The Makers Market

In October 2018 my best friend Nikki came up with an idea – to put on a Christmas Market. A lot of our friends are makers, artists and creators and we wanted to go to a Christmas Market that was different – where you didn’t have to pay a fortune to have a stall – or stand out in the cold whilst people browse your art and don’t buy anything…

And The Makers Market was born.

We live in and around Salisbury, Wiltshire and Nikki already had a venue in mind (the upstairs of a gorgeous Barn that she uses as a Yoga Studio) just outside of Salisbury in Odstock. Initially I think a few people were concerned that because it was out of town and not within walking distance of Salisbury not many people would come. However I think because it was out of town all the people that came did so specially for the market and weren’t just “dropping in” – I think it’s the “droppers in” that waste crafters time because they have no intention of buying in the first place.

So once the venue was picked we contacted all the makers, artists and creators that we knew and asked if they wanted a stall. Most people were delighted (some had their doubts…) and we got together a group of amazing people who all worked really well together. I will share all their links at the end of this post. We charged £20 for the stalls to cover all the costs and then the real work started.

We started up an instagram account and a facebook page and sponsored ads on both sites to get the message to the local people who might come to The Makers Market. Both Nikki and I contributed to social media so it was much easier to handle – two hands are better than just one (with help from another friend – Ashley – as well)! We advertised on the local radio station websites and we were contacted by Wiltshire Radio who wanted to feature us on the morning of the Market. I was on Wiltshire Radio for all of 2 minutes – my claim to fame !

The last two weeks were by far the most important time to advertise the Market. I spoke to a lot of people about it in the weeks leading up to it. We put up flyers in as many places as we could and posted on social media as much as possible!

So my thoughts are – if you want to put on a small Christmas market (or Easter market or any kind of market…) then here are my tips:

No 1 – Make sure you are doing it with someone you trust. Although it may not seem like much work, it is! Nikki and I both have full time jobs – and taking on the makers market was like taking on another job as well. I think it is safe to say that we couldn’t have done it without each other.

No 2 – Don’t worry about where the venue is – make sure it works for you. Check there is parking and that it is easy to find. Make sure you have enough space, that there is a loo, etc. It’s more important to get people who are interested in going to your market than it is to pick up the people who “might” wander by.

No 3 – Spend money on social media advertising. It is by far the best way nowadays to get people to an event in a local area. Flyering and all advertising is good but paying for ads on social media works really well. Just as an example – we spent £10 per week on social media advertising.

The links to all the Amazing Makers are below:

The Weird and the Wonderful – facepainting by the wonderful Ellie.
The Pampervan – The most amazing nails and pampering ever from a retro VW camper.
The Mischief Maker – Beautiful handmade children’s clothes by Zan.
May Summers Perkins – Bright and Fun illustrations by May.
The Make Arcade – Colourful Craft Kits by lovely Ruth.
Francesca Mclean Illustration – Beautiful nature illustrations by Francesca.
Encasing Nature – Flowers and things from nature encased in resin by Leesha.
Pastel Pets – Stunning paintings of your fur babies by Debbie.
Spring Hill Florals – Festive Wreaths and florals by Sarah.
Ashley Wild Bridal – Special bridal veils and accessories.
I Heart Threads and Co – Crochet and Macrame amazingness by Keighly.
Grace Made With Love – Makes from the heart by Grace.
Nikki Lewis Yoga – My best friend Nikki makes the most beautiful spiritual jewellery.
Catherine Constance – My mother paints and draws the most amazing characters.

If you have any birthdays coming up or gifts to give – please think independent! Small independent shops and businesses are filled with love and determination and the will to be the best they can be, so let’s help them everywhere we can.

If you have any comments, questions, suggestions – or just wanna say hey – please leave a comment or send me a message – I would love to hear from you!

If you want to see more from The Makers Market then head over to instagram and facebook to see our event.

Love Rebecca

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