Setting up your farmers' market stand or roadside stand can be a daunting task. This is your point of sale. It is at this place where you will finally see some return for all the hard work you have put into your farm during the week. How you represent yourself and your farm with your farm stand is how your customer is going to perceive your products.

60% of a customers' opinion of food quality in restaurants is based on the retail environment.

You are trying to compete with "the big guys". Most often this is a supermarket or large grocery store. Well, the people selling their goods in there are using every trick in the book to get people to buy their products. If you want to compete with them (even if it is not in the store) why wouldn't you do everything possible to encourage more sales.

In this week's agricultural podcast episode we talk about what you can do to make your farm stand more appealing.

In this farm podcast you will learn:

• What visual food marketing is
• What to keep in mind when creating signage
• Where to focus your visual marketing efforts
• Ideas for your farmers' market table
• How to excite your customer and create a memorable experience
• What leads to repeat business

Jonathan Raduns of MerchandiseFood.com

Jonathan has a well rounded background in the food industry that spans retail sales, management, merchandising, restaurant operations and wholesale food manufacturer marketing.  Jonathan is known for his innovative, creative, and clean approach to creating displays that build customer experiences in food courts and restaurants which lead to impulse purchases and greater sales.

He has extensive merchandising and management experience with one of the world’s most awarded retail merchandisers, Wegmans Food Markets.  In this capacity he focused on specialty products and grew in-store organic produce sales by 25% through his unique use of food merchandising.

He holds a specialized degree in Food Marketing and Distribution from Rochester Institute of Technology.  Jonathan has authored and delivered training programs for numerous groups in Metro New York City and the Hudson River Valley.

Leading by example, creativity and vision, he’s a highly motivational consultant who’s a real pleasure to work with.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

• MerchandiseFood.com
• FreshXperts.com
• FoodCyclist Farm

Take aways:

How are you going to set up your farm stand to increase profitability this year?

What can you change with how you are visually presenting your food that could result in more sales?

Is your farm name clearly visible from across the market? How do people identify you?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

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