protected, cash drops, have pre-counted change
PricingDetails – Is tax included? Price on the quarter
Discounts – Know what your crop is worth, will you sell it for less later?
Recordkeeping – How much of each item, what time did you sell out?
Advertising-Newsletter, business cards, CSA applications, recipes etc.
-Info on farm social media, website blog, facebook, etc.
Links/Resources
 Illinois Cottage Food Law
http://www.ilstewards.org/blog/13104
 List of Illinois Farmers Markets
http://www.agr.state.il.us/markets/farmers/