Fuel Farm Sales by Offering Buyers Convenient Pick-ups in their “Local Loop”
Your Buyers are busier today than ever - whether single, a couple or a family - they are actively engaged in a wide range of activities everyday of the week. As a result, your Buyers often frequent many of the same destinations on a daily, weekly or semi-monthly basis, as they participate in ongoing activities and programs in their local community. This “path” that your Buyers travel on a routine basis is often referred to as the “Local Loop.”
Farmers seeking to increase Sales and attract more customers, can benefit by offering Buyers convenient Pick-ups in their Local Loop.
Analyzing the outcomes from our most successful Farmers, here are three (3) of the most convenient Pick-up destinations along the Local Loop:
Local Schools.
Many people frequent schools on a regular basis: teachers, coaches, volunteers and families with school-aged children. Five-days per week, local schools are a flurry of activity and play a central role in every community. Offering a convenient Pick-up en route to/from schools is a winning strategy that enables your Farm to connect with Buyers in the midst of routine activities along their Local Loop.
Local Churches.
In every community - rural, suburban and urban - churches, synagogues and places of worship are omnipresent. While Sundays are often busy, many local churches host a variety of activities throughout the week, too: bible studies, senior lunches, mom’s groups, youth groups, mid-week services, and events, too. Offering a convenient Church Pick-up is a great strategy utilized by many Farmers. Plugging in with a few Buyers at your local church, too, can often attract new customers, given many Farmers are well supported by members of their congregation or denomination.
Local Small Businesses.
Everyday, your Buyers are frequenting other local small businesses - diners, cafes, coffee shops, barber shops, salons, gyms or other health and wellness studios. These small businesses are often allies of local Farmers. In fact, your Buyers drive by many of these destinations as part of their Local Loop, but a Farm Pick-up can translate into additional foot traffic for their small business, too. It can be a win-win for Buyers, local Farmers and Small Business owners alike.
In all cases above, be sure to speak with school administrators, teachers, pastors, or business owners to ensure you understand the “traffic patterns” and routines of their constituency. Your #1 goal should be making it convenient for Buyers to pick-up your Farm Products - you do not want to create any headaches or congestion that is difficult to navigate.
Identify a location that is highly visible and easy for Buyers to “pull off” or enables a “drive-through” pick-up from your Farm truck or trailer. Visibility is key for safety, in bad weather, and helps attract new or curious Buyers. Be sure your Farm truck or trailer includes your logo, signage and a QR code with a call-to-action to sign-up for your local Products. Include a Farm business card with your details and a QR code with every order, and available in your car for anyone seeking more information.
At your Pick-up along the Local Loop, be sure to always have desirable Add-ons available for purchase (with your Barn2Door Point-of-Sale (POS)). Showcase attractive Add-ons such as Eggs, Milk, Flowers, Bread, Bacon, Ground Beef, ready to be included with their pick-up. This is easy marketing for your Farm business and will help increase your average order size.
Participating in your Buyers’ Local Loop is a great way to build stronger relationships with your customers, increase your Farm’s visibility and become part of the fabric in your local community. People want to purchase from local Farmers - the key is to make purchasing and pick-ups easy and convenient for Buyers.
Barn2Door is an all-in-one solution for Farmers selling direct – online and in-person. To learn why successful Farms run on Barn2Door, watch this 5-minute video.