Hey vendors, want to know how to draw customers to your outdoor booth on even the coldest of days? While shoppers may be tempted to stay home cuddled up in a blanket by the fire over the cooler winter months, they will still long for something fun to do. These tips can help turn your space into a haven from the chill to build customer loyalty and increase sales with very little effort!
Use the Colder Climate to Create a Warmer Atmosphere
Unless they are already loyal customers, outdoor market visitors are not likely searching for a specific item. What they are hoping to find is a great place to hang out and browse. Therefore, one of the best ways for vendors to attract attention to an outside booth over the cooler wintery days is to warm up your space to serve as a haven from the chill.
Start by adding lots of glowing LED string lights and warm-colored decor to create a nice and relaxing ambiance. Then, use space heaters and a hot beverage cart to encourage visitors to linger longer. After all, who can turn down a free cup of hot tea with a splash of honey, hot cocoa with marshmallows, or a cup of coffee after the temperatures drop outside?
Convert Booth Visitors Into Loyal Customers
As fewer people venture outdoors to shop during colder months, this is the perfect time to build rapport with your customers. Take advantage of any slower business days by interacting more with your booth visitors. Ask them if they are having a good day based on a scale of 1 to 10. This way, they will open up a bit and offer more opportunities to continue the conversation. Keep the emphasis on asking about them or sharing a little about why you love what you do in a light, positive, and casual flow. If there is a charitable cause you are supporting, set out signs to let the customers ask questions about it.
Cool days afford an excellent chance to offer hot beverages as an added incentive to stay and chat. Also, try setting out at least four easily-portable chairs and invite them to sit and watch a sports game on a television or monitor. The more you get to know your customers, the better your rapport with them, and the more likely they will both buy from you right then and return to buy from you again. They will also be more apt to share their experience with others, so be sure they have an Instagram Nametag or QR code to scan so they can share their comments, write a review, make purchases from you online, and/or follow you on social media.
Make More Sales with Demonstrations
If the key to summer sales is attracting a larger crowd to your booth, the driving force behind winter sales is learning how to connect with your booth visitors and earn their trust. This means switching on your informative sales pitch only as you see they have a need for something you offer or they show interest in your products. As you discuss your products, use demonstrations and hands-on learning to showcase highlights of each item of interest.
Next, use this conversation to tie in related products you sell that could enhance or improve the performance of that item. For example, if you sell cell phone accessories and your customers ask about your Bluetooth speakers, you can also talk about features of your other high-quality Bluetooth items like a particular set of headphones or earphones that would help keep the peace at home or in the office while using that speaker. Even if your customers walk away and do not commit to a sale that day, there is a higher probability they will return to make a purchase in the future as they recall the warm booth and the knowledgeable vendor who can skillfully guide them to buy the best items for their interests.
Continue to Connect After Your Visit
One mistake vendors often make is to let a customer leave without giving them a way to stay connected. These days, it’s amazingly easy to continue the conversation with your shoppers after they walk away from your booth. Examples include signing them up for your newsletter or customer loyalty program while they browse, asking them to follow you on social media as mentioned earlier with a printable Instagram Nametag or QR code to scan at your booth, or, if you have their email address or phone number, sending them a thank you note for visiting your booth or making a purchase. Whichever combination of methods you choose, we think you’ll soon realize there has never been a better time to be an outdoor vendor than slow wintery months. Enjoy them!