John's chocolate musings-opinion piece
I’ve been selling at farmers markets for three years now. I love the human interaction I get selling at a market, which is something you don’t get when your product is sitting on a grocery store shelf. Putting yourself and your bean to bar chocolate out there for the world to accept or reject is amazing and joyous when accepted but can also be depressing and sad when rejected. I still remember my first market, my first sale, the feeling when I realized, “wow, people like my chocolate.”
Each time I sell at a market I get nervous. I have constant thoughts of “What if I don’t sell anything,” “what if nobody likes my chocolate,” “what if everybody likes my chocolate but nobody buys anything,” “what if I run out of chocolate” “what if I say something that the person doesn’t like, and fists start flying and blood and guts go everywhere.” Well, nothing of the sort happens, it’s all just nervous energy.
What really happens…
People come into my booth, taste samples, we talk, people buy, or don’t, and it’s all ok. Some of the best times at the market can be brief interactions with kids, it is always fascinating to watch their little minds work as they talk or taste chocolate. I also like talking to people who may not be interested in chocolate for whatever reason, giving them a sample, and then watching the person’s face light up with delight.
Another thing that happens a lot when selling is someone will come into the booth, we have a conversation, I give them a sample, and they ask for a price. When I tell them 10 bucks a bar, I will hear “wow that’s expensive.” To which I have no comment. “Expensive, compared to what?” I wonder. A lot of time and love goes into this bar. However, their next step always amazes me. “I’ll take one.”
See you at the market someday. John.