Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
down-age their consumer profile. Farm market managers should research
the age of the consumers in the catchment area and the age of potential tour-
ists. They should then do a study of their own farmers' market consumers
and question if they are the same percentages based on the local and visitor
demographics. If not then some marketing needs to be done to attract the
missing consumer group.
The ideal farmers' market consumer profile is a woman aged between
35
and
49,
often with a college degree and with a household income of
more than US$40,000 a year. In general retailing that profile is also the big-
gest spender and therefore an ideal target. A detailed profile of a farmers'
market consumer can be obtained from 'A Profile of Farmers' Market
Consumers and the Perceived Advantages of Produce Sold at Farmers'
Markets'.
4
Setting up a farm stall at the market
Most farmers' markets charge a stall fee and a percentage of that fee goes to
a marketing budget. As a general rule 2% of the market's turnover should
be invested in marketing. Some of this should come from stallholders' fees
and producers may also need to invest some money to promote their specific
market stall.
The marketing aim of any market should be to get at least 20% new con-
sumers into the market every time a market is held and this is where the
culinary tourist becomes a major target market. If a market is not achieving
that, the marketing is not working effectively and the long-term future of the
farmers' market is very questionable.
The challenge for a market may not be to make a profit. It may be to
down-age the consumer profile first and then make a profit. The challenge
may be to look at how the market can:
•
add value for the visitor experience;
•
provide a quality experience for consumers;
•
provide superior customer service; and
•
make consumers feel comfortable at the market.
Team effort
A farmers' market is a unique form of retailing. In other forms of retailing the
business owner is in control of their own destiny with little influence from
other retailers. In a farmers' market the standards set by everyone affect the
profitability of each individual stallholder and the market in general.
Let us give you an example.
We were recently at a farmers' market that opened at
8
am and closed
at
4
pm. At
3
pm there were stallholders who were closing their stores.
As a result every stallholder's business in the market suffered. When we
