When you visit any market or event the stalls differ greatly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a stand out stall. Every business is different, and there is no right or wrong way to set up a stall – but there are some key do’s and some definite don’ts!
The only major ‘do’ is to ensure that you have your business name/logo somewhere really clear. If your business name and logo isn’t clear, you have much less chance of market visitors remembering you and looking out for you in future. We’ll discuss more on creating a clear logo and branding below.
Every business is a journey – the hardest part is getting started, but as go through your market selling journey you will always keep evolving and working out new and better ways to do things.
Here are the 4 key things you need to create a stand out stall:
1. Branding
Good branding runs across your stall and through your website and social media platforms.
- Business name – Make sure it’s clear! Think about having a banner or sign with it on. If you’re in the initial stages of starting up your business, here’s a blog that will help.
- Logo – A logo that’s eye level and eye catching is a big win. It’s not always easy to get it there but having height on a stall is pretty important for stock at the very least, and it’s great to display your name up high too – it can’t always be seen if it’s lower and the market is busy. Use something sustainable and simple. Many are choosing to move away from the standard banners and using wooden, fabric or acrylic alternatives. Here are some tips if you’re thinking of creating a stall banner.
- Don’t overcomplicate it! Use a standard font and styling, and not too much text.
- QR Codes & business cards – Think about how you access business names at a stall. On a banner, do you read all the info and write down the website? Probably not – a postcard or business card should contain this information. Pedddle’s QR code system also helps with this – click here to find out more.
- Style – What materials or fabrics tie into your brand? If you focus on sustainability, using natural wood might work well. If your products are minimalist and modern, metallics might look good. Think about how this all fits with your brand.
2. Space
Get creative! As a creative small business, it is important to be creative with your stall too. Most stallholders are trying to set up their stall on a budget, so think outside the box. Use things from home. Create height and have good lighting (particularly key in winter – fairy lights could work, they’re cheap and highlight your products easily).
Some props can double up as carrying vessels. Old suitcases, crates, boxes etc, when turned upside down, help to build height and painting them in your brand colours gives extra stall cred! You can make them easily tie in with your branding, and it’s an easy way to transport your products too.
Utilise all areas of the table! Your table may be small, in which case you’ll need to create height to display more products.
A clamp will become your best friend and is essential at markets. There are lots of custom-built stalls around and they do look great. Making a set up that is versatile and helps you transport products as well as holding them securely at markets is ideal.
Don’t overcrowd your stall – if you add too many things to look at, it can look chaotic and this can overwhelm customers.
Consider where you stand – if you stand and stare at a customer it can put them off! You want them to feel comfortable and approachable, without feeling like they need to engage in conversation. Consider standing at the side or occasionally at the front of the stall.
3. Organisation
Make all of your price points clear – people generally don’t like to ask how much things are at a market for fear of seeming too interested, like you are going to give them ‘the hard sell’. What customers don’t realise is in most instances the stallholder behind the stall is much more intimidated by the customer!
Make things easy to see – It can be hard to find the correct narrative to sell your own products. We have many visually impaired, neurodiverse and introverted creatives and shoppers at markets. Clarity is therefore key, so that people don’t have to ask about things and can see at a glance.
Use your best sellers to draw people in. Have a product of the month / scent of the month / piece of the month and display your best sellers at the front – the ideas are endless for this, it’s all about the clarity of your display.
4. Engagement
Look carefully at what brings people over to your stall. Watch what they look at first. What is the first thing they pick up or engage with? Use this information to inform decisions you make about your stall, and where products should be displayed.
Some of our favourite stalls have features that engage us – interesting things to look at or do. For example (below left) some stalls offer free personalisation or custom orders (below centre), or a quirky feature such as this lucky dip machine by Liz Harry (below right).
Make it memorable – Use your space to offer something that draws customers in and makes the experience memorable. Here are top 5 tips to create a memorable stall.
What do you need to take to market, as a stallholder? We’ve put together this handy checklist to make sure you have all the right stuff.
Want to find other tips for helping your business thrive? Check out our other blogs…