I've been having a bit of an epiphany lately, and I think it's time to have an honest conversation with my vendors.
If you've been part of a HEAR HERE market, you know that I work hard to keep vendor fees reasonable. I also welcome vendors at every stage of their business. You could have thousands of followers, or you could have 15 followers and be attending your very first farmers market. Either way, I want you to have an opportunity to participate.
Why? Because I want you to grow! I want you to get exposure, meet new customers, build your following, and hopefully turn those market shoppers into regular customers. But lately, I've been thinking about something.
Are we doing enough together to get customers through the door?
Here's what I do to promote our markets.
I spend a LOT of time and money getting the word out about HEAR HERE markets. And I'm not just talking about posting on Facebook the week before an event.
Here's a look at some of the ways I promote our markets:
Print and local advertising
Local restaurant cocktail napkins distributed throughout the area with “DINE COASTAL-SHOP LOCAL HEARHEREEVENTS.COM”.
Magazine ads and brochures distributed to 30 different 55+ communities across Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties. These materials are expected to be seen more than 54,000 times throughout the year, beginning in January 2026.
over 10,000 printed postcards distributed at every event since December 2025. I also make these available for vendors to share with their customers.
Online and digital promotion
Facebook
Instagram
Nextdoor advertising by ZIP code within 10 miles around each event site.
Patch.com event listings, which are distributed through weekly email blasts reaching between 16,000 and 35,000 subscribers
New Jersey Department of Agriculture Farmers Market listings
Multiple County Tourism website page outreach
Featured Gold sponsorship on NJParenting
Featured Gold sponsorship for NJ Event Scene
Searchable listings on VisitNJ.org
And of course, there's word of mouth.
I really believe word of mouth is one of the strongest ways to get people to a market. When customers tell their friends, when vendors invite their customers, and when people share their experiences, that's how we build something. I put a lot of effort into getting the word out. But here's where I've been doing some thinking.
What are other market organizers doing differently?
I've been looking at how other organizers in our industry operate.
Some are charging $65, $70, $75, or more per market. They're also being more selective about the vendors they accept, often looking for businesses with a strong online following and established customer base. And I can understand why. Those vendors already have an audience. When they announce they're attending a market, they're potentially bringing their own customers with them. The organizer can rely more heavily on vendor promotion and may not need to spend as much on paid advertising.
It's a different business model. And it's got me thinking. Am I doing things the right way?
I keep vendor fees lower. I welcome businesses that may not have a large online following. I spend money advertising the markets. And I try to give vendors the opportunity to grow. But what happens when those vendors don't tell anyone where they're going to be? I can advertise all I want, but I can't personally reach every customer who might be interested in every single business at every market. And that's where I think we need to do a better job of working together.
I want you to promote YOUR business!
This is something I really want my vendors to think about.
When you're attending a HEAR HERE market, you're not just paying for a booth. You're getting an opportunity to introduce your business to new customers. But that opportunity works best when we all participate. I advertise the market. You advertise your business. I tell people where the market is happening. You tell your customers where they'll find you. I work to attract new shoppers. You invite the people who already love your products to come shop with you. And together, we create a market that gives people a reason to visit.
Your customers can't shop with you if they don't know where you're going to be!
And this doesn't mean you need thousands of followers. You don't need to be an influencer. You don't need to create elaborate videos or spend hours on social media. Just tell people! Share the market graphic. Post a photo of what you're bringing. Invite your customers. Send an email. Put a postcard in someone's shopping bag. If you're a newer vendor, this is also a great opportunity to start building those habits. I want you to grow your business, and promoting where you're going to be is part of that.
New policies are coming for the 2027 season.
As I continue to evaluate how HEAR HERE operates, I'll be introducing some new vendor policies for next season. One of the things I'm looking at is vendor promotion. I want to establish a clearer expectation that vendors participate in promoting the markets they attend. Does this mean I'm going to start requiring everyone to have a large social media following? Absolutely not. I still want to welcome new businesses, small businesses, and vendors who are just getting started. But I also want to make sure that the responsibility for building a successful market is shared. I'll be sharing more about these policies as we get closer to the 2027 season. And I really want to hear what you think.
So, here's my question for YOU.
Would you rather participate in a market with a lower vendor fee that welcomes businesses at every stage of their growth, with an organizer who continually invests in advertising?
Or would you be willing to pay higher vendor fees for a market that is more selective about the online traction of its vendors and relies more heavily on those vendors to promote the event?
Would you prefer a market that limits product duplication, or do you think having multiple vendors selling similar products creates healthy competition?
And what do you think the responsibility of a market organizer should be when it comes to bringing customers through the door?
I'm not asking because I have all the answers.
I'm asking because I'm always looking for ways to make HEAR HERE better for the vendors who participate, the customers who shop, and the communities we serve.
I want to continue creating opportunities for small businesses. I want vendors to make money. And I want customers to have a reason to come back.
But I also believe that building a successful market is a team effort.
Let's talk. I really want to hear what you think!
— Jenn
HEAR HERE Events
