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Advertising

 
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Location: Mountains of Vermont, USDA Zone 3
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I have not found advertising to be very useful. What works for us is giving samples to highly targeted individuals - chefs and meat managers. We raise pastured pork. They're the decision makers. The taste is what sells them. After that comes professionalism, regularly delivered supply, niche (pasture, humane handling, etc) and then price at a distant level. After that word of mouth sells. It builds slowly over the years.

The wholesale to the stores and restaurants is our main business. Next is sales of whole pigs, weaner pigs and roaster pigs to individuals. Largely they find out about us from the stores and restaurants as well as word of mouth. A good product and being in business for a long time builds up clients. It takes patience.

The other key thing is having a good web site. It doesn't have to have a fancy cart for doing sales. It just needs your contact information, what makes your product or service special, etc. Keep it up to date. This is far more important to us and far, far more effective than advertising.

-Walter
 
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I Would suggest you go about building a client list.
Basically you send out, depending on how much you produce, a 1000 sales letters establishing first contact, asking them to reply via email or whatever if they would like to receive a free sample of your farm products. Then sen out the free sample.
Then offer the products at cost so they can really decide if your farm products are right for them.
Then send out weekly emails or letters stating what you have in stock.
Also, it helps for marketing if you are able to stay in the market longer, so i would suggest preserving in some way so you have staying power in the market place.

If you want to know more on the subject, feel free to check out
http://www.amazon.ca/VALUE-ADDED-FARMING-CHIMMS-MILLION-DOLLAR-FARMSTEAD-ebook/dp/B0117224SK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436404566&sr=8-1&keywords=value+added+farming
It should be free starting tomorrow and it will be free for 5 days.
I hope this helps.

Chimm
 
Posts: 12
Location: Logan UT
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I think there could be a big opportunity for advertising through social media. A lot of people are becoming interested in organic gardening talk about it on facebook. if it showed up as a post in their facebook feed it may be a great way for you to build an email list that could then turn into future clients. I have some experience setting these up and I would be willing to give any assistance I can.
 
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I created a mobile app called Niche - Shop Local to help small-scale producers (and other small businesses) advertise their products, find new customers, and stay in touch with existing customers.

Producers sign up on the Niche website - https://www.nicheapp.us - and describe their products, locations, and schedule.

Customers use the Android and iOS mobile apps to:
• browse local products,
• search for products by name, seller, category, and location,
• view product and seller descriptions, availabilities, and prices,
• save products to a shopping list,
• save sellers as favorites,
• get notified when favorite sellers make new posts,
• share product listings on social media, and
• get directions and travel times to retail locations.

Niche is currently free for both sellers and customers, and it takes about 10 minutes for a seller to setup their first product and see it in the app.



We also provide small signs (postcards) that can be displayed at farmers' market stands, and next to the register, telling customers to "Find us on Niche".

 
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