If there’s one thing we know when it comes to events, it’s that inspiration can come from the strangest places. The same goes for your event marketing efforts. Your surely aware of all the ways to attract and engage attendees, but sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in the digital space and lose sight of the most basic event goal – to interact with other people! So to delight, inspire and encourage you in your own vent promotion efforts, we’d like to present several event promotion tips taken from the original community meet up: flea markets!
Variety is key! The Stormville Airport Antiques Show & Flea Market in Stormville, New York has been a tradition for families in the Hudson Valley area for decades. The very first Stormville Flea Market started way back in 1970 with just a handful of vendors and half a dozen tables and has since grown into one of the largest flea markets in the country, boasting more than 600 vendors. Because of its huge variety and number of vendors, the Stormville Airport Antiques Show & Flea Market draws crowds from near and far; proving once again that word-of-mouth is still one of the best methods of promotion. Check it out here.
Branding isn’t just for products. Creating regularly scheduled events will help your events stay on the top of the public’s mind, but don’t stop there! Learn a lesson from The Brooklyn Flea and take your regular events to the next level by branding them. In an area like New York City where trends come and go in the blink of an eye, it’s important for businesses to make a strong and lasting impression if they want to stay successful. The way that Brooklyn Flea stamped itself in the memory of New Yorkers was with branding. By carefully curating and collecting jewelry, art and crafts made by local designers and artisans, Brooklyn Flea turned into one of the city’s top attractions. It was even named “one of the great urban experiences in New York,” by The New York Times and has been ranked as one of the best markets in the world. The Flea is so popular in fact, that it’s spawned a variety of branded pop-up locations throughout NYC as well. Check it out here.
Pick an awesome theme and run with it. People flock from far and wide to Trenton, NJ three times each year for The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market. The name says it all when it comes to this up-and-comer, where shoppers can find anything and everything from vintage clothing, bone jewelry, macabre taxidermy vintage toys, handmade articles, DIY products, vinyl and numerous other curiosities and collectibles. Having started in 2013, The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market is growing quickly and was even named as one of the best flea markets in America. It draws hundreds of vendors from more than eight different states. Aside from a sweet name, the TPRFM hosts a bunch of local food trucks, gives out mystery swag bags on special occasions, and utilizes social media channels like a boss to promote its thrice-yearly markets. Learn more here.
Emphasize value. Traditionally, flea markets are where you go to hunt for bargains, haggle for deals, and spend a little bit of money. The Lakewood 400 Antiques Market in North Atlanta takes an entirely different approach to marketing itself by focusing on “upscale” items and vendors only. Located in an affluent section of the city, the Lakewood 400 Market is more than just “North Atlanta’s premier market for antiques, collectibles, vintage furniture, reclaimed architectural and more.” The indoor-outdoor market also boasts a full service restaurant, jewelry repair services, on-site framing, antique restoration and appraisal, and furniture restoration services for its customers. Learn more here.
Keeping them entertained will keep them talking. Providing entertainment or attractions that your attendees can rely on will also help maintain buzz before, during and after your event. Take The Summer Junk Fest for example. Locals and travelers in the Portland, Oregon area look forward to the Summer Junk Fest not just for the vintage and handmade finds, they come for the good times, too! Organized by a group of vintage and junk-enthusiasts called the Plucky Maidens, The Summer Junk Fest included live music, dancing, and plenty of alcoholic beverages for the adults. By turning their flea market into a festival occasion, the Plucky Maidens were able to transfer the enthusiasm and engagement from the Summer Junk Fest into related events, like group trips to the flea markets of Paris and London! Learn more here.
