One of the best things about summer is the abundance of community Farmers Markets! Our neighborhood’s Wednesday Farmers Market overflows the town with visitors who are seeking the locally famous home-made key lime pies, cookies, locally produced crafts and plenty of home-grown vegetables. There is nothing like putting Jersey tomatoes and Jersey corn on your dinner table and finishing with Jersey blueberries! New Jersey, the Garden State, produces delicious vegetables and fruits, and you can find them all at the Farmers Market.
At Heist Insurance, we partner with our local Farmers Markets by being a sponsor and volunteering. As a sponsor, we can have a table, or, as we prefer, can walk around and hand out our branded reusable bags. This shows our support for the community, gets our name out as bags are used throughout the Market and helps us attract those potential customers who want to do business with a local firm.
How can you leverage the Farmers Market and other community events to draw guests to your inn? In our experience, many visitors at Farmers Markets embrace a farm to table concept, are environmentally conscious and are seeking a local experience. These visitors are a perfect fit as a potential guest at your B&B. Here are some ideas.
- Get a table and sell your breakfast specialties. Set a table using your inn’s china to show what the breakfast experience is like at your inn. Give out samples.
- Give away branded shopping bags. This is an inexpensive way to get your name out each week to your target market as the bags are reused each week.
- Give out discount coupons for a stay that are only available at your table and are exclusive for visitors at the Farmers Market.
- Sell gift certificates at your table. This is a perfect way for vacationers to relive their fun times on another date and make great gifts for family members.
We hope you enjoy all that summer has to offer!