Market day

A seven hour booking covers a typical four hour market with time on both sides. Shift it earlier in summer so the busiest stretch lands before the afternoon heat. The day runs smoothly when every vendor already knows their spot, their arrival time and who to find.

Sample market day

Sample market day (7 hour booking)

• 8:00 AM: Organizer arrives. Mark booth spots.
• 8:30 AM: Vendor load in.
• 10:00 AM: Doors open.
• 12:00 PM: Midday push: food truck and a live story round.
• 2:00 PM: Market closes.
• 2:00 PM: Vendor pack out.
• 3:00 PM: Booking ends.

Before vendors arrive

Arrive 30 minutes before vendors and tape every booth spot with the vendor's name and number. Load in goes much faster when nobody has to ask where they belong.

• Walk the booth map with tape and labels.
• Set the welcome table, vendor list and sign-up sheet.
• Put out trash cans and the street sign.
• Check the walking lanes are clear and level.

Run load in like a dock

Stagger arrivals in 15 minute windows by row, so cars are not stacked at once. Ask vendors to unload, move their car, then set up. A helper with a printed map and a clipboard checks each vendor in and points them to their spot. Open with a 30 minute buffer after load in ends, because some vendor will always be late.

What every vendor brings

• A 6 or 8 foot table and a tablecloth that reaches the ground.
• A 10 by 10 tent with weights for outdoor booths, at least 25 pounds per leg.
• A card reader, a charged phone and a backup battery.
• Price tags on every item and a sign with payment methods.
• Water, a hat and a small fan for warm months.
• Bags, tissue and a small trash bag.

Tip: Weights are not optional. A gust can lift an unweighted tent and throw it across a lawn. Check every outdoor tent has weights on all four legs before doors open.

Doors open

Be at the welcome table for the first hour. Greet shoppers, hand them the vendor list and point them toward the far end so they walk the whole market. Post the first live story within ten minutes of opening, tagging three or four vendors.

Count shoppers with a simple clicker or tally marks in groups of five. Take a few wide photos in the first hour, while booths look their best, and short clips of each vendor for the recap. Ask before you film any shopper up close, and keep kids out of posts unless a parent says yes.

The midday push

A food truck or coffee vendor is worth the effort. Shoppers who stop to eat stay longer, and longer visits mean more sales for every booth. Plan a midday push around noon with a live story round and the food truck in full service. Walk the rows every hour, offer vendors a short break, and refill water.

• Noon: a story round that tags every vendor.
• Check on any booth that looks quiet and share it in a story.
• Watch for heat in summer: shade, water and short breaks.

Keep a small organizer kit at the welcome table: tape, zip ties, scissors, markers, spare booth labels, a power bank, sunscreen, a first aid kit and trash bags. Most market day problems are solved in a minute with one of those. Keep your phone on loud and charged; vendors will text you instead of walking over.

Close and pack out

Announce the last 15 minutes so shoppers make final purchases. When the market closes, release vendors by row so the drive lane does not jam. During pack out, walk the space with each vendor before they leave so every booth spot is clear and trash is gone. A clean close makes it easy to book the space again.

The follow up

Tip: Ask one question at close. Thank each vendor in person and ask what would make it better next time. Write the answers down that afternoon while they are fresh.

Within two days, send a thank-you email to vendors with your shopper count, the photos you took and the date of the next market if you have one. Post a recap that tags every vendor. Those posts are the start of your next market's promotion.

Then close the books. Compare your fees and costs against the budget, note your shopper count and the tally of where people heard about you, and write three lines on what to change next time. That page, with vendor feedback, is your plan for market two.

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