Tips:
• Keep a wholesale price list with you at all times so that you can work out discounts for bulk purchases while still maintaining your profit margin.
• Build gradually. Learn about your customers and use the opportunities they give you.
• Be prepared for seasonal changes. There is nothing to be gained by feeling disheartened if sales slow after the January sales, and neither should December sales be used as a consistent figure for growth.
• Depending on what you are selling, conferences and events are fertile ground for new sales.
• You will be responsible for rubbish around your stall. Not tidying up at the end of the day is an easy way to lose your plot.
• Aim to earn at least double your stock prices.
• Establish good relationships with your suppliers, if you are reliable and dependable you will get better deals on stock.
Use the internet
The general view of market stalls may not lend itself to the idea of advertising on the internet, but having your own website could really help you generate a following.
The internet could become a useful second vehicle for sales. Just because you sell your goods on a market stall doesn't mean you shouldn't also sell them on eBay, for example.
It will also be your biggest opportunity to grow your business from a market stall into a high street shop, as the fan base you create can be wider and sales numbers can be far higher.
Surf the web for information relating to starting your stall; for example details about your local council, by-laws and, in particular, the website of the market you want to set up shop in. This will give you lots of insider information before you get going.