Holiday Market season is upon us! Here are some tried and true tips from an artist who has done 3-10 holiday markets a year for the last few years 🙂
How do I find markets to participate in?
Google is the best bet, and local Facebook groups are also good to poke around. People usually post events on Facebook and from there you can find an email contact to inquire with. Instagram is helpful, too – follow local maker spaces and other artists to see where other people are heading for the season. And think about sending some cold emails! Because you can’t participate if you don’t ask.
Good thing is, you only really need to do all that intense research one time. Once you have a list of markets under your belt that you enjoyed being a part of, you can reach back out to them year after year to ask to be included again. I keep a spreadsheet of locations and contact person emails so it’s easy to get in touch every year.
Hint: churches, Elks clubs and local breweries will typically have winter/holiday events during the holiday season. Also check places like community centers!
What markets are ‘the best’?
If we’re talking the most sales, it truly depends, and you won’t know until you get there. That’s the only answer, sorry, because it depends on so many things. It depends on your craft/product. It depends on the year. The weather. It depends on how many other vendors are at the event and how many are similar to you. It depends on the event coordinator’s market strategy, and on how many shoppers show up. I’ve done well at small local markets. I’ve done well at larger ones. I’ve also done nothing at larger ones. You really just have to put yourself out there and see what works. And then use that info for the following year to know whether or not to put your time and effort again into the same markets, or if it’s time to try some new ones.
I will say, if you see a market’s advertising so often online that you start to get sick of it, that is a market you want to be a part of. They know what they’re doing.
‘The best’ part about markets for me is meeting all the other vendors and supporting each other online. So even if it’s a slow day sales-wise, you can always make connections and build your networking group!
How do I prep for a market day?
Besides all your products, you’ll need: a table or two, a chair, a wagon or trolley to transport your stuff from your car to your tabling area, a phone charger, and snacks (unless you know the venue has food nearby, or you have a friend who can bring you lunch.) You also need some sort of card payment system like Square or Venmo. Rarely do shoppers have cash with them these days, so a card payment option is a must. And, this is extra, I like to wear a festive sweater or earrings to help with the holiday vibes haha. I also bring my Kindle just in case it turns out to be a slow day. (yes, some years have a lot of slow days.)
A couple more tips:
– Label all your products with their prices. No shopper wants to ask how much something is. They will just walk away!
– For your table display, think about layering and varying the height of your products. It draws the eye in. Don’t just lay everything flat on the table, no one can see any of it from far away!
– Have clear signage! People should be able to see and read your business name from across the room.
– Don’t be afraid to switch up your table display each market to see what draws people in!
– If you have a group of friends coming to visit you, that’s great. Just don’t let them linger in front of your table for too long or it will scare away other potential customers.
– If the market offers a group raffle for customers (or something similar), contribute something!
Any other questions about markets I can help answer for you? Let me know!