Pre-Ordering has become a norm for businesses today. Many people reserve tickets for concerts, book reservations months in advance for sought-after experiences (5-star dinners, tasting menus, etc.), secure limited quantity products (clothes, knick-knacks), and even order products from a Farm before harvest! Buyers love the concept of securing their purchase in advance and being in on the “hype” of upcoming product arrivals (e.g., Copper River Salmon, Morel Mushrooms, Huckleberry Season).

When building a thriving direct-to-market Microgreen business, it’s essential to understand the opportunities to maximize profits, reduce costs, delight customers, and save time. Sound impossible? It’s not!

Last month, we announced that Farmers who run their business on Barn2Door would be able to offer buyers the ability to give a preset tip (3%, 5%, 10%) or a custom tip (any amount) at checkout. Farms have already seen results from accepting customer tips, using the extra cash to cover their processing fees.

As 1 in 3 Americans have ordered Food online, Farmers are using their attendance at markets to spread awareness of their brand and convert buyers to loyal online customers.

The most successful Farms on Barn2Door are regularly focused on new ways to grow their brand and expand their network across digital and in-person channels. They work to understand buyer expectations and attract new customers who appreciate the value of their products. The best Farmers promote themselves through email, social media, and in-person activities to foster personal connections within their community to help grow their business and expand operations.

Microgreens are gaining popularity across America among consumers and chefs alike. With increasing awareness of their nutrient-dense properties, local demand for the tiny greens is rising. However, consumers are unaware of the unique nuances Microgreen Farmers face: short growing times, differing maturing rates, and their highly perishable nature (to name a few!).

Growing a Farm business means investing in building customer relationships. To create long-term success for your business, it’s essential that Farmers “own their customers.” What does this mean? Your Farm needs to possess all the customer details and contact information of all your buyers (versus relinquishing that relationship to a third-party distributor).

There are many nuances to growing and managing a Farm business. Even more so, when a Farm takes the risk of building a new line of business (direct-to-market), with the ambition of building a viable business for the long-term.

It’s easy to stick with a familiar routine. Getting a booth at your local farmer’s markets is a common avenue for many Farmers to initially attract potential new buyers and grow their brand awareness. Some days at the market will be fruitful, while others can be long and result in a small number of sales (failing to even cover the costs of attendance).

With the New Year around the corner, it’s essential to take the winter months to prepare your business for the busy season. With increased awareness and demand for local foods, keeping buyers engaged with your Farm now will help your business secure customer commitments in the future.

With the holidays around the corner, it’s time to start implementing a marketing plan to drive Farm sales and stay top of mind. When it comes to generating revenue through the winter, the holidays are the perfect time to stay connected to your buyers. Engage them on all channels (web, mobile, social, and email) regardless if you have products to sell this winter.

Email gives your Farm a channel to regularly communicate with your audience, build your brand, and develop lasting relationships with customers. Farmers who’ve successfully driven sales with email, target their efforts based on customer segmentation and activity. To see these benefits of email, Farmers need to take full advantage of which techniques yield the highest results.

Pre-Orders are the best way to secure buyer commitments months in advance. Capitalize on the great experience that customers had with your Farm, to capture their order for next year. Start by advertising your products now, while your customers are engaged. Create buzz among customers and FOMO (the fear-of-missing-out), to spur demand for your products.

American consumers love local food, but they enjoy convenience more. Efficiencies realized by large corporations (i.e., Amazon, Target) have created a blueprint for Farmers to implement efficient and profitable delivery services. Delivery can be one of the most lucrative activities for your Farm business as it satisfies Buyers’ expectations of convenience, drives higher monthly orders, and is one of the main contributors to Farms selling out more often.

The Barn2Door + Mailchimp integration enables Farmers to regularly engage Customers and showcase their products through emails on a consistent basis. With the integration, it’s easier than ever to stay top-of-mind to increase sales and drive Customer loyalty.

A call-to-action (CTA) is a button or link prompting email subscribers, website visitors, or social media followers to take an action. Think back to when you received an email from a company or brand you support. Did you click the link to “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Download the eBook”? If you did, then you took the step that was intended for you to take.

At Barn2Door, we’re proud to provide the software and the services to help 1000’s of Farms across America grow and manage direct sales. We’ve partnered with ACRES to present the National Farm Innovator Webinar Series showcasing stories about sustainable Farmers that have implemented innovative business tactics to serve their local communities, fuel sales, and save time.

New! Now Farmers can offer Subscriptions, and Buyers can ‘join’ even after that subscription has started. We call it Late Enrollment for a subscription with a set number of deliveries. If a Buyer is late to the party, they can still sign up --- and either pay up front for the remainder (auto-calculated!) or be auto-charged for each of the remaining deliveries as they occur.

As consumers spend an increasing amount of time online, your Buyers’ expectations are being conditioned by billion-dollar brands. In fact, 93% of American adults purchased from Amazon in 2020. They have made it easier than ever to buy online, and customers no longer want to waste time purchasing the same products they know they will need next month.