The Bottom Line
The results are in. Over the course of 21 weeks, I personally grossed...
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To find out how much I sold, how much money I made, what my hourly wage was, how much the entire booth sold, and what my personal return on investment was for the money that I put into the farmers market, you'll have to read my book, One Season at the Farmers Market.
The book is part how-to for starting your own little baked goods stand, and part epic tale of how I survived and learned during my first season of the farmers market. You'll learn:
-Whether or not you should share your booth (and costs!) with another baker
-What kind of products sell the best
-Why people shop at a farmers market anyway
-Whether you should get a booth for the whole season or only certain days
-What role the weather has in your sales
-How sales affect profit
-How pricing affects profit
-Emotional ups and downs of being a vendor
-Relating with other vendors
-Relating with customers
-What records to keep and why
-What you should name your business
In this book are my answers to all the above questions (plus some), a good game plan for getting started, and included lastly is each blog post I wrote every week during my first season at the farmers market. These are probably the most valuable, so be sure to highlight and learn from my successes and mistakes.
As long as we're talking returns on investment, I would have made AT LEAST three times net profit of what I did, had I read One Season of Farmers Market before I got started. I can guarantee you'll save (or make) far more than the $10.00 investment. It's worth it for anyone who has ever thought about selling at a farmers market, or wondered if it is even right for them.
Anyone Can Do It
I love the idea of selling baked goods at a farmers market because anyone can do it, and if you stick it out you WILL make money. It probably won't replace your income, but it could generate some capital for a new venture you've been thinking about. It could introduce you to new people and banish your fear of selling.
So what are you waiting for? Start reading up!