Wednesday 14 May 2014

Market Stalls & Events - Part 4

It has been a VERY long time inbetween posts regarding markets and events, however life does not always go to plan and there are many things that pop up and get in the way of what we would like to be doing.

Today's post is all about "After Market Follow Up". It will not be a long post but there are some important tips.

Home again... now what?


So you have completed a market or an event and you think your job is now done... right? Wrong!
Your job does not finish when you enter the house or at the conclusion of a market.
To effectively grow your business you need to do much more than simply attend an event.

Here are some things that I think are essential to do after a market:


Social Media Gratitude:

 

If you posted on your facebook page (or other social media) in the lead up to the event, or even if you forgot to, please remember to post a thank you the same day as the event. You may even wish to post a thank you in a facebook group ( if the market/event has one dedicated to its stallholders).

The Do's

  • Acknowledge the customers who came and saw you. Whether or not they purchased is inconsequential, they came and experienced your products.
  • Thank those that helped make your day special, whether it be the market coordinators, other stallholders or simply someone who told you something lovely about your range.
  • Post a relevant image with your thank you, whether it be an image of a bunch of flowers or a picture of a special piece that went to it's new forever home that day. Images get better 'reach' on facebook than text alone generally does.
  • You may like to remind them of the next event they can find you at.
  • Remove images or change the comments on images to "sold" on those products that sold that day.

The Do not's

  • DO NOT talk online about how much money you made that day, most people find talking money amounts to be crass and really it is not something people need to know. You can say thank you for a very successful day though, or say it was my best market ever. Talking monetary amounts may also alienate you from other stallholders that did not do so well that day.
  •  DO NOT fill people's newsfeeds with EVERY single item you sold that day a) it gets VERY annoying b) it makes it look as though you are bragging about how much you sold c) I know some people have had issues with people copying their work as their competitors can see exactly how much they sold and what products are popular. d) did I mention it's ANNOYING! Instead post one or two that highlight your work and then edit or delete the remaining images of items that sold.
  • DO NOT criticise the market, other stallholders or customers on your business page!!! It makes you look unprofessional, catty and no-one wants to be thinking that you are a negative person. If you feel the need to let loose a verbal barrage about the day, do so to your dog or cat who won't judge you for it.


Following up on custom order requests:

Invariably you will get a customer requesting a special order at markets and hopefully you would have written down their details to contact them, do not expect them to remember to contact you as that is one way to lose the sale!
Turning a custom order request into an actual sale is important, sometimes people at the market will say they want something but when they get home they might have thought more about it and are less likely to be as passionate about it anymore. To reduce the risks of losing this potential sale, make some sort of follow up contact the SAME day as the event. Even if it is just an email to say "Thank you so much for visiting me at the market today, I look forward to working with you over the next few days to create a piece especially for you." it shows them that you have taken their request seriously and that they matter to you.
Prompt follow up also allows you to clear up any odd requests or miscommunications that leave you thinking "What on earth are they wanting?!?"



Newsletter signups:

This is an area where I will admit to being SUPER slack but am looking to implement at my markets rather than just through my online signup options.
Digital newsletters are a great way to keep your customers in the loop and inform them of new products and venues that they can purchase your products at. Having a sign up sheet at your stall is a great way to convert potential customers to becoming part of your loyal fan base.
HOWEVER those names are no good on a sheet, you must enter them into your database before you forget about it or lose the piece of paper.
If you have not looked into it mailchimp is a very user friendly way to get your news out there and it is very simple to add new sign ups to.


DO NOT DELAY!


The main rule of after market follow up is to not delay it!
You will at times get customers email you with enquiries that very day, they may not have felt they could ask you at the event or they may not have fully looked at your stall but instead looked up your products when they got home (due to you leaving business cards in easily accessible locations on your stall).
Show your customers that their questions or queries are important to you and give them the best and timely customer service you can imagine.
"Part of maximizing your conversion rate involves responding to each sales lead as quickly as possible. According to the Harvard Business Review, businesses that respond to inquiries within an hour are seven times more likely to qualify a lead than businesses that wait longer than an hour. After 24 hours have passed, the likelihood of making a conversion drops drastically." (obtained from businessbee)



See past "market stall & events" posts for more information on attending events.

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