I’m currently working at the James Ranch in Durango, CO. www.JamesRanch.net . The James family are brilliant marketers. I mean, REALLY good marketers. Please look at their website to fully grasp their many operations. Today I’d like to focus on what I’ve learned from them when it comes to marketing at farmers markets.
One of the big factors of their success is appearance. Physical appearance. They go to the market in a clean presentable fashion. A nice collared shirt, tucked in of course, with nice looking jeans and cowboy boots. Dave also wears his white cowboy hat to every farmers market. Dave realizes that a lot city folk find the idea of ranching romantic. When they see friendly Dave in his cowboy hat, they feel relaxed. All farmers and ranchers wear cowboy hats, right?
If you’ve been to farmers markets you’ll see all kinds of vendors. Flowers, tamales, vegan stir-fry (ouch, no thanks), artists, massage therapy and everything in-between. I believe that the most successful ones are the professional ones. You don’t need to go to market wearing a suit and tie, and please don’t. However, you need to look presentable. Many vendors are not presentable. Wearing a torn t-shirt with ripped shorts, unshaven, and stinking like roadkill is not the quickest way to success.
I’m making the suggestion that you should, in a way, become the stereo-typical person of your niche. If your a rancher, wear a cowboy hat. If you are a veggie farmer, maybe wear some overalls and a straw hat. People will do business with you, but before you sell any of your products, you need to sell yourself. Looking the part will put you on the right path.
