Calling all market movers and vendor virtuosos! 🌟 If you’re gearing up for your next vendor event in the Hampton Roads or Richmond area, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie, setting up a vendor table is an art form that can make or break your day at the market. Between our Social Media Architect Brooke’s experience vendoring at her wildly successful venture The Dogwood Pup Boutique and our Founder/CEO Kaycee’s experience at her store Pawsnickety Pets, our team has both the marketing expertise + the vendor experience to help your business shine. Ready to elevate your vendor game? Let’s dive into some top tips to make your next market a success—and how Create/Captivate can help you every step of the way!

Before the Event: Prepping for Success

1. Market Your Attendance Early

One of the biggest mistakes vendors make is waiting until the last minute to announce their participation in a market. Build anticipation and let your audience know where they can find you!

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Social Media Teasers: Start posting about the event at least two weeks in advance. Share what products or services you’ll be offering, and use event-specific hashtags. Use the countdown feature in Instagram stories to encourage engagement.
• Email Newsletter: Send an email blast to your subscriber list, including details about the event, your booth location, and any special promotions.
• Collaborate with Other Vendors: Cross-promote with other vendors attending the same event. It’s a win-win situation—everyone gets more exposure! Be sure to tag or mention them in your posts, stories, etc.

Quote from Brooke: “Teasing your market attendance on social media is such a good way to build excitement. For The Dogwood Pup Boutique, I always make sure to give my followers a sneak peek of what to expect—especially any new items that will debut at the event!”

2. Perfect Your Vendor Table Display

First impressions matter, especially when you’re one of many vendors at a busy market. Your table should not only showcase your products but also reflect your brand’s identity.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Consistent Branding: Your table should scream your brand. Use branded tablecloths, banners, and signage that align with your brand’s colors and style.
• Height and Layers: Create visual interest by adding different levels to your display. Use stands, shelves, or crates to give your table some height.
• Clear Signage: Make sure customers can easily see who you are and what you’re selling. Use large, readable signs to list prices, product names, and any special offers.
• Interactive Elements: Incorporate touchpoints that invite customers to engage, like samples, product demos, or a quick game.

Quote from Kaycee: “At Pawsnickety Pets, we love adding interactive elements to our vendor table, like free samples or a raffle for a gift basket. It draws people in and gives us a chance to chat about our products and the fact that we also have a brick & mortar store customers can visit.”

3. Prepare Marketing Materials

Don’t forget to bring plenty of marketing materials to hand out to potential customers. Even if they don’t buy on the spot, you want them to remember you later.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Business Cards: Make sure to have plenty of business cards on hand. They’re a must for anyone who shows interest in your products!
• Brochures or Flyers: Provide more detailed information about your business, including your services, products, and where they can find you online.
• Exclusive Coupons: Offer a special discount for attendees to use after the event, encouraging them to follow up with a purchase. This is a great way to encourage customers to continue to engage with your business, especially if you have a brick & mortar location or an online shopping option.

During the Event: Engage and Sell

1. Be Approachable and Friendly

People are more likely to buy from vendors they feel a connection with, so smile and be approachable. Engage with everyone who stops by, even if it’s just to say hello.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Greet Everyone: A simple greeting can go a long way in making potential customers feel welcome. Everyone doesn’t have to be your new BFF, but they sure as heck should feel seen at the absolute bare minimum.
• Know Your Products: Be ready to answer any questions about your products or services. Your enthusiasm can be contagious! If you’re not working the events, be sure you do a thorough training and have shadowing opportunities for your staff so they feel super comfy being your biggest brand advocate.
• Offer Samples: If applicable, let people try before they buy. This is especially effective for food, skincare products, or anything that can be experienced firsthand. A teensy bit of generosity can really go the distance here! If you want to really overachieve, attach a business card or discount card for the customer’s next purchase to the sample/giveaway item.

Quote from Kaycee: “At Pawsnickety Pets, we always greet everyone who walks by our booth with a smile and a little free treat sample for their pup. It’s a great icebreaker and often leads to a conversation about our products.”

2. Use Social Media to Drive Traffic

Your online presence doesn’t take a break just because you’re at a market. Use social media throughout the event to drive more foot traffic to your booth.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Live Updates: Share live updates, photos, and videos on your social media channels during the event. Let your followers know exactly where you are and what’s happening.
• Event Hashtags: Use the event’s official hashtags, as well as location-based hashtags, to reach a broader audience.
• Engage with Attendees: Encourage attendees to tag your business in their posts and stories. This increases your visibility and might attract more people to your booth. Do yourself a favor and invest into something like this (we have no affiliation with this company, we just did a quick search and thought their work was pretty + they have great reviews!) or if you don’t have the budget to invest or the table space to display it, print and laminate a simple flyer you can hang up. Canva has great templates for this kind of flyer!

Quote from Brooke: “At The Dogwood Pup Boutique, I love going live on Instagram during events to show off our setup and chat with followers who couldn’t make it. It’s a great way to engage with our audience in real-time.”

3. Offer Event-Only Deals

Make your booth the hottest spot at the event by offering exclusive deals that customers can only get there.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Flash Sales: Offer limited-time discounts on select products throughout the day to create urgency.
• Bundle Offers: Encourage larger purchases by bundling products together at a special price.
• Giveaways: Host a giveaway that requires attendees to enter by signing up for your email list or following you on social media.

After the Event: Keep the Momentum Going

1. Recap the Event

Don’t let the connection with your customers end when the market closes. Recap the event on your blog and social media to keep the conversation going.

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Thank Your Customers: Publicly thank everyone who stopped by your booth, even if they didn’t make a purchase. Gratitude goes a long way in building loyalty.
• Share Photos: Post photos of your booth, your products, and happy customers enjoying your offerings.
• Highlight What’s Next: Let your audience know where they can find you next, whether it’s at another market, online, or in your brick-and-mortar store.

Quote from Kaycee: “After a big vendor event, I love doing a recap post on Pawsnickety Pets’ blog. It’s a fun way to thank our customers and let everyone know what’s coming up next.”

2. Follow Up with Leads

You likely collected a bunch of business cards, email addresses, and social media handles during the event. Don’t let those leads go cold!

The C/C Crew’s Pro Tips:

• Email Follow-Up: Send a follow-up email to everyone who expressed interest in your products. Offer a special post-event discount or a sneak peek at new products.
• Social Media Engagement: Engage with new followers by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts.
• Build Relationships: Reach out to other vendors or event organizers to build lasting business relationships.

Wrapping It Up

Participating in vendor markets can be such a smart way to get your brand out there, make new connections, and, of course, boost sales. With the right preparation, an engaging display, and smart follow-up strategies, you can turn your vendor table into a powerful marketing tool.

At Create/Captivate, we’re passionate about helping small businesses in the Hampton Roads and across the globe succeed. Whether you need help with branding, marketing strategies, or setting up an unforgettable vendor display, we’ve got you covered. Ready to take your vendor game to the next level? Let’s create something amazing together!

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