Vendor Booth Secret #1 – Stock Well and Restock Often
Imagine you are out exploring and you see two retail complexes on either side of the road. One is empty except for one storefront, a box store where you know what to expect. The other complex is full of stores you’ve never seen before. Which one will you turn into first?
Having plenty of products for your customers to explore is critical when you want them to spend more time in your booth space than in the one beside you. Staying well-stocked at all times is a must. Even during those times of the year when sales might be slower, restocking with new items and changing your displays are probably the most important things you can do in a vendor space. Here’s why;
While it’s true that most of your customers won’t be in your space every week, most community-based businesses have a fairly high volume of regulars who are in the store every few weeks at a minimum. If your space looks different every time that regular customer comes in, they will likely check out your space every time to see what’s new. Continued exposure creates familiarity and that often leads to trust. Customers do business with people they know, like & trust. By simply keeping your space stocked and looking new every few weeks, you can build trust with customers without having to meet them in person.
Everyone is marketing on social media, and while you can (and should) post multiple pictures of the same product, you don’t want to use the same photo every time. Changing your space regularly gives you (and the store owner) more photo options to use to entice customers to come into the store. New layouts and new products mean new and different photos to attract a customer’s attention and build recognition with your audience.
Get extra exposure on the store’s channels! Store owners get repeat customers in their stores by showing them that they have new and different products. If your space is changing regularly, guess whose products will show up more frequently? Also, restocking and refreshing regularly means your space is clean and neat, so it’s easy for them to take pictures. Speaking from experience, if I have to clean or merchandise your space in order to take a pretty picture, I’m moving on to the next booth.
