JANET EATONKENTUCKY FARMERS

MARKET ASSOCIATION

Bringing More Customers To Your Kentucky Farmers’

Market

A Little Self Reflection First…..

Who are your loyal customers now? Where do they live? Basic demographics How much do they spend? How often do they come? What brings them back? What would they like to find

that you don’t have or don’t have enough of?

Do you have customers that speak a different language?

When do they shop? Time of day? Day of week?

Are You Ready For More Customers?

How strong is your market early season and late season?

Do you sell out of the basics each market day?

What do you want to sell to the new customers?

What is the capacity of the present producers?

Will more customers mean new producers? What are your market’s strengths and

weaknesses?

Do You Know Your Market’s Story?

Who is your market? Prescribed market contactIdentify media contacts and cultivate

relationshipsHelps you sell the market to possible

partners

What Do You Need To Know?

Name of Market Number of Members Where do they come from Days and hours of operation Opening day and closing day Contact name and number (Must be accessible) History Mission Stories of members (Are they open to visits by media) How many acres are represented by your market Traditional events Annual sales – Up? Down? New and unique products

Dull WayThe Barn County Farmers’ Market will have its grand opening this Saturday. The market is open on Main Street in

downtown Gattitown on Saturday mornings from 8 am until 12 noon from now until the end of October. We have

tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggs and much more. Buy local.

Interesting WayThe Barn County Farmers’ Market invites everyone to downtown Gattitown this Saturday for the opening of its 12th season. Thirteen vendors from Barn County and surrounding counties will be there to offer you their best produce, farm fresh eggs, local beef and so much more.

Mike and Janet Eaton of Harrodsburg Road have been selling at the market for three years. “We are so excited to see our customers again after the long cold winter,” said Janet. “We have worked hard to have a good selection of lettuces and broccoli along with strawberries on opening day.”

In this time of disappearing farm land, the Barn Co Farmers Market members farm 55 acres of local land keeping it farm land for now and future generations.

Mark your calendar now for our special kids days the first Saturday of each month from 9 am until 11 am. On these Saturdays the market offers supervised kids activities that are great for grandparents and parents to enjoy a special activity at the market with their young folks.

The market opens this Saturday and will be open each Saturday through the end of October. For further information contact Tina Faye at (444) 555-1234 or become a friend of the market on Facebook for up-to-date information on products, vendors and special events.

Who Are You Trying To Attract?

Younger FoodiesEBT/FMNP customersBusy FamiliesSeniorsProfessionals??????

For The New Customers

What media do they use?What are their constraints?What are they looking for?Where do they shop now?How do they pay? Health issues?Other interests?

So Let’s Pick One – Busy Families

What media do they use? Cell phones and social media Don’t read newspapers

What are their constraints? Time Kids’ activities Rarely carry cash or checks

What are they looking for? Things that kids will eat Quick and easy Food that makes them feel

good

Where do they shop now? Drive thru windows Grocery mega store

Health issues? No time for themselves Stress

Other interests? Soccer Church Activities for families

So How Do You Attract Them?

Kids’ activities that encourage buying and eating local produce.

Mother and daughter cooking classes. Better yet dad and kid cooking classes.

Once school starts, don’t conflict with kids activities.

Make easy to buy dinner idea packages or something easy for parents to take to make when they get together with friends.

WE ARE ALREADY

EXHAUSTED!!

How Do We Put On Events?

Option #1 - Form a Committee of Interested Community Folks and Vendors

Approach your best customers Make your mission clear – we want to sell

more produce or we want to make the market a more fun place or we want to attract more families.

Empower them and accept graciously the work they do.

Use your market story.Thank them publically.

Option #2 - Hire Someone Else to Do Them For You

Look long and hard at hiring a manager for events. If everyone is selling out now, why bother? Make your expectations clear. Don’t let your event manager get caught up in

everyday affairs Everyone will have to ante up funds to pay them.

(Don’t you hire folks to do what you can’t do yourself?)

Option #3 – Get a community sponsor

What’s in it for them?Use your market storyNo one says you can only have oneHere are some options:

Main street programs Chamber of Commerce Health organizations Art leagues Extension Churches

A Great Idea Or Two

Community dinners High end Involve local chefs Work better than farmer/chef match up events Farmers should be present and featured Information about the market and how to get involved should be

featured Good things for local media to sponsor

Local potlucks More relaxed Everything must have an ingredient from a local farmer (Items must

be marked.) Have to make getting these items easy Large picnic at a local park Good idea for parks and recreation or farm organizations to sponsor