An attractive and inviting display iscrucial for anyone selling farmproducts directly to customers. It may

seem obvious that an attractive displayhelps sales, but the nuts and bolts ofcreating one may be less readily apparent.

The customer’s first impression is critical—you never get a second chance to make afirst impression. Displays can enhance ordetract from the overall image you aretrying to create, whether you are selling ata farmers’ market, roadside stand, on-farmstore or other location. An abundant, well-tended presentation will draw newcustomers and encourage them to buy.A sparse, unkempt display will attractminimal attention and may be perceivedas an indication of inferior products.

Develop a concept before you start settingup your display. Consider the best way todisplay your products. Do some researchon successful methods for setting updisplays. Visit successful direct marketingoperations, farmers’ markets and similaroperations to study their techniques.

You will learn display techniques from anybusiness, regardless of whether or not itsproduct is comparable to yours. Starttaking notes. Ask yourself the followingquestions: Is this an attractive display? Am Idrawn to it? Do I want to buy moreproducts than what I originally came forafter viewing the display? Is it easy for meto move around? Do I want to come backagain? How do I feel while visiting thisestablishment? The answers to thesequestions will help you develop your owndisplay area.

Product placement The purpose of product placement is toarrange your products in a way thatimmediately entices shoppers. The methodyou use will be unique to the products youare offering.

One placement scheme is to arrange thedisplay around power and impulse items. Apower item is a product that initiallyattracts customers and may be featured inadvertising. Sweet corn, strawberries andapples are all examples of power items. Animpulse item is a product that a customerpurchases spontaneously after seeing theitem displayed. Gift packs, honey and applepeelers are examples of impulse items.Although customers do not actually planto buy impulse items, they can significantlyimprove sales.

Creating a Winning Display for Your Farm Products

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Jody Padgham

Display heights and widthsCustomers thrive on convenience, easyaccess and selection. They need a clearview of the display. Products that areplaced lower than knee-level or above eye-level are less visible and less likely to besold. Keep in mind that the majority ofcustomers are in the 5'4" to 6'2" heightrange. Adapting your display to thecustomer's line of vision is vital tosuccessful marketing.

Tables or counters that are 36” to 40” highare convenient for most customers. Thisheight is also convenient for restocking.The product needs to be within easy arm’s reach.

Avoid displaying products on the floor orground, especially food. Floor or groundlevel may be dusty and attract insects, andin most cases, isn’t the most conducivespot for sales. There are some exceptionsto that rule. For examples, pumpkins lookvery attractive on the ground and are atthe perfect level for those individuals mostinterested in them—kids. Bedding plantsmay be displayed near the feet or atground level. However, for most productsthe knee-to-eye level provides the greatestinterest for customers.

The display width as well as height isimportant to the customer. The shelvesshould be no deeper than 2 feet from frontto back. If you are the height of mostpeople, consider what you can reach withease. Step shelves are attractive and add tothe display appearance, but are neither asconvenient for shopping nor easy torestock. It is essential for the display to beconvenient for both the customer and theseller.

If you operate a permanent roadsidemarket or an on-farm store, keep the aislesat least 5 feet wide. Take carts or baskets,wheelchairs and/or strollers intoconsideration. Aisle width should allow fortwo-way traffic. This will make theshopping experience less stressful for all,especially those with children or people inwheelchairs and walkers. Having enoughroom will also encourage people to spendmore time looking around.

Display equipmentWondering what items you could use tomake your display more attractive? Thevariety is endless. It includes tables,shelves, benches with sloping tops, bulkbins, barrels, baskets, wheelbarrows andcarts. Placing the produce in smallerbaskets or boxes helps the customerenvision a realistic purchase amount. A mixof packaged and bulk items has visualappeal. The heights and widths previouslymentioned should always be considered;you can use empty wooden containers orother supports beneath the product togive the display a fuller look withoutoverstocking or bruising.

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It is important to show that you’ve takenspecial care to maintain your product’squality. The display should be designed soas to protect and maintain the product’squality. Consider picked sweet corn orstrawberries that sit out in the hot sun.Strawberries lose moisture about 10 timesas fast at 70°F as they do at 33°F. About50% of the sugar in sweet corn is lost in asingle day if it is displayed at 70°F, whilecorn cooled to 33°F loses only 5% of itssugar. You want to maintain the look ofquality and freshness for all your products.There’s nothing worse than coming to afarm stand that looks attractive from adistance, but as you get closer you see thelettuce wilting. Consider bringing coolerswith ice if you are selling at the farmers’markets to keep your products cool. Yourcustomers will appreciate the extra effortyou make to provide them with a superiorproduct that remains fresh.

Another placement method is to distributepower items throughout your sales area tolead customers to impulse items. Thismethod is more appropriate for roadsidestands and on-farm stores. Taking the leadfrom other businesses, such as grocerystores, you can display impulse items nearcheckouts and poweritems at the front of thestand so that customerswill make a commitmentto buy something as soonas they walk in. Somedirect marketers believethat if power items are notplaced in a prominentspot, it discouragesshoppers from venturingbeyond the front door.

Displaying produce in containers can alsoenhance a display. There are many types ofdisplay containers available includingwooden baskets, craft paper bags, plasticand mesh bags. Display containers shouldprotect the product from being bruisedand be easy to transport.

Many containers make produce look moreattractive. You can add the farm name andlogo as a reminder of where it waspurchased. Prepackaging may alsoencourage customers to buy largerquantities. One of the major disadvantagesto prepackaging is cost. Containers areexpensive. Additionally, many consumerslike to inspect produce for defects beforepurchasing, and this is more difficult whenitems are prepackaged.

If you are selling a product such as meat,you may find that sales will increase if youuse vacuum-sealed clear plastic packaginginstead of butcher paper so that peoplecan view your products. The extra expensemay well be worth it if boosts sales.

SignageClear and concise signs describing andshowing the prices of your products arejust as important as the aesthetic display.Set out plenty of printed materials thatdescribe your farm for customers. A largesign with the farm’s name and locationalso helps promote name recognition andmake that connection between you andthe customer.

Appeal to the sensesWe don’t often think about the ways oursenses of sight, taste, feel, smell andhearing offer marketing opportunities.People use their eyes to select and make adecision to purchase an item. Poor or so-sovisual displays will discourage buyers orkeep them looking elsewhere. Directmarketing research confirms theimportance of high quality products tocustomers. The quality and visual display ofyour product can convince a person tobecome a buyer.

Color has psychological appeal tocustomers. Fruits and vegetables, beddingplants, herbs, honey, maple syrup andmany other products all have attractivehues that will draw customers. Alternatingcolors will assist in the appeal to thecustomer. Light also affects theappearance of product color. Fluorescentlighting, rather than incandescent bulbs,makes colors look more natural.

The taste of fresh products is an attractionfor customers. Letting people sample yourproduct is a very effective selling tactic.People are often more willing to spendextra money on a product after they havehad the opportunity to taste it. (Check withyour farm market manager to see if tastingof your product is allowed )

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Potential customers should be invited tocarefully touch or feel products. Oncepeople handle the product, you increaseyour marketing opportunity. (Be carefulwith this one, as too much touching candamage some delicate products. Considera special selection of “touchable” productsso that your primary display is notdamaged by overzealous handling).

Enticing smells are a powerful attraction.The aroma of fresh products has beenknown to bolster sales. Consider opening amelon or slicing a pear to allow thefragrance and color to seduce shoppers.

Last but definitely not least: The way youcommunicate with your customer(hearing) is key to the sale. Keep in mindthat you, as the seller, are part of theoverall attraction and appearance of thedisplay. What customers see and hear fromyou can make or break a sale. As anexample, at a farmers’ market, there was aman who came every week with hisdaughters to sell his products. In thegentlest terms possible, the man was agrumpy guy. He was grumpy with his

daughters and grumpy with thecustomers. His display wasn’t extraordinary,but he did an average job of making hisproducts look appealing to the customers.He came to the farmers’ market all yearand never made any money. The followingyear, he hired two people to sell hisproduct at the farmers’ market. He mademoney the second year, as his helpers hada positive attitude and interacted well withtheir customers. It’s important toremember that even the most beautifuldisplay can’t replace the need for goodcustomer service skills.

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Copyright © 2005 by the Board of Regentsof the University of Wisconsin Systemdoing business as the division ofCooperative Extension of the University ofWisconsin-Extension. All rights reserved.Send copyright inquiries to: CooperativeExtension Publishing, 432 N. Lake St., Rm.103, Madison, WI 53706.

Direct Marketing in Wisconsin is a project ofthe Cooperative Extension EmergingAgricultural Markets team. The team’swork is supported in part by a USDA grant

(Agricultural Entrepreneurship-Wisconsin).For more information on the team’s workand Wisconsin’s new agricultural markets,visit www.uwex.edu/ces/agmarkets.

Adapted from a newsletter by Professoremeritus John Cottingham of theUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension. Editedand updated by Jody Padgham. Reviewedby Rami Reddy, UW-Extension directmarketing specialist, UW-Platteville.

An EEO/AA employer, the University ofWisconsin-Extension, Cooperative

Extension provides equal opportunities inemployment and programming, includingTitle IX and Americans with Disabilities(ADA) requirements.

This publication is available from yourWisconsin county Extension office or fromCooperative Extension Publishing. Toorder, call toll-free: 1-877-WIS-PUBS (947-7827) or visit our web site:

Creating a Winning Display for Your Farm Products (A3811-2) I/2005