A Holiday Market Where the Ho, Ho, Ho was Slow, Slow, Slow

Zero Proof Insights | Turning a Slow Market into Sweet Success

Written by Cate Faulkner

Crafting a Holiday Oasis

Our setup was ambitious: two holiday-themed NA cocktails, cute bags of dehydrated fruit for stocking stuffers, a small Christmas tree adorned with dehydrated fruit and lights, and signs promoting Nicole Hough’s AFTER, Alcohol Free Magazine, as a perfect holiday gift.

When Coffee Meets Whiskey

We knew our table would be next to the coffee bar; however, the “coffee bar” also served the owner's private-label whiskey. At 10 a.m. one couple, freshly served the "Winter in Ireland" whiskey cocktails, saw our sign and immediately turned to walk away. As she turned, the woman awkwardly toasted us, saying, "Christmas in a glass!" We burst out laughing. My sotto voce comment for only Jen to hear was, "Oh yeah, Christmas in a glass for about 20 minutes—until someone drinks too much and the family starts arguing."

The Disconnect Between Venue and Crowd

Not every event shines, and this one was no exception. The holiday market's halls were decked, and the festive Christmas decor set a promising stage, but the turnout was lackluster due to almost non-existent pre-event promotion by the venue. As you can see in the photos, The Food Building is a feast for the senses and specializes in scrumptious meats, cheeses, and baked goods. Given its popularity, we never anticipated a sparse turnout based on prior knowledge and conversations.

The Upside of a Low Turnout

We still made several meaningful connections that day, some that had followed our ZPC Instagram posts about the market, with one woman approaching our table and exclaiming, “Hi! I am here to meet you two. I just love what you’re doing……. you are my people!" A couple of the other folks that we met that day are now ZPC members! And we also had meaningful interactions with those who were curious about the NA Movement. If the event had been busier, such deep conversations might not have taken place.

Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places

We were pleasantly surprised by a visit from our dear friend and fellow ZPC member Norma Wolk. She rarely misses an event where we pour, and she often jumps in to help. And, as the day wound down, our spirits were lifted once again when we met Martin Devaney, a writer, singer and songwriter, also known as the unofficial mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. He had recently interviewed us for DISPATCH (featured on our Media page). It was wonderful to meet him in person, and we enjoyed his warm and kind demeanor.

The Sweet and Savory Sides of a Sparse Market

This event was a lesson in the importance of vendor placement and prior confirmation of the venue's plan for promotion. While sales were minimal (I actually spent more than we earned at the site's fabulous bakery), the connections we made were invaluable. They gave us a nuanced perspective on the event's success and highlighted areas for improvement. Today, we look back on our sparse holiday market experience with both fondness and humor. On the bright side, I took a lot of delectable baked goods home for the holidays. Sometimes, you just have to laugh—ho, ho, ho!