Summer festivals are a wonderful chance for your food business to really make some increased income and find new customers who enjoy your products. Having a stand at a big festival can give you a boost financially and build your business’s reputation, so it’s well worth spending time on.
If you’re planning to make the rounds at the festivals this year, have you considered how you are going to create a stall that tempts customers to your products? Here, branding specialists Custom Planet will give you some ideas, so that you can start planning how to present your company this season.
Customised staff uniforms
Being able to present your staff in recognisable and professional uniforms and dress codes will really make your festival stall stand out, as well as make it easier to spot amongst all the other food and drink offerings. There are lots of options when deciding what uniforms or customised clothing to go for, but a good place to start is by looking at your logo and the colours you use for the rest of your business, such as on packaging, the stall itself, or in your restaurant or pop-up if you have one.
Matching your staff’s clothing to your brand’s colours gives your business a professional touch. Plus, it means that customers will find you easier to remember, making repeat business more likely in the future. You can also have lettering on your customised T-shirts that is the same as your brand logo or signage, making things really clear and well presented.
Easily legible signage
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of being able to sign your stall effectively. It might seem like a small thing, but making your signage large, legible and colourful enough to be read across a festival ground will allow people to see what you have on offer and find your stall. As well as the name of your brand, you should find space on your signs to include a short summary of what you sell, such as fish and chips, falafel or curry. If you offer a variety of dishes, try naming your cuisine on the sign, or including a flagship dish.
Being clear and descriptive in your signs will help, but you should also choose fonts that are legible from further away than might be necessary for a sign outside a pop-up on a street. This way, you’ll be able to broadcast your products more and be noticeable amongst the other stalls.
Business cards, fliers and menus
As well as bringing people to your stall, you should also be seeing the festival placing as an opportunity to gain some repeat business and raise the profile of your brand. This way, you can not only make some extra summer income but turn this into a way of increasing sales over the long-term. Before the event make sure to have a selection of business cards, fliers or menus printed so that you can offer people the chance to take something away to remember you by.
If you offer a different menu at the event to your usual spread, try giving out your takeaway, restaurant, supper club or pop-up menu so that customers can peruse it and be tempted to buy from you again. Fliers can also be given out by staff members around the festival to encourage people to check out your products. Overall, it’s very worthwhile taking the time to get some literature printed so that you can really make the most of your festival placement.
Decorations and finishing touches
When you’re happy with the overall presentation of your stall, it’s time to add those last finishing touches that will make it into a really eye-catching affair. You could try some flags, bunting, streamers, or even balloons that match the colours and logo of your brand. Try to be imaginative, as unique, bright colours and branding will really give you the edge and let you stand out from the crowd.
You might also want to choose a theme, perhaps basing your decorations on the country of the cuisine that you sell. Or, you could go with the festival flow and add fairy lights, fake flowers and other items to make your stall fit in with the summery atmosphere.
“Having a food stall at a festival is a great way to explore other avenues for your brand, meet lots of potential new customers and show off your products — as well as great way to increase your income. Making the most of these opportunities is extremely important, and you can do this with some eye-catching branding and customised items.
“Uniforms are a great start, but you should also consider how you want the clothing to look and what items you’ll require your staff to wear. Caps can be a great item to display your branding on, and they’ll keep everyone a bit cooler in the summer heat while working. T-shirts are another great choice, but you might also want to consider aprons for those serving food. Hoodies are also a useful option to invest in so that if the weather turns chilly your staff have something to throw on that matches the company branding.”
Custom Planet – Andrew Dark, Director And Co-Owner at Custom Planet
