Case Study: West Kirby Farmers Market
Marketing Strategy & Community Awareness Support
The Brief
West Kirby Farmers Market serves as a vibrant community hub bringing together independent artisans, food producers and small businesses to showcase and sell handcrafted, locally sourced and unique products.
Beyond simply being a shopping destination, the market plays an important role in supporting local businesses, strengthening the local
economy and creating a welcoming environment where people can meet, socialise and enjoy the local community atmosphere.
The key objectives of the marketing strategy were to:
• Attract and retain high-quality, interesting and unique producers
• Increase attendance from the right target audience with intent and means to purchase
• Maintain and grow awareness of the market across the local area
• Strengthen the reputation and visibility of the market as a must-visit local event
Target Market
Determining the target market allowed for a clearer understanding of the messaging, imagery and communication channels most likely to appeal to the desired audience and maximise attendance and engagement.
The demographic profile of visitors attending West Kirby Farmers Market was broad and diverse, spanning different ages, backgrounds and income levels, but with several clear common characteristics emerging.
A significant proportion of visitors prioritised:
• Locally sourced produce
• Organic and sustainable products
• Supporting independent and local businesses
• High-quality artisan food and handmade goods
• Environmentally conscious shopping choices
• Community engagement and local experiences
The market appealed strongly to consumers seeking freshness, quality and authenticity, aligning with wider trends around conscious consumerism, sustainability and healthier lifestyles.
Younger audiences were often attracted by unique artisan products, independent food offerings and the social experience of the market itself, while older visitors valued the traditional community feel and opportunity to support local traders. Families with children also formed an important audience, with the market offering an enjoyable and educational experience centred around food, sustainability and local culture.
Socioeconomic backgrounds varied considerably, with the market attracting both value-conscious shoppers seeking affordable local produce as well as customers willing to pay premium prices for speciality and organic goods not commonly available within larger supermarkets.
The result was a highly inclusive target audience united by shared values around quality, sustainability, localism and community connection.
Marketing Channels
To support awareness, footfall and trader engagement, the marketing approach focused on a blend of digital, PR and community-based communications channels designed to maximise local visibility and ongoing engagement.
Recommended marketing channels included:
• Social media marketing across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Community Facebook groups and local event listings
• PR and local press coverage
• Email marketing to previous visitors and interested audiences
• Partnerships with local businesses and organisations
• Trader-led promotion and collaborative social media activity
• Local influencer and community engagement opportunities
• Event listings websites and local directories
• Printed promotional materials and local noticeboards where appropriate
• Seasonal campaigns and themed market promotions
The focus throughout was on creating consistent, engaging and community-led communications that reflected the personality and ethos of the market while encouraging repeat visits and long-term awareness growth.
Social Media
Social media was identified as one of the most important and cost-effective tools in raising awareness and encouraging attendance at the market.
It is crucial that people can truly envisage what the event feels like — the sounds, sights, smells and atmosphere of the market itself. Story-led social media content helps create the desire for people to attend if they have never visited before, while also reminding previous visitors how enjoyable and community-focused the experience is.
The strategy focused on moving beyond simply posting photographs of produce and instead showcasing the full experience and personality of the market.
Channels
Content should be posted consistently across:
• Twitter/X
Future consideration was also recommended for TikTok, particularly as the demographic profile of the platform continues to expand into audiences aged 20–40, aligning increasingly well with the market audience.
Content Approach
Recommended content included a mixture of:
• Videos
• Producer and stall photography
• Wider market atmosphere shots
• Real customers enjoying the event
• Reels, Stories and Live content
• Trader spotlights
• Behind-the-scenes setup content
• Seasonal and themed market features
The recommendation was to use a combination of posts, reels, stories and live content wherever possible to maximise organic reach and engagement.
Additional recommendations included:
• Introducing a loyalty card scheme with rewards such as 10% off on a customer’s 10th visit
• Encouraging followers to share content and invite friends to follow the page
• Cross-promoting social media and e-newsletter signups
• Using relevant hashtags and tagging producers, local businesses and partner organisations
• Sharing relevant content from traders and community partners
• Running competitions and giveaways to increase reach and engagement
• Capturing customer data for email marketing reminders about future events
The overall aim was to create a far more immersive and community-driven social media presence capable of building long-term loyalty and stronger awareness across the Wirral and surrounding areas.
The Solution
I worked closely with the organisers to develop a practical and community-focused marketing approach designed to support both trader engagement and visitor attendance.
Support included:
• Developing a strategic marketing and awareness plan
• Supporting brand positioning and messaging for the market
• Creating social media content and communications to promote upcoming events and traders
• Promoting the unique, local and independent nature of the market
• Supporting PR opportunities and local awareness campaigns
• Encouraging stronger engagement with the local community and businesses
• Developing messaging focused on supporting local producers and sustainable shopping
• Helping promote the market as both a shopping destination and community experience
• Supporting consistency across communications and promotional activity
The focus throughout was on creating authentic and engaging communications that reflected the personality, quality and community atmosphere of the market while supporting long-term visitor and trader growth.
The Outcome
The project helped strengthen awareness and positioning of West Kirby Farmers Market within the local community and wider Wirral area.
Key outcomes included:
• Increased visibility and awareness of the market
• Stronger promotion of independent traders and producers
• Improved consistency across marketing communications
• Greater emphasis on community engagement and local support
• Enhanced positioning as a destination market experience
• Stronger foundations for ongoing visitor and trader growth
By combining strategic marketing support with community-focused communications, I helped reinforce West Kirby Farmers Market as a vibrant and valuable part of the local independent business scene.
Client Feedback
“Jayne really understood what makes West Kirby Farmers Market special and helped us put structure and strategy behind promoting it more effectively.
Her ideas around storytelling, social media and community engagement helped us think beyond simply advertising the market and instead focus on showcasing the full experience and atmosphere that makes people want to come back time and time again.
The recommendations around social content, loyalty activity, PR and audience engagement gave us a much clearer direction moving forward and helped strengthen awareness of both the market and the fantastic independent producers involved.
Jayne was professional, approachable and full of practical ideas throughout the process, and her support was hugely appreciated.”
— Steve Tilby, Committee Lead, West Kirby Farmers Market
