If you've got a market on the calendar this weekend, or anytime during the rest of the summer, here's a little reminder before you load up the car.

It's easy to measure a market by how much money you made that day. Of course sales matter, but they're only one part of the return on your investment. Every market is an opportunity to meet your customers, learn what they love, grow your audience, and make your business stronger before the busy fall season.

Here are three things I'd keep in mind before setting up your booth this weekend:

1. Talk to Everyone

One of my biggest pet peeves at markets is walking up to a booth and feeling invisible. I don't necessarily want someone following me around trying to sell me something, but I do want to be acknowledged as another human sharing the space.

A simple, "Hi! Let me know if I can help with anything," is enough. Or offer a one-sentence introduction to your business before letting people browse. Some people won't want to chat, and that's perfectly okay. Others are hoping you'll tell them a little more about what makes your products special.

The goal isn't to convince someone to buy. It's to make them feel welcome. People buy from people they enjoy interacting with, and a warm greeting can sometimes go further than a sales pitch.

2. Don't Let This Be a One-Time Relationship

Yes, you want to have a great sales day. But when the market ends, your opportunity doesn't have to end with it. Maybe you'll never see those folks again, but you can email them!

One of my favorite ways to grow an email list is with a giveaway. Offer a $50 or $100 gift card and let people enter by sharing their email address. Just be sure they know they're signing up for your emails. If growing your Instagram is your priority, use a QR code that takes them straight to your profile instead.

I also love using the giveaway as a conversation starter. Saying, "We're doing a $50 giveaway if you'd like to enter" gives people a reason to stop at your booth, and once they're there, your products have a chance to do the rest.

Even if sales are slower than you hoped, walking away with dozens of new people who want to hear from you is a win. Those relationships can become future customers, repeat customers, and loyal fans.

3. Treat Every Market Like Customer Research

This might be the biggest missed opportunity I see.

Your customers are giving you feedback all day long if you're paying attention. Notice which product people pick up first. Listen for the questions you answer over and over again. Watch where people hesitate or what they get excited about. Pay attention to which part of your display (or someone else's!) gets photographed and which products people tell their friends to come see.

Keep a note in your phone throughout the day and jot these things down while they're fresh. Over time, you'll start seeing patterns that can shape your product line, your pricing, your messaging, your displays, and even your marketing.

Some of the best business decisions I've ever made came from conversations at events like these. There is something incredibly valuable about hearing directly from the people you're trying to serve.

As you're setting up this weekend, remember that your goal isn't just to have a great sales day. It's to build relationships, grow your audience, and learn something that makes your business even stronger.

You've already done the hard part by creating something worth selling 💛.