Styling Your Market Stall With Valiant

Valiant Event Hire is one of Australia’s most trusted leaders in furniture hire and styling. They provide one of the widest ranges of stylish and customised furniture rental solutions delivered with unparalleled customer service. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, they are our go-to event hire partner. We spoke to Tegan from Valiant Event Hire to find out her top styling tips and get you inspired for your next market weekend.

Hey, I’m Brooke, one of the founders of The Finders Keepers. Originally a design label owner myself, my role at FK involves transforming our venues into vessels of joy and wonder. I’m passionate about creating engaging environments that inspire and uplift us all! For the last 10 years, I have lead our creative design and have been responsible for the look and feel of the markets. The Finders Keepers is a visual feast of colours, shapes and textures and we hope that is conveyed in the way we curate and transform our venues.

From initial concepts to outsourcing and manufacturing large scale objects, making market magic takes a lot of planning. My process starts on Pinterest. It’s always great to find inspiration and be reminded of successful stall setups at past events. Take a look at my planning from Melbourne AW21 here. We work from concepts based on our seasonal flyer and from there we gather primary and secondary colour palettes which we apply to the event decor. Then we create a 3D version of the artwork using shapes and textural elements which are used at our entry and throughout the venue. Having a strong colour palette is important as our venues are empty canvases so we try to complement and match these tones with our furniture hire.

One of the amazing companies we work with is Valiant Event Hire. Creating engaging and memorable market days would not be possible without them. Not only is their event furniture range a delight to select from, but they also offer display pieces to help stallholders have a successful market. As a trusted leader in furniture hire and styling in Australia, we asked Valiant to share their best tips to create an impactful buyer’s journey both during and after the events!

The Finders Keepers | Solitude, 2×2 Stall. Photo by Nat McComas Brisbane AW21

Tips from Valiant Event Hire:

Top tips to design a stand that shoppers will love

When everyone is competing for the customer’s attention, you need to both catch their eye from afar and delight them from up close. Every element from lighting to your colour pallet and even the floor will reflect on the buyer’s opinion of your brand and your products. Read on to discover how to create the best shopper’s experience.

The importance of shape, size, and colour

Think of your stand as your own boutique; from the moment people step into your space, they need to feel surrounded by the atmosphere your brand creates. Stay away from the simple table display that can act as a barrier between you and your customer (no matter how big and inviting your smile is) and opt for an open inverted U-Shape or an L-shape to lead them in and around your products.

Once inside your stand, let your customer easily interact with your products. Carefully consider their footprint and create a curated journey for them to enjoy. Be careful not to overcrowd your stand and overwhelm your customer. Instead, strip back your product range, focus on your hero products and design key areas with your latest items or your best-sellers to simplify the shopper’s experience and help them make a quick and easy purchase decision. You can do this with plinths that create different heights or a product wall, focal lighting, and colour. Talking about colour, it has the power to command attention, evoke emotion, and influence decisions, so try to stick to your brand palette as much as possible.

Attract a broader range of customers with a multi-level offer

Different shoppers will have different needs and purchasing powers. Cater to a broader audience by creating a product story and pair each of your main items with supplementing items at varying prices. They can be sold as a package, as a value add or an enticing cross-sell or upsell. Here’s an example: place your hero handbag front and centre and pair it with the perfect wallet and keyring. Even if the customer can’t afford the handbag, you might entice them into starting small with the keyring.

Always make sure your price is visible, and your offer is clear. You might be the only person at the stand and can’t talk to everyone at once, don’t lose the opportunity to make a sale simply because you left a shopper wondering about whether they could afford your items. Let the product and the price speak for themselves.  

After the show, take it online.

After your customer received so many compliments about their newly purchased keyring, they may find themself daydreaming about the wallet, or maybe even a handbag.
So, once the show’s over, how can those new shoppers stay in touch with your brand and see what else you have to offer? Simple! Make sure your brand, social links and contact details are visible on your stand and your packaging. Maybe print some business cards to hand out to shoppers? You can even use a free QR code generator to easily guide them to your website, Instagram page, or Etsy store!

Want more market tips? Check out our Ultimate Market Guide Book!

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