Farm Marketing in the Busy Season vs. the Off-Season
Farmers constantly have tasks to complete on the Farm. It may be preparing orders in the busy season, or scheduling processing dates in the Off-Season. It is important to increase Sales, no matter the season. Marketing to local Buyers will provide recurring revenue, but your strategy will be different with each season.
Eliminate stress by assembling schedules, posts and email campaigns in the Off-Season. Reevaluate efforts in the busy season to accommodate current Sales. Amy Campbell, from Old Rich Valley Farm in Virginia, shared how she successfully markets throughout the year.
Listen to our podcast episode with Amy:
Farm Marketing in the Off-Season
The Farm Off-Season is just as important as Harvest, especially when it comes to having time to plan ahead for the upcoming months (and reduce stress). The Winter months offer time to rest and spend time with family, but to also review outcomes from the prior year, and make adjustments the next year on the Farm.
To get ahead in the Off-Season, be sure your go-to-market planning includes:
Taking/Organizing Farm Product Photos
Brainstorming Ideas for Email Content & Subject Lines
Assembling Resources for Social Posts
Maintaining Pre-Order Velocity Ahead of Season
Taking/Organizing Farm Product Photos
Followers of Old Rich Valley Farm enjoy photos of the Campbell family, Farm products/animals and work in the field. Taking photos is a hassle during the busy season, when there are many Farm chores to complete. Taking these pictures for social media or emails, during the Off-Season, will save the stress of collecting them in between Farm work.
It is important to organize photos into folders and plan posts ahead of the busy season. Waiting to do this can result in losing track of photos and extra work months down the line. Amy maintains a mix of photos for their social profiles, sharing transparency with the Farm, and her family.
Brainstorming Ideas for Email Content & Subject Lines
Amy uses the Off-Season as a time to brainstorm ideas for a range of marketing efforts. During the quieter months, she will use a pen and paper to write down ideas for future posts, emails and promos for the busy season. These ideas are useful when Amy does not have time during harvest to brainstorm ideas for marketing, or for scheduling relevant and timely posts.
With a list in her planner, Amy has multiple options for recipes or holiday content to send when there is a month or week she is uninspired. She recommends writing subject lines, longer captions or email content in the slow season. Educate your Buyers on the difference between commodity and sustainable farming, labels and other topics customers may not yet know regarding the Farming industry.
Assembling Resources for Social Posts
Amy recommends assembling a wide variety of resources to plan ahead for social media posts throughout the busy season. Researching and notating holidays will give you time to prepare and schedule Farm posts months ahead. Using this time to schedule filler posts will enable your Farm to stick to a consistent schedule, and stay top-of-mind with Buyers without spending extra time on social media updates during harvest.
Old Rich Valley Farm uses Barn2Door’s Marketing Toolkit (sent ahead of each month). The toolkit includes humor, holiday, and promo/call-to-action (CTA) posts created by a professional design team. The toolkit also offers email prompts and headers. This resource enables your Farm to download and utilize seasonally appropriate graphics for emails and social posts each month, so you do not have to plan ahead for every single post.
Maintaining Pre-Order Velocity Ahead of Season
To secure Pre-Sales and maintain Subscriptions, your Farm must entice Buyers during the Off-Season. Staying top-of-mind and consistent in communications and fulfillments is essential to maintaining Buyer trust and interest.
Continue to send emails with links or buttons to your online Farm store all year. This will give Buyers a simplified purchase process from their device. Many Farms offer discounts to customers that pay upfront for ongoing Subscriptions. This incentive gives the Farm money in the Off-Season, and ensures recurring products are fulfilled for Buyers, without having to place an order weekly/monthly.
Over 50% of Old Rich Valley Farm’s sales are Subscriptions. Subscriptions provide stable cash flow in the Off-season and allow your Farm to plan ahead for the coming year. With Subscriptions, you will know how much product needs to be available every month to fulfill orders. This consistency enables Old Rich Valley to have a rhythm of fulfillment with Buyers.
Farm Marketing in the Busy Season
The Busy Season is the most important time to move Farm products. As Sales increase and on-Farm chores ramp up, you must maintain consistency with Buyers to earn trust. In-person interactions that result in online communications help expand your customer base.
When Marketing in the Busy Season:
Collect Emails at Markets
Create Engaging Campaigns
Interact on Social Media
Send Order Reminders
Collect Emails at Markets
Farmer’s Markets are an opportune time to collect Buyer emails. Having in-person interactions will create trust and a relationship between Farmer and Buyer. Once your relationship is established, be sure to maintain consistent orders and communication to further entice the new customer.
Amy Campbell uses a QR code at markets to give Buyers an easy sign up for their email list. She markets the sign up to Buyers by saying they will get updates on herd shares, monthly subscriptions, and other weekly emails. She further encourages Buyers at markets, explaining if the Farm runs out of a product, customers can sign up for pre-orders on their online store to ensure a purchase next time.
Create Engaging Campaigns
After collecting emails at markets or through social media engagements, your Farm can plan attractive email campaigns to encourage purchases. It is important to send emails on a regular cadence; most Farms recommend a weekly send.
Mailchimp’s Customer Journey Builder automatically enrolls Buyers into campaigns based on actions they take (e.g. signing up, making their first purchase). You no longer have to track customers’ movements to send them the appropriate email, the Barn2Door + Mailchimp integration can automate emails tailored to each Buyer.
Amy utilizes Mailchimp’s analytics to review how differing subject lines and call-to-action (CTA) buttons entice Buyers. Testing the content that works with customers enables your Farm to create valuable emails. Each email should include a button linking to your online store, so Buyers have easy access to your products from their device.
Interact on Social Media
Buyers trust brands they feel like they know intimately. Your Farm brand needs to build a relationship with Buyers through regular interactions - in email and on social media.
“People want to connect with you. They want to know you as a farmer and as a person; they want to be a part of your family. That is something that they are going to value.”
Consistency will create a relationship that feels real, where followers know what is happening on the Farm at all times.
Entertaining, engaging and educating Buyers will add value to your social profiles. Give your Buyers a reason to return to your page day after day. Interaction reminds them of your Farm, and valuable posts encourage them to interact in return. Each post should point to your products and store through links to increase sales.
Send Order Reminders
Old Rich Valley Farm sends order reminders to ensure recurring purchases, and to instill fear-of-missing-out (FOMO). If Buyers see an email titled: “Order Today, Pick-up Tomorrow,” they will be reminded and enticed to complete a purchase for a quick fulfillment turnaround.
We send our email out on Friday, and then the [Farmer’s] Market is the next day. That’s a good reminder to place your orders for the Farmer’s Market tomorrow.
- Farmer Amy
Order Reminders allow for continual marketing of available products. Farmers who send regular Order Reminders enjoy +30% higher average order volume. Putting your Farm ahead of others who may be marketing to your Buyers will secure more customers.
Consistent Marketing Efforts Year-Round
Planning in the Off-Season allows your Farm to be successful during harvest. You will save time when posts and emails are scheduled ahead of the busy season. Analyze what works with Buyers in terms of social interaction and email engagement. Securing Pre-Orders and Subscription sign ups will give your Farm cash flow in the Off-Season.
Transparency with Buyers increases trust, and encourages more sales. Even when it is busy on the Farm, having consistent engagement and interaction with Buyers will spur relationships. Always include a link to “Shop Now” from your online Farm store, for convenient purchase options. If you sell Farm products online, Buyers need to know how to access them. No matter the time of year, there is much to be done on the Farm, and to benefit your business.
Conclusion
Old Rich Valley Farm engages Buyers and plans for future marketing efforts throughout the entire year. Marketing looks different during harvest versus the Off-Season, but both are equally important. You deserve rest, but do not take the slower seasons for granted. Your Buyers are being marketed to by many other Brands in Off-season.
Remain top-of-mind with your Buyers through regular interactions, scheduled posts, and routine newsletters that encourage purchases year-round. Plan ahead now for your upcoming marketing efforts, to increase sales in the future.
Barn2Door offers an all-in-one solution to help Farmers manage direct sales online and in-person. To learn more about running a profitable Farm year-round, watch this 5-min video.