Tips to lift stall presence at festivals and markets
Mr McDermott said preparing for the festival or market stall was a process that started long before the event.
“Do you have a strategic aim of what you will get out of the show? If you don’t then you may as well take a holiday for the weekend,” he said. “You have to be an exhibitor with real purpose.”
Market research
Exhibitors were urged to do their homework - market research - before the event to determine the demographic of people expected to walk through the festival gate and to select and target their products accordingly.
“Are you the right fit as an exhibitor for that event,” Mr McDermott said.
“For example, at one particular event last year more than 50 per cent of attendees were over the age of 50, only three per cent were Generation Y’s, 10 per cent came from Brisbane with the majority from around the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
Don’t bring out your
‘dead’
Product selection and presentation were of utmost importance. “Don’t bring out your ‘dead dog’ products,” Mr McDermott said. “You know the ones that you are perhaps emotionally attached to but are not big sellers. Leave them in the shed.
“They may have been the product that got you started but they are now a dead dog - like old décor. You need to think above the line.”
He explained that products on display at the festival or market stall should be the ‘rising stars’ of your range.
And he questioned whether your ‘cash cows’ - the reliable products that do sell - should be on display when they already have a market position.
“This is the chance for your brand to shine. You have to build your brand and so your brand design and label design is very important.’’
Festivals and markets
are also a great opportunity test new products.
Test new products
to
“The overwhelming reason why people go to festivals is that they want to see something new, so you can test new products at the event,” Mr McDermott said.
“You could probably go to a show with just one product - your rising star.”
The design of your stall at a festival or market is also very important.
“You have to look good without necessarily spending too much. Most exhibitors will have the same trestle table or tent - there is always a lot of clutter at these events.
You have about five
seconds
“And you have to be aware that everyone is competition - even the didgeridoo player will take attention away from your stall.
“Again, at last year’s Real Food Festival, 75 per cent of visitors came through between the hours of 9.30am and 11am - you have to take this into account.
“You have about five seconds to tell festival-goers ‘who we are, what we do and what’s in it for the customer’.
“Have you designed your stall to the right target audience, to the right demographic, what are the expectations of your visitors?
“Simplicity in a high-traffic environment is the key,” Mr McDermott said.
“Little things mean a lot, like designing a nice serving cup that visitors will want to take home with them (with your brand displayed on it).
“Like a sign saying ‘enjoy delicious frothy coffee’ that can be seen 30 metres away.
“In this example the company is not important, the product is.
“Or another sign ‘supporting sustainable produce’ or ‘fresh from our farm’ (that is a special factor that creates an alignment between the farmer and the customer). Create an iconic image. You have to dress your stall to create a feeling with your customer.
Brand consistency is
important
“And brand consistency is important, don’t fill your stand full of superceded branding with old labels,” he said.
“And you have to work the floor. If you have product samples, don’t just have them on the bench, serve it to people. Be the hostess with the mostest with style.
“This creates a nice experience without giving away the farm.”
Survey your customers
Mr McDermott also explained that stallholders should take the opportunity to survey their customers to derive market feedback from the event and develop customer leads.
“The real purpose of your stall is to build sales and profits, develop repeat business, educate customers and learn from feedback and to develop a data base with customer leads,” he said.
“How do you measure your branding, how do you measure a feeling about your brand?
“Just get a clipboard and ask survey questions like ‘how do you feel about our brand’, ‘would you do business with us again’, ‘out of a scale of one to five, how would you rate our product’? and get their contact details - and follow-up.
“At the end of the event you will have an awareness of your product acceptance, if you have an objective (to sell your product), it must be measurable,” he said.
Promotion before the
event
Another important aspect of exhibiting is promotion before the event.
“What can you do before the event to get people to come, to create expectation? That creates a greater spec- tacle of your exhibit,” Mr McDermott said.
New email signature
“You can do simple things like create a new email signature promoting your next event and promote the event on your website or on Facebook. This sets up expectations with customers,” Mr McDermott said.
And on the day or weekend of the event, be friendly and engaging. “Your own presentation is important. Don’t look like you have just walked off the farm. If you can, wear your branding. If you are a family group, be happy. If you are a married couple, look as if you love each other - and if your stall team works, keep the band together,” he said.