At the start of the new year, it was all about locking in markets. I’m still trying to find the right target audience, and I feel nature and art markets are more my thing, so I’m looking for those. I didn’t have this phase in my business last year because I only started doing markets in September, so I took what I could later in the year.
I was so grateful that the Little Makers Market had a place for me. My most successful market was a charity event at the coffee house in Fornham All Saints. That started off my Christmas period with a bang. I was hopeful they were all like this, but they were not. My worst one was at the leisure centre in Stowmarket. I learned a hard but essential lesson that day: some places just aren’t your target audience.
Anyway, I digress. This blog post isn’t about that. It’s about a new rejection I’ve discovered and had to handle this year: markets not wanting you. I applied to a couple and they didn’t have a place for me. Even after announcing cancellations, they still didn’t have a place for me. My rational brain knows this is OK, as it’s just not for me, and truthfully, with at least one of them, I’m not sure it would be my target market anyway, but the sting of rejection still hurts.
Currently this year I’m on 3 rejections, out of 7 applications.
I learned a long time ago that everything happens for a reason, and I do truly believe this. All my rejections in life have led me down different paths that I have truly loved, and that I wouldn’t have reached without those rejections.
It’s not all bad news, though, as I do have some new locations lined up. I’ll be on Bury’s Makers Market four times this year! I’m absolutely stoked about that. I’m also attending the Ipswich vegan market in summer, as well as various Christmas markets in winter. See all markets listed here.
I’m focusing more on selling online and on commissions this year, but I still want to attend a handful of markets to get myself out there. I also enjoy the day, albeit a bit hectic.
So here’s to this rejection leading to better things to come!