Lesson 14: Knowing your Seasons
Everything has a season. The weather has different seasons and customers have seasons. Things you buy have seasons. Market Stall vendors will encounter these shifting seasons too.
Let’s look at how seasons affect the market stall trader and how we can be aware of the ups and downs of the marketplace.
Every Season Counts
There is an expression used in Glasgow repeatedly and it goes like this:
There is no such thing as bad weather, only a bad choice of clothing.
I like this saying because it is relatable to all of life. We often blame the world around us for our misfortune and discomfort, but in reality, we are just ill prepared and that is something we can do something about.
What I mean here is even the humble market stall still needs a plan to sail the ocean of the marketplace. It doesn’t just happen by itself. You need to work out the planning to succeed!
To view it another way, every season can be an exiting opportunity because you already have planned for all that it will bring.
By example, supermarkets may sell bags of wood, charcoal and meat packages a bbq season. Another week they may be promoting Valentines day or Christmas.
Ever thought how convenient that was! Hot day, felt like a bbq and when you got to the supermarket they had the right items ready for sale? or on Valentines day, there were all the chocolates and flowers ready to collect?
This is planning at its finest. Supermarkets are masters at watching trends in shoppers, noting weather patterns and engaging with social media to ‘listen in’ on what people are talking about. Each affecting their sales and they don’t want to miss out!
On the market stall, there is a degree of foresight required in order to sell to your customers too. If the weather is going to be wet and cold you are more than likely to see less foot traffic than on a lovely warm summers day.
The time of the week will affect your sales too, and even social trends within your local area and wider social media will all have a bearing on who you sell to on any given day.
The seasons really do matter!
Spring
Spring has a double meaning within the Market Stall year for the budding trader.
First, its a season. A time when plants and nature begin to wake up and grow. New life begins and everything that was dead begins to turn green again. It seems to start slow but it soon picks up the pace.
For the Market Stall Trader Spring brings with it interested buyers and browsers. Don’t forget these folks matter, as they will more than likely be back later on in the month or season if they have had great service and have left with good ideas!
Secondly, new traders to the marketplace may start off sales a little slower as customers learn what your offering is about.
This mean your product is priced too high or not right for that marketplace, but normally, if you have done you homework, it is the period of time people need to adjust and learn who you are.
Don’t panic, keep explaining your product, keep offering your expert knowledge and be an informed trader for the customer. They will remember the service!
When quiet, plan your Summer product vibe and how you will attract your customers to purchase your products.
Don’t get despondent here! To help, take a photo of what you hated about your previous job, and look at it to remember why you are doing what you are doing!
Summer
Live music fills the air, people are out and about enjoying the atmosphere and there are sales! Plenty of sales. People stop to talk and are interested.
Enjoy these days where the markets are buzzing and time flies past, but also take this time to start planning for Autumn.
As Game of Thrones continue to tell us, “Winter is coming” and you must be prepared!
Put a little money aside each day during this period for the quiet times ahead.
If time permits, begin planning for future selling campaigns and ideas to market your products in new and exciting ways.
Keep taking photos of your stall and products with people excited by your products, so you can keep your social feeds filled with happy people too.
Autumn
This is when the leaves begin to fall and everyone gets ready for the coming cold. Customers come and go and it seems everyone is planning for something.
Here, opportunity awaits to get a jump on seasonal products and promote new ideas. Do what you do best and keep everyone feeling special.
As autumn rolls in, so you will have fast and slow days. The crowds of summer seem to be sporadic. Don’t let it phase you, keep turning up and keep being seen.
If you see an opportunity to chat and find out what people are looking for, make the most of the opportunity. They may just give you a great idea for your next Market Day.
Network when you can and get yourself noticed. You are going to be a successful market stall owner!
You might also like to read… It’s a Business, Not a Hobby.
Winter
It’s cold and grey. People huddle together out of the wind and glance fleetingly at stalls if they are outside. They all seem to want a quick sale and don’t wish to stay long.
Take this in your stride and don’t be offended. You are probably going to be colder than they are, but you are going to be happy they came to see you and visited your stall. They want that little bit of attention and that goes a long way in the new seasons ahead!
You may find your capital begins to fluctuate as you pass the big Seasonal events as customers wait for their pay checks to arrive.
This is why you have been planning and saving all along. You are still showing up, and you are still visible.
This time will allow you to focus on your selling technique, and new product creation rather than worrying about the next payday!
Thinking of clever ways to sell your products is all opportunity wrapped in disguise. Weather wet, and you are selling fruit and veg, why not offer a free recipe with pre-selected items to make an ideal stew.
Selling Clothing, offer a free or discounted water proof bag with items that are being sold. Art, pottery, whatever you are selling think of a unique angle to market to customers to draw them to you.
Festivals and Festive Dates
Keep in mind that customers follow the seasons, trends and of course, BIG festival days. Know when religious holidays, bank holidays and specific public holidays are.
If you are in America it is worth knowing that Thanksgiving is a huge deal and people will be buying for the day. Be prepared for the sudden surge. Christmas in Europe is magical and Christmas markets have become a staple in most countries leading up to Christmas.
This is a time where you make your market stall count.
Be aware, after festival days there is a lull. This is down to buyer fatigue and should be recognised.
Easy Task Planning
Buy a paper calendar (YES PAPER) and a notebook titled Seasons and have them somewhere in your home easily refer too. Mark big festive holidays and begin thinking about how you can market your items for those events before they arrive.
After each week make a note in your notebook about the festival and what really sold well for that time of year. What business was like and how you may imporve the next time the festival or event comes around. Doing this will allow you to create a pattern of sales for your market stall for free and give you the insights you really need to maximise your success.
When you note a spike in sales, make a note on what caused it. Was the weather particularly good? Was the market advertised differently? What was in the news? Try to work out in the quiet times why people are at your stall in the busy times.
Conclusion
The marketplace has seasons. Be aware of them! Plan for it and prepare for the busy, fun, quiet times! Mark up your calendar and network when you can.
Let us know over on Facebook what really stood out for you in the last season. Why was it great or why wasn’t it. What did you do differently.
If you haven’t heard it yet, The Market Nosh Show podcast is now live and steaming. Click podcast from the menu to find out more about The Market Nosh Show.
Conclusion
- Why can seasons be tricky?
- What should you be doing in the quiet times?
- How can you maximise your sales with a calendar and notebook?
