5 Ways to Stay Connected with Customers through the Holidays
The holidays are typically the busiest time of the year for your customers. In addition to the holidays to celebrate, it’s essential for your Farm to prioritize connecting with your audience. Why? The more your Farm stays top-of-mind, the more likely customers will place an order from your Farm in the near future.
Here are 5 ways your Farm can engage buyers, gain new customers, and stay top-of-mind this holiday season:
1. Emails Prompt Consistent Orders
It’s essential to always keep email subscribers engaged with your Farm, regardless of the time of year. As 90% of consumers prefer to buy local products, consistently interacting with them will increase retention when the busy season begins. When using email, make sure to keep the content relevant to the season - including holiday recipes, seasonal promotions, or upcoming events.
With targeted emails, share with loyal customers how much you valued their business this year, reward them with a 10-15% discount, or provide first access to specialty products. With absent customers, remind them that they haven’t purchased in a while, offering an incentive (small discount) to place an order.
Your Buyers should be kept aware of the products you're selling. The easiest way to do this is with Suggested Product Recommendations. With the Barn2Door + Mailchimp integration, Mailchimp will send recommendations based on the most popular items in your store or a customers’ purchase history. With this tool, you’ll be able to remind customers of what they’re missing, prompting more orders. Customers are busy and often forget to order. They won’t know what’s available if you don’t tell them!
Read: Give your Farm Revenue a Boost up to 35% with Barn2Door + Mailchimp
Listen: Direct Farm Tactics: Barn2Door + Mailchimp Customer Journeys
2. Create Communal Activities with On-Farm Events
Now more than ever, Americans are looking for opportunities to support local producers and are interested in creating connections with those who produce their food. By hosting on-Farm events, you can delight new or existing customers with a real Farm experience.
On-Farm events that are educational, foster connections, and get people outside their comfort zone can grow your local reputation and contribute to your success. For example, consider hosting a Farm-to-table dinner, cooking class, petting zoo, or Farm tour. These experiences can give local customers an inside look into how you operate while providing an unforgettable educational experience. For the holidays, consider partnering with other local producers and vendors to host a holiday market or tour, expanding your current customer base.
3. Share What’s New on Social Media
Social media is great for showcasing your Farm values, building your brand, engaging your audience, and creating meaningful relationships with customers. As you post day-to-day activities, share what’s currently happening in your life during the holidays! Whether it’s a simple “happy holiday” post, updating followers on what life is like in the ‘off-season,’ or sharing your plans for the holidays, your Buyers will be interested to learn more.
If you’re hosting an event, share photos on social media. Ask attendees to use your designated Farm hashtag to share their experiences too! If you’re not hosting an event, do you have specialty products only available at this time? Reminding customers in your newsletters to post about their orders on social media will help spread awareness about your Farm business, furthering your reach in the community!
4. Offer Convenient Purchasing Options
Your Buyers already enjoy the Subscription model, averaging 9 Subscriptions to products and services they love. Give them the option to subscribe to your Farm - locking in regular access to your products and giving your business peace of mind with predictable monthly revenue.
Don’t have products to offer as a Subscription right now? No problem. Allow Buyers to place pre-orders months in advance for the next season, harvest, or year. Buyers love the certainty of receiving access to local products regularly, and delighting customers with this convenience will give your Farm cash flow in advance.
When fulfilling customers’ orders, offer convenient direct delivery and pick-up options. Catch up with Buyers at your pick-ups or engage with them as you drop off their order at the front door. Lean into branding your packaging by including a personalized thank you note, a related recipe, or more information about the products included in their order. Creating a memorable experience through your packaging and fulfillments allows you to connect face-to-face and further establish loyalty and trust in your brand.
5. Engage your Local Community with Charity Drives
The holiday season is a time for giving back. Involve customers in charity drives that include food, clothes, toys, or something else. Inform social media followers and email subscribers on what you’re doing, including how to get involved.
If you’re looking to give back on a more regular basis, ask buyers to donate a product from your Farm store to a local food bank. Terra Firma Farm Creamery runs TFF Gives Gallons, where customers buy a gallon of milk from their Farm Store to be dropped off at a local food bank during a regular delivery run. This option is always available in their Farm Store, not just for the holiday season.
Staying connected with your Buyers at this time will help your Farm drive brand awareness and customer loyalty as you head into the busy season. By staying top-of-mind through regular communication, consistent engagement, and updates about the Farm, customers will be more likely to order from your Farm in the new year.
Barn2Door provides an all-in-one solution to grow and manage your Farm business. If you’re curious to learn why successful Farms run on Barn2Door, watch this 5-minute video.