How to Sell Farm Products Online
How Americans are purchasing food is changing. While some still attend in-person stores, many would rather order from the comfort of their homes for Pickup or Direct Delivery.
If you’re on this blog, you’ve realized how food purchasing is shifting from in-person to online. While in-person avenues still hold merit, only 1% of Americans regularly attend farmers’ markets. The other 99% want to find convenient and approachable options for purchasing Farm food - like online.
Selling Farm products online has three key components.
1. Farm eCommerce
Buyers expect to purchase anytime, anywhere. However, most ecommerce solutions aren’t catered towards Farm ecommerce, often overlooking the nuances of Farm products and operations. Most solutions fail to offer multiple pricing lists, sell by weight, order cut-offs, seasonal subscriptions, or pick-and-pack lists.
Many Farmers start with popular ecommerce solutions utilized by other small businesses who sell consumer packaged goods (CPG) (e.g. products that are shelf-stable easily drop shipped). However, if you want to sell Farm products online, you should find a solution that caters to products that are perishable, seasonal and are typically fulfilled locally (versus sending through a commercial carrier).
What should you ask yourself before settling on an Farm ecommerce solution? Well, there are 10 questions you should ask to help you uncover the best commerce solution for your Farm:
Read: Farm Commerce? 10 Key Questions to Ask Before Deploying
2. Farm Website
When you sell online, you need a website where buyers can learn more about you, your Farm, your products and practices. Websites build credibility; for 84% of buyers, a beautiful website translates to business credibility.
A website helps build your Farm Brand presence and local business reputation. Customers search online for food; one of the first places they might learn about your Farm is your website.
When done properly, a beautiful Farm website can help you attract and retain more customers, grow your business, and gain a competitive advantage. Websites make you discoverable to those outside your existing base of loyal customers. And, websites are often the first place a new buyer will learn more about your Farm.
Read: Farm Website Design: Best Practices
Read: Overview of the Barn2Door Website Design & Build Process
3. Farm Email & Social Media Presence
If you’re not regularly engaging with customers in-person, then you’ll need to market to them online through active (email) and passive (social) channels. These two channels are the most important platforms when it comes to maintaining strong Farm Brand awareness with your buyers.
Sending consistent emails (e.g. a weekly Order reminder, monthly Newsletter) is guaranteed to increase your sales. Our most successful Farmers see up to 80% of their sales come through their Farm newsletter. The key is to have a plan when it comes to your email strategy; three (3) emails are essential to send from your Farm:
Welcome Email: Welcome new buyers to your Farm. A welcome email gives you a chance to introduce yourself, what buyers can expect from your Farm, and offer them a promo code to say thank you for joining!
Newsletter: 86% of buyers want to receive email updates about available Farm products at least once per month. Your Newsletter is the perfect place to do so. At least once a month send a Newsletter that updates customers on what’s happening on the Farm, new products, or recommended products! Note, many Farms send a weekly or bi-weekly newsletter, too.
Order Reminders: Americans are busy - they can forget to order. Sending an order reminder is a gentle nudge to remind them to purchase from your Farm. Remind them to order. If you have limited product availability, then let buyers know immediately when your Farm stocks are replenished. Order Reminders are bound to get sales.
Listen: A Chimp, Software, and Farming... Let's Talk Email Marketing
Lastly, market through social media (Facebook/Instagram) is a valuable passive channel to get in front of buyers as they scroll through content. Post at least 3+ times each week with updates from your Farm. Use the three E’s: entertain, educate, and eCommerce.
Entertain your customers with funny, novel or insightful pictures or videos from your Farm. Fun facts, national holidays, or surveys are also a great way to spur engagement with your Farm?
Educate your customers on your products, practices or the history of your Farm. You’re the expert, so share your knowledge with your followers, helping them to appreciate and connect with you and your Farm! Make them feel a part of your family-farm business.
Promote your eCommerce. Buyers follow your social media because they like your products and connect with your Brand. Post new products in your Farm store, show what’s inside Bundle Boxes, and offer “limited-time” promo codes to your social media following!
Read: Why Social Media & Email Are Key to Growing Your Farms’ Customer Base
Listen: Farmers Streamline Their Social Media with Meta Business Suite
Selling Farm products online doesn’t have to be complicated. These three steps can help you spur more sales of your Farm products online. The best thing you can do for your business is to simplify and automate these processes as much as possible. The goal is to help your Farm save time & increase your overall sales.
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.