Are You Ready For Sales? 5 Tips for Pop Up Markets

5 Essential Tips for Small Businesses to Succeed at Vendor Markets and Pop-Ups

Participating in vendor markets and pop-ups can be a game-changer for small product-based businesses. These events offer a unique opportunity to connect with customers, build brand awareness, and generate sales. To make the most out of these events, it’s crucial to approach them with a solid strategy. At PleaseNotes, we've been doing pop-up since the business is inception in 2015, and there's been a ton of learning moments. Here are five essential tips to help you thrive at vendor markets and pop-ups.

1. Collect Emails: Build Your Customer Base Beyond the Market

One of the most valuable assets your business can have is a strong email list. Vendor markets and pop-ups are perfect opportunities to grow this list by collecting emails from interested customers. Consider offering a small incentive, like a discount on their next purchase or a freebie, in exchange for their email address. This not only encourages them to stay connected but also opens the door for future marketing efforts, such as newsletters, product launches, or special promotions.

At PleaseNotes, as it incentive for joining our email list, you get weekly emails with affirmations and journalling prompts. This allows people to get to know the brand and our products and services and receive feel free value so they feel good when they're ready to purchase. We make it easy by having a QR code on the price display that goes to an automated form. 

2. Clear Branding: Make a Lasting Impression

Your branding is the first thing customers will notice, so it’s essential that it stands out. Clear, consistent branding helps customers immediately understand who you are and what you offer. Your booth or table should reflect your brand’s identity, from the colors and signage to the packaging of your products. Make sure your brand's message is visible and easy to comprehend at a glance.

At PleaseNotes, we've transformed from more of a playful brand to a high-quality, feel great brand. That is shown in our custom display, branded inserts and bags, and making sure all of our branding elements are in alignment and speak for the brand before they even talk to our associates.

Little things like having purple be our anchor colour makes us pop against other tables and makes us easily recognizable. Designing a banner, stand or background is easier things to Canva, but you can also get them professionally done on platforms like Upwork. We like to use local companies for our printing. Our banner stand was printed by Any Key Press, hard tradeshow walls repainted and set up by Drawbox Design, and our branded bilingual backdrop was created by Snaptique. 

3. Seamless Transactions: Make Buying Easy

Nothing kills a potential sale faster than a complicated checkout process. To ensure that your customers have a smooth experience, be prepared to accept various forms of payment, including credit cards, mobile payments, and cash. Consider using a reliable point-of-sale system that can process transactions quickly and efficiently.

To make things easy, we have a Shopify reader that connects directly to our online store to make sure all the transactions stay in one place and keeps our inventory count correct.  As a back up, we also have a Square reader on hand.  

4. Client Interaction: Engage and Educate

Engaging with your customers is key to creating a memorable experience. Don’t just stand behind your table—step out, greet visitors, and strike up conversations. Take the time to educate them about your products, their benefits, and how they stand out from the competition. The more knowledgeable and enthusiastic you are, the more likely customers are to make a purchase.

The most successful vendors tend to have a point of interaction to entice people to come over. At PleaseNotes, we have our Affirmation Cards and encourage people to pull their affirmation for the day. Often times they ask more questions about the brand, buy something, or just leave with a great feeling at the end of the interaction.

5. Choose the Best Markets for You: Quality Over Quantity

Not all vendor markets and pop-ups are created equal. It’s important to choose events that align with your brand and target audience. Do your research before committing to a market—consider the location, the type of customers who attend, and the reputation of the event. Sometimes, smaller, more niche markets can be more beneficial than larger ones with a less focused audience.

PleaseNotes tends to be well received at women's entrepreneurship events, personal growth, events, or events where buying gifts are the focus. If it's not any of these events, we tend to shy away unless there is a lot of guaranteed traffic.

Conclusion

Vendor markets and pop-ups can be powerful platforms for small businesses to grow their brand and connect with new customers. By following these five tips—collecting emails, maintaining clear branding, ensuring seamless transactions, engaging with customers, and choosing the right markets—you can maximize your success at these events.