With email marketing, you will have the ability to communicate with Buyers straight in their inbox. You can tailor your message depending on the type of Buyer, actions you desire and current events on the Farm. Independent Farmers ‘own’ their customer base, so it is essential you know how to effectively market and communicate to encourage loyalty and purchases.

Independent Farmers have more freedom in their business. Instead of relying upon auction houses to purchase products at commodity prices, they have full control. When selling direct, you determine the prices and packaging, meaning you can optimize your profit margins (and still move all your products).

Email is a powerful tool to spur Farm sales, driving up to +30% larger order sizes. Buyers want to know about your Farm and get information in their inbox, somewhere they look every day. Taking advantage of the power of email is one of the best ways to propel your Farm business to the next level.

There has been recent discussion in the agriculture industry about moving towards electronic ear tags for livestock moving across state lines. While ear tags are already the norm for operations across the country, these new RFID (radio frequency ID) tags would enter information on animal and Farm details into a new government database. While the intent of electronic ear tagging is to improve traceability, access to government databases by other non-authorized individuals and organizations raises potential privacy and competitive concerns.

Though every Farm business is unique, it is helpful to gain insights from successful Farmers who have been in your shoes. Ensure you are prepared to start your business, by taking crucial steps to organize your Farm operations and grow strategically. Trying to change too quickly may result in failure, while avoiding all risks may put your Farm in a box. Rachel Shenk recently shared how their Farm started and successfully scaled in a matter of years.

Growing a microgreens business for profit is now accessible for most Farmers, as they have become popularized. Selling microgreens may be more nuanced than common produce, since some Buyers are still unaware of their advantages. It is important to plan ahead of selling microgreens, and to be prepared for the growing process, as well as marketing them to your local community.

With software built for Farmers, you can now be prepared in any situation. Barn2Door recently debuted the ability for Farmers to edit Subscription quantities for Buyers with the click of a button. Whether they need more or less product in a given week, you can apply that to their order details on your online store. Built with Farmers in mind, editing Subscription quantities gives more power back to Independent Farmers to control their sales commitments.

There are two things you cannot avoid in life: death and taxes. As a business owner, taxes are always in the background of every purchase and sale you make. Finances are an inevitable part of running a Farm. We recently spoke with Taylor Bridges, a Quickbook Pro Advisor that works with Farmers across the country. She shared her advice for tax preparation, and a checklist to ensure your Farm is in control of its finances.

Barn2Door released a Point of Sale (POS) device in early 2023, giving Farmers the ability to accept an array of in-person payment options, and connect in-person purchases to their online store. The POS will sync inventory, payments and customers across a Farm’s online and in-person store. With the Barn2Door POS, Farmers can offer wholesale and retail pricing to Buyers, apply discounts or promos, and include a tipping option. As an independent Farmer, it is crucial that you have the power to customize your sales, no matter where they occur.

Every business has a Brand. Your Farm Brand reflects your values, practices and mission. Each aspect of your marketing should revolve around your Brand image - from the imagery you share to your communication with Buyers. We recently talked with Josie from Dan & Debbie’s Creamery to discuss the importance of a Farm Brand, how to establish your Brand and how to effectively market it to Buyers.

Will Campbell from Old Rich Valley Farm in Virginia recently shared his tips for pricing products to sell, and make a profit. Every business is different, so it is important to understand that what works for one Farm, may be different for you. However, all Farmers must consider their underlying costs, to ensure their asking price can deliver a healthy profit margin.

We’re excited to announce that Barn2Door has recently rebranded our Direct Farm Podcast to the Independent Farmer Podcast! When we launched our podcast years ago, we wanted to make it clear that Barn2Door was building a company to help Farmers who are promoting their own Brand and selling Direct. Now 145 episodes and a few years into our podcast --- including the growth of our own Business --- we knew it was time to shift the focus from Farmers selling ‘Direct’ to the entirety of whom we serve: the Independent Farmer.

Farm Marketing is important for building your businesses’ brand. Buyers have to know your Farm exists before they purchase your products. While there are tools to improve your marketing efforts and give you tips to implement, it is important to understand that you ‘own’ your marketing.

If your Farm sends more than 5,000 emails from your domain on any given day, then read carefully! Google and Yahoo announced stronger guidelines against unwanted emails to better protect users, which could significantly impact the ability of your Farm to send email to your customers.

2024 is here, and it is important to reevaluate the Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy for your Farm. Many Farms are eager to increase sales, access more customers and save time, while achieving their growth goals in the new year. When determining how you plan to run your business this year, consider products, software and innovations that will make operations and sales streamlined.

To attract and maintain Buyer relationships on your Farm, you must consistently market to customers. Knowing the customer base in your local community will allow you to reach them in attractive ways (e.g. products they desire, packaging they prefer). Farm Marketing will enable you to access more Buyers, increasing sales.

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.

The Direct Farm Podcast hosts successful Farmers and Barn2Door partners, sharing tips for Farms looking to save time, increase sales, and access more customers. Each week, product updates, marketing tactics and Farmer spotlights are shared, to highlight successful Farming practices and stories.

Each year Barn2Door releases eBooks that compile data and tips from successful Farms from all 50 states, or Buyers in your area. These eBooks serve as an educational resource for Farms looking to grow their Direct-to-Market business.

Barn2Door consistently release content with advice from our most successful Farmers, including data from local Buyers. Barn2Door offers a library of free resources and information to help Farmers of all sizes succeed. We have compiled a list of the Top 5 blogs from the past year, packed with tips and best practices to help grow your Farm business in 2024.