Increasing Sales with
Improved Displays &
Customer Service Techniques
Pam Rye
Area Small Farm Specialist

Marketing Mix (The 4 P’s)
 Product
 Variety, Quantity,
Features…
 Price
 Retail Price, Wholesale
Price, Discounts…
 Place
 Supply Chain, Logistics,
Assortments, Locations…
 Promotion
 Advertising, Personal
Selling, Public
Relations…

Composing an Attractive Display
 Foundation
 Signage
 Preservation of Produce
 Seasonal Interest
 Whimsical Touches

Foundation

Signage
 Allows you to stand out in crowded farmers market.
 Simple & inexpensive
 How to attach?:
 Use large clamp on each side of table and wood scraps with braces to stabilize the sign.

Signage
 Label Products
 List Prices
 Offer Suggestions, entice
 Keep it Consistent!
 Use re-useable blackboard or plastic signs for prices

Preserving Your Produce
 Higher quality = longer life
 Shade, shade, shade
 Keep delicate fruits, perishable items on ice or in coolers
 In transit
 On display if possible
 Flowers in fresh water at all times

Produce That Can Be Iced
 Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Cantaloupes
Carrots
Cauliflower
Endive
Green Onions
Leafy Greens
Radishes
Spinach
Sweet corn
Watermelon

Produce Damaged by Direct
Contact w/ Ice
 Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Tomatoes
Squash
Green Beans
Cucumbers
Garlic
Okra
Bulb onions
Romaine Lettuce
Herbs

Seasonal Interest
Masses of color or product are very effective at grabbing attention

Seasonal Display
 Change colors and hues to reflect the season.
 Blues & yellows in summer. Lavender and sage in spring. Fall use golds, oranges, reds, earthy colors.
 Keep storage items and trash in truck to avoid clutter, etc.

A Bit of Whimsy
 Add whimsical touches that are also functional
 wagons, decorative baskets, cute and also help transfer items from truck and use in the display
 Attention getters
 Windchimes
 Fresh flowers
 Relaxing music
 Water feature

Whimsical Touches

Things to Know about Customers
 Customers rebel against
 Pressure
 Surveillance
 Lack of Trust
 Stupid Questions
 20% of sales lost due to a “Turn Off”

Timing
 Learn the flow of the sale
 1. Advance
 Greet quickly with meaningful dialogue
 2. Retreat
 Be patient, Wait for the sale (“permission”)
**Stay busy, but attentive**

Meaningful Dialogue
 Learn the power of YES and YOU
 Remove the Negative
 Avoid questions that get negative answers
 Avoid “HAVE TO”, “NEED TO”, (even on signs)
 Don’t answer DEVIL QUESTIONS
 Give them reasons to buy instead

Meaningful Dialogue
 Learn ‘One Liners’ to shut them up or close a sale
 Take compliments!
 Tell them what you want: Them to tell other people

Meaningful Dialogue
 Once you have “permission” CRANK UP
THE VOLUME”, b/c Everyone is listening
 NEVER say “thank you” until you get the
$$$
 Say you appreciate it and why, but not
“thanks”

It Takes the Whole Package
 Product
 Price
 Story

Catch Them in Your Web
 Encourage people to use their senses
 If they touch it they’re 4 times as likely to buy it
 Pleasant sounds, tastes, etc, enticed to linger
 Demonstrations, recipes, etc

Seeing is Believing
 Create Effective Displays
 The Zone
 the belt buckle to 6” above eyes
 Make it Bright
 Improve or enhance light

The Story
 Take an active role in the sales process
 Learn to talk about your products and articulate their benefits
 Features about the product
 Benefits on how it improves/enhances their lives
 Helps to up-sale or get a 2 nd sale
 Project energy and enthusiasm about your work or business

Respect & Patience
 Make and maintain eye contact
 Believable, sincere, and the head nod
 Treat your customers as individuals
 Be patient and help them make up their minds

Men, women, & children
 Men: side to side
 Women: face to face
 Children: Set limits w/o offending

Energy Sells
 Project positive body language (aura)
 If you can’t, hire someone who can!
 Use your hands in the selling process
 Avoid the Change Rattler Syndrome
 Sellers: take it out of the pockets
 Buyers: give them something to do, eat, etc.

No, No’s
 Don’t Sit
 Don’t Read
 Don’t Talk on the Phone
 Don’t Open late or Close early
 Negative talk

Practice Makes Perfect
 Practice salesmanship like it is a musical instrument
 Be willing to evolve
 Concentrate on what works & have fun!

Pam Rye
Area Small Farm Specialist
1030 Cumberland Heights Rd.
Clarksville, TN 37040
931-648-5725
Prye@utk.edu