You can have a gadget on your shelf or table at an open air market and a customer will buy it without knowing anything about it.  Why would someone spend money on something that they know absolutely nothing at all about at a trade show, a swap meet or a flea market.  The buying motivator is the person behind the shelf or behind the table selling the product.  You can not go to an open air market and expect the items to jump off of the table and to sell itself.  Walmart and Target are prevalent for the walk by and pick up what you need process of buying.  But when you are competing with other vendors in the open air, you need to learn how to communicate to the open air customer.

Communication is the key to getting that person to buy something that they probably have no need of. Convincing a customer to buy something that they have no need of can be contingent on the cost of the item being offered.  If you negotiate to a very reasonable price of an item that they are seemingly interested in, you will be amazed at getting the sale because the offer was too good to pass up. Remember the sales items that you purchased on shopping trips because the savings was too good to not take advantage of.  As the open air marketer you are in a position to negotiate the price down especially as the customer is about to walk away in order to secure the sale.  Initially price your merchandise so that excessive price reductions will still yield you a hefty profit.

The department stores such as Walmart and Target talks to their customers by putting impulse items near the check out.  The managers are expecting the customers while waiting in line the  to check out their purchases,  the shopper will  browse and purchase the impulse items placed near the check out counter.  At an open air market, your entire merchandise offering is impulsive because very few people comes to a swap meet, trade show or flea market to get a particular item.  These people are there to get what catches their "eye."  You are the deciding person to get them to purchase from you even if they do not know what the item is.

  Learn to talk to your customers to get an idea of what you have available that they may be interested in buying.  The only way for your to make the decision on what to sell to the customer is to listen to what the customer is interested in.  Ask probing questions by starting out by asking "Is there anything of interest that I can help you with."  If they say that they are just looking, then make further conversation but do not leave where they are browsing.  Keep yourself within listening distance just in case they have a question about a product.  Report back periodically to the customer with a product that you think they may be interested in.  These customers know that they are not at Macy's and that you are not pestering them because in actuality, they may not know what they are looking for.  

Always greet your customers as if they are your friends because most of these people are stressed out from working on jobs that they have to tolerate to make a living.All people welcomes a smile.  Your smile is the impetus these people need to buy an item that they probably do not need.  Ask the customer how are they doing while walking by your table or stand of products.  Do a quick research and development and look the customer up and down for relevancy to what you are offering.  If you do not see a compatible product, make a short conversation about an item on your table or stand and invite them to come to talk with you. 

You will be amazed at the additional sales you will make just by opening up your mouth and speaking a few kind words and making the customer feel that everything is alright with the world once again.  You do not know what experiences these people had to deal with throughout their work week.  For all you know they may have just gotten fired.  Let the custome know that as an open air vendor, you are there to offer them a smile and a product if they are purchasing that day.

  Take a genuine interest in your customers and do not let them walk by you without greeting them and acknowledging that you are happy to see that they have decided to visit an open air market.  You would not be able to sell to them if they were propped up in front of a television show looking at the 100th rerun of the Andy Griffin's show.  You need to let them know that you are happy to see them and that you are grateful to them for giving you an opportunity to sell your product or service to them.  

Try to make eye contact with at least one person if a group of people walk by the table.  Speak to that one person and the others will answer as to how they are doing and will look at what you have to offer in your open air market.  People visit open air markets the way they walk through a mall.  They put one step in front of the other and then glance from storefront window to another at the wares.  You need these customers to do more than glance and to keep walking.  You need these customers to acknowledge your greeting.  You need these customers to stop and look at the merchandise that you are offering.  You need these customers to buy while listening to someone who truly appreciates them for leaving the comfort and the solace of their home to shop.

As if to increase online writing, offer products that interest others and have relevance to everyday life.  The clincher to closing sales is to talk to your customers and let them know that you appreciate them for coming to the open air market even if you may not have the item they are looking for.  For the most part, these customers are enjoying the open air.  Your conversation may cause them to open up their minds, purser, wallets and pockets and think of uses for a product that they would not have considered if you had not greeted and welcomed them with a genuine concern about their well being.