Now that you have studied the pros and cons of selling in bazaars, you may have decided to try the “bazaar model” for your business (See previous article on joining a bazaar)).
Here are basic guidelines for joining bazaars designed for newbies like you.
Preparatory work
- Be informed of bazaar schedules well in advance. Look out for announcements in newspapers and online sites. Visit offices of bazaar organizers and ask for their events calendar. Consult experienced bazaar sellers to find out how they keep track of events and schedules.
- Remember that organizers allot space on a first-come-first-served basis. So you should make reservations well ahead of time to assure yourself of a booth. An early reservation will also enable you to secure premium space like a booth near the entrance.
- Before signing the contract, read the terms carefully. Find out what organizers will provide and what you need to bring with you or install (e.g. tables and chairs, electric outlets for cooking if you will be selling food).
Weeks before the bazaar
- See for yourself how big your space is. Is there elbow room? Is there space for you, or whoever you will assign to man the booth?
- See about the lighting and ventilation. Will you need to bring in an electric fan?
- See the weather forecast. Will it be rain or shine? What provisions do you need for rain, especially if you have an outdoor booth?
- Plan your layout well in advance. Better still, try setting up your booth at home. Get feedback from family members and friends on how to improve it.
- Be ready with boxes and organizers for hauling your items from home to the bazaar. Be sure these are properly labelled to avoid confusion during actual set up.
On the day itself
Here, from fitzvillafuerte.com are tips on what to do during the bazaar days to maximize your exposure and the returns from your efforts.
- Optimize your space for the crowd. Design your space in such a way that it can easily be seen from the crowd. Try to make your booth look interesting and inviting.
- Greet, smile and be friendly. Train your sellers to be pleasant and polite, too.
- Try unique approaches. Remember that customers may already be jaded by the usual sales approaches. Let your voice ‘shine’ by calling out customers with unique invitations.
- Make sure you and your sellers have adequate product knowledge and are prepared to answer all possible questions about what you are selling.
- Be ready with a good sales pitch. Try to strike a conversation with would-be buyers by opening with a sales pitch and encouraging them to ask questions about the product.
- Focus on the product value, rather than the price. Highlight the benefits that the customer will get from the product. Give them reasons to buy the item.
- Mind your price and prepare for hagglers. Since people go to bazaars for bargains, be sure your products are reasonably priced. Give allowance for haggling. Train yourself and your staff to handle haggling situations for a win-win outcome.
- Have your business cards ready. Who knows that you wouldn’t meet business contacts and suppliers, aside from customers. Be ready to give your contact numbers in the form of a professional business card.
Photo: from www.ladaily.com
