3 Tactics for Your Farm to Succeed in Light of Coronavirus Impacts

Mounting concerns over the coronavirus have emptied streets and influenced state governments to take drastic measures to distance their populations. In light of these measures and spreading uncertainty, farmers markets are closing and online food sales have increased 10x (even 20x) in states across the country. 

As the largest provider of Farm ecommerce in the country, and dedicated to Farms’ success, we want to offer some actionable tactics Farms can use to continue serving their customers during this time, by leveraging the convenience and “safe” online ordering many families are dependant on. 

1. Offer “Grab-and-go” order deliveries.

The option to order and pay online for nearby pickup eases customers’ worries about exchanging credit cards or being in close proximity to other people. We recommend adding 2-3 new drop locations that are convenient for your customers, whether it’s a school or church parking lot, and local cafe or other business (they’d welcome the foot traffic right now, as well). Label boxes clearly for customers so they can simply grab their order and go. Most importantly, alert your customers via email and social posting that you’ve added new “grab-and-go” times and locations. Everyone needs to continue eating, and they’re looking for food online—meet them there. 

2. Offer “Door-to-Door” Delivery

Demand for door-to-door delivery was rising before the coronavirus outbreak, to the point that we included it in our 2020 Buyer Trends Every Farm Needs to Know. Customers have been conditioned by billion-dollar brands (Amazon, Target, etc) to expect that “convenience” means “food on their doorstep”. Now, more than ever, that’s an attractive idea for homebound employees or higher-risk people, who are avoiding public spaces at all costs. 

Offering door-to-door delivery from your Farm is as easy as setting direct delivery zipcodes in Barn2Door where you have a more concentrated population, and setting your schedule for delivery days 1-2 times per week. Charge a delivery fee (e.g $5 or $10) to cover your costs (buyers will gladly pay, especially now). 

Finally, tell your customers everywhere you can (email newsletter, order reminder, social posts and in your store) that you’re offering direct delivery. If you’re delivering perishable items, ask that your customers leave out a cooler if they won’t be home, and text them when you’ve delivered. Customers will be thrilled that they can still access local, nutritious food with such convenience, at a time when staying healthy is so important. 

Read how this Farm in North Carolina turned a profit on their first direct home delivery day.

3. Offer Subscriptions to Bundle Boxes

Customers will not stop eating during the coronavirus pandemic. If anything, they’ll look for more convenient ways to source healthy food for themselves and their families, investing in subscriptions to staple products like proteins, produce, dairy, eggs, cheese and pantry items. Bundling products together and offering subscriptions to a box of your Farm products meets this need and will delight buyers who are looking for simple solutions in an overwhelming and confusing time. 

Whether you’re offering a weekly produce share for a family of 4, or a monthly beef box for 1-2 people, you’re providing your customers an easy, no-brainer way to get the food they need ongoing, with a couple clicks. Bundles will serve you better now than individual specialty items, since families will be focusing on stocking up on staples. 

Finally, combine subscriptions to bundled items with door-to-door delivery for the ultimate convenience and accommodation to your customers in a trying time. They’ll gladly pay for your premium product and direct home delivery. Make sure you communicate the new offerings, post regularly on social and send plenty of email updates to continue communicating with your customers in this trying time, to reinforce and strengthen your customer relationships. 

At Barn2Door, we’re wishing Farms across the country health and providing the resources we can to make it easier to offer products online, for a business that can weather coronavirus, evolving consumer preference, and any other uncertainty down the line. If you’re looking to implement the tactics above and are Barn2Door customer, reach out to your Onboarding or Account Manager (or chat us anytime) to get set up. If you’re not a Barn2Door customer and are interested in getting set up quickly to continue meeting your customers, you can learn how it works here.