First Farmers Market of the Season

[natural]

We attended our first market of the season yesterday. I always look forward to the seedling sales weekends.|

My goal is to treat every customer's garden as if it were as important as my own. Especially if someone indicates that they are a first-time gardener. I want to ensure that they are setup for the best chance for success so that they continue to garden, versus struggling out of the gate and giving up. Thus, I go out of my way to answer each customer's questions. This can cause a bit of a wait for folks.

Unfortunately, we are victims of our own success as the customer lines are getting longer each year. This is causing more folks to sometimes utter rather rude comments and walk away.

I would be interested to hear from others that sell seedlings at markets as to how they handle this balancing act. I am becoming less patient as I get older, so I am considering posting the following announcement at my tent. Do you think that this "crosses the line?" of diplomacy?

WELCOME! (Tactful Version)

My goal is to help you select the best plants for your garden and answer any questions that you may have. Every variety that I sell has been selected based on my PERSONAL growing experience in our local area. 99% of the plants are grown from my own saved seed stock (Sungold is the only hybrid). Yes, I am an ORGANIC / Non-GMO grower!
I have grown over 1000 varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated tomatoes. I have on display photos of some of my favorite selections. Please take a few minutes to enjoy the photos while we assist the previous guest.

WELCOME! (Reality Check Version)

(See paragraph above.) I am NOT a big box store. I wish to provide superior customer service and share my knowledge when asked. Every year I spend countless hours spanning the globe and networking with my fellow tomato growers in order to select and trial either new or rare/unknown varieties. I acquire the seeds, grow out the varieties and then save the seeds of the varieties that have some outstanding attribute. As you can see, this requires a lot of time and effort, all in an attempt to offer something outstanding and sometimes very rare for your gardens. I am working hard here and I know that your time is valuable. However, if you do not have the time to wait 5 or 10 minutes for a plant that you will enjoy for several months then it is your loss, not mine.

[NarnianGarden]

Great disclaimers, both of them... Not sure what's the common practice among farmers in your area, so I don't know whether your statements breech any etiquette - but I think those are obvious facts that you would assume people to know by now.
I sure am glad I don't have to sell anything... I give out plants for free, and try my best to answer any questions. Feedback is always fun to receive at the end of the season. Cannot even imagine the pressure that a professional grower can have.

[Marcus1]

natural, I don't think either one crosses the line. The problem is that nobody reads signs or they believe the sign is meant for someone else from my experience. Keep signs short and sweet, maybe the first sentence of the second option with the last sentence of the first option. Don't let people get under your skin. Remember you can't please everyone and if you have lines of customers your plants must look great and you are doing a great job !

Good luck
Marcus

[Cole_Robbie]

I'm going next weekend for the first time this spring.

When the customer is looking at tomato plants, I ask them what color of tomato they would like. They look at me like it's a trick question. "ummm....red?"

"Ohhh, red. ok. I think we can find a red one if we look."

(wheels turning in their head) "How many other colors are there?"

"Well let's see. I've got yellow, orange, white, green, brown, blue, chocolate, bicolor, striped..."

"There are blue tomatoes? And why would anyone want a green tomato?"

Now the customer is interested in a long conversation about tomatoes. They suddenly have a lot of questions. They're a lot more interested in hearing a question they asked me get answered than any sort of sales pitch I can make up. So I make them have questions, and then I answer those questions.

"Every tomato has a story" is what I like to say. And it does. Someone had to think highly enough of it to save the seed and pass it on. A lot of varieties are named after a person, and the tomato's story is that person's life story. And these stories have backgrounds in history, politics, and geography that span the globe.

I sell a lot of dwarfs, too, and they are a great intro to talk about tomatoville and the dwarf project.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by natural

We attended our first market of the season yesterday. I always look forward to the seedling sales weekends.|

My goal is to treat every customer's garden as if it were as important as my own. Especially if someone indicates that they are a first-time gardener. I want to ensure that they are setup for the best chance for success so that they continue to garden, versus struggling out of the gate and giving up. Thus, I go out of my way to answer each customer's questions. This can cause a bit of a wait for folks.

Unfortunately, we are victims of our own success as the customer lines are getting longer each year. This is causing more folks to sometimes utter rather rude comments and walk away.

I don't sell at a market, but my recommendation to balance things in your situation would be to set up 2 lines, one for "Purchase Only," the second for "chat & purchase" - assuming you have a couple people working the stall. I don't see how either of your disclaimers do anything more than say "...you are going to have to wait..."

[LindyAdele]

For 20 years, I helped my grandpa sell peaches at a local market. He grew varities no one else had heard of, and the last 7 years or so were mostly city folk who had never had a good tree-ripe peach. We had the same 5 questions from everyone, and if my grandpa wasn't so stubborn, I would have put up signs, for instance letting customers know my grandpa was the grower, his small family farm was less than 100 miles away, yes, peaches grow in ontario, every peach was picked by hand, tree ripe, that they were all freestone varieties, that there were 12 different varieties on the farm, each ripening at a different time, yes, real fruit will sometimes have a mark or small blemish - they are still edible eTc.

Could you post two or three friendly signs with answers to common questions? Can you hire a high school kid or two to help you sell? They can pack/take cash/handle basic questions, and you spend your time making a connection to your customers and answering questions.

[bower]

I like the first (tactful) welcome sign.
It is hard to field a lot of questions when others are waiting in line. Some may leave because it's too long, but if they really want something, they'll come back. Still I know that bad feeling, that somebody left because I just couldn't handle the flow.

Just a suggestion, since you have quite a booming business, maybe you could reduce your Q and A time by having a sign up sheet for people who want more information to leave their name and email. Something to the effect of "Sign up with your email if you'd like more information about growing tomatoes in this region, updates on the varieties we offer, and links to resources online" You could then prepare a written statement of the general info that most are looking for, and mail it out to your client list, with some helpful links and a list of your varieties. Yes it's extra work, but maybe not too much. It will give people something to do while they're waiting, and it's an option for the clients who just can't wait today. You can use the same list to mail out an update on your new varieties before the first market next year .

[kayrobbins]

If they want fast let them go to one of the big box stores. People that have that mind set probably are not going to really appreciate the quality and diversity that you are offering. I am sure that there are so many more that really want what you are offering both in the way of plant and information. Focus on that let and let the disgruntled go away. You do not want or need every customer.

I normally do not sell plants but this year after I had given everyone I knew tomato plants I had so many left. On the spur of the moment I packed them up and went to a farm swap. I sold more to the other vendors than the public. They had never heard of so many colors and dwarfs. I took time to educate them on the varieties and planting. It was so much fun sharing the information and seeing how much they appreciated it that I will probably do.

I would go with the first sign, have pictures and information about each plant they can look while waiting and enjoy the time you spend sharing your love of tomatoes with those that want to learn and grow.

[RobinB]

RJGlew's comment above made me think of a pharmacy where they set your order aside (after you've paid) for you to step to the side and talk with somebody who can tell you more detail. If all plants are the same price if they change their mind after your talk, they can go swap what they bought for something else you've got...

[Starlight]

I can tell you what I do. It is balancing act. For me, if you haven't already noticed is that I am a chatty sort of person when it comes to plants and also to my customers.

I had your problem many years ago. I would try and tell each customer a bit about their plant and also answer questions and folks would go crazy waiting and maybe walk off to one of the other vendors.

What was the solution for me was doing two things. Multi-tasking and a big mouth. I learned when I had more than one customer to start talking louder. I would talk about the plant and its care so that the other folks standing around could hear me. By talking louder and stating positive remarks about the person I am serving plant and care, other folks would actually listen in.

While I am busy running my jaws, I am bagging the plants, very carefully, collecting money and also keeping an eye on other customers that may be looking at plants wondering what they are and holler out the name of it.

I have found that by talking a bit louder that since the other customers are also listening, that they don't ask as many questions all over again. Usually if they missed a part of my commentary or need clarification about a part than they will ask and I will gladly go over it again.

Something else I have noticed by talking louder and non-stop is that the other folks standing around hear you talking about this plant or that plant and if your excited about it and your customer is buying it than want to buy it too.

I have lots of customers who like to chit chat about the past season or share with their gardening practices and also problems they have encountered and most of them have always been polite enough to stand off a bit to the side and either wait til I finish with the next customers .

I have learned over the years to carry on half a dozen conversations at once. I carry a couple of extra bags in my back pocket and I can be bagging and carrying to cars loading in front of my booth and still be hollering over my shoulders to other customers about plants.

I have those customers that are always in a hurry. They just want their plants and to go. I watch body language. It's usually not hard to spot those folks. I keep talking to my other folks, bag the " I'm in a hurry" folks, collect money and thank them and get back to the other folks.

When I first started markets, I spent too much time on an individual customer only. I was losing sales that way and when you only have a few hours a week to make your sales, you gotta learn to hustle especially if your a one person show.

For signage I just use pieces of index cards with some info on it by that group of plants. Some folks will read the cards, but most want to hear from me about it. I can be telling one customer about a plant and be making a name tag and writing directions down on a card at the same time for another customer. Hands and mouth are constantly in motion, so much so that alot of times I have laryngitis the next day .

Do my customers know I care about my plants and that I care that I have given them the best possible knowledge I have for them to take care of their plants. You bet. They come back year after year, but I know I am doing it right when I may be busy with a customer a minute and a regular customer will turn to a new customer and tell them that I have excellent plants and they grow. My customers hear me talk good about plants, but they also know that if I feel a plant won't fit them, I will tell them so.

I have learned also to use the left hand side of the table for bagging and collecting. That leaves the rest of the table free for folks to look at and also if you have a customer who wants to keep talking, I have learned to kinda lean to the left with my body , keep talking and they will generally move out the main selling area and stand in the little isle while I bag. That way folks can keep moving and those who want to hang around and chat can.

The thing is we are not big box. We are not selling hard goods. We are selling living plants and the more info we can give folks the better chance they have of their plant living and producing and them coming back. For me flapping the jaws works. People don't seem to mind waiting if they can hear the conversation going on around them with other folks.

[natural]

Thanks to all for the responses. This is the forum to go to for really good, sound advice.

Marcus1, thanks for the suggestions. You are correct about folks not reading. I usually don’t let the rude folks bother me, but one person hurled unprovoked insults at my son. He’s too young to defend himself, so I’ll take issue with that every time.

RJGlew, thanks. I may implement this idea.

Cole_Robbie, I also talk up the DWARF PROJECT AND Tomatoville. I even display Carolyns’s and Craig’s books at my stand (and hope that they don’t get too damaged).

LindyAdele, that is a good method. I have tried (and will continue to try) to have others assist me with fielding questions However, the customers usually opt to wait to speak to me ( because I am the familiar face). I do have some literature posted at my stand, however, we have a very tight space (10’ x 10’) and are always short of display opportunities. You wouldn’t believe how congested everything is!

Bower, I have adopted some of those ideas. I did finally create quick-and-dirty website as a vehicle for folks to preview the available varieties and pre-order. I do need to add some links for Tomato-based information. Thanks for the reminder.

Kayrobbins, I do have a set of beautiful photos (8x10’s, either 1 or 2 varieties per sheet) with names and descriptions. I keep adding more every year until I have now run out of available space. This is a MUST if you are selling tomatoes.

RobinB, I do like this idea of having someone focused on answering questions. My wife is usually the designated person for this. It works for a while until all of the sudden there are 5 or 6 customers that have packed into the front of the line like cattle and are all trying to speak at once. I always go to sleep on the night after market with voices ringing in my head. (That’s okay though, it means we’ve had a good day

Starlight, you are dead-on with all of your statements. I think we are twins. I do the exact same things, from talking louder when I have a bigger group, to setting up my checkout table on the left. (I actually have to bribe the vendor in the next tent in order to grab some extra space)
As for the bagging, I tried something new this week. I brought extra empty trays and handed them to the customers so that they could grab the plants (within their reach) and carry them around versus having my team handle everything. I also continuously scan the crowd and look for the impatient folks and make certain that I acknowledge them.


This can all be a big challenge, but I love a good challenge. Part of the fun is always looking for a way to improve the process.

Thanks to all!


Bill

[Starlight]

As for the bagging, I tried something new this week. I brought extra empty trays and handed them to the customers so that they could grab the plants (within their reach) and carry them around versus having my team handle everything. I also continuously scan the crowd and look for the impatient folks and make certain that I acknowledge them.

Bill... I used to take extra black flats for folks and even if folks had only one or two plants in the flat, I found that they expected to have the tray too. Them black flats add up. Here they cost a buck a piece.

One thing I started doing was going around to the local gas stations and small grocery stores and corner stores and asking them if they would save their beer and soda pop cardboard boxes for me and I would come around once or twice a week to pick them up. You an break down one side and stack bunches of them together and then come market day, I'll just put a couple pieces of tape on the end to hold em. Saves giving away trays that you don't get money for.

One thing I did to be able to get more plants into my 10 x 10 area is I take milk crates and build displays. I can stack the crates two or three high in my vechile and I put plants in them. Than I put one of my tables on the top and load more plants on it. The weight keeps the crates underneath from rocking and maybe falling if you have to make a sudden stop.

Than I went to Home Depot and they have these about 6 inch wide by 6' long boards. I had them cut them down to about 5" for me to fit into my vechile.

I take double high stacked milk crates and put two of the slats of wood on them. That makes the back row. Than a few inches in front I put a single milk crate and two more boards. By doing so you have created nice looking displays. Easy to set up a breeze to tear down and haul around.

From the extra pieces I had cut off, you can even lay them down on the ground in front making like a three tier display and not have your plants touching the ground.

[LDx4]

Bill,

I sell tomato and pepper seedlings at the farmers market along with microgreens and redwood planter boxes that my husband builds. The folks who buy the seedlings usually have the most questions, followed by the folks looking at the planter boxes. And I do like to explain the tomato varieties and give some tips on planting them for new growers. So when a crowd starts to form, I'll say to the person who is engaging me in a lengthy conversation, "Excuse me for just a second" and then I'll announce "Does anyone just want to pay for some plants or microgreens right away? I can handle your purchase right now." Then they can pay quickly and not have to wait around. Then I go back to the first customer with questions. The trick though is when the customers who just wanted to pay quickly, start to ask their own questions! Then I tell them if they'd like to wait, I can answer their questions after I'm done with the first customer. Usually the first customer doesn't mind waiting while I quickly take care of the others. The ones with questions are usually happy to wait and listen to my conversations with others.

Lyn