You customers have to know why they are spending money on your product. Just because you know it is awesome, does not necessarily mean that they know it. That is where education based marketing comes into play. Consumers are getting sold to almost 24 hours a day. Selling based marketing is dying. There are so many products out on the market that consumers are looking for more information about the products they buy. That is particularly evident in the food industry. Education around food is not only something that is becoming a necessity, but it also a popular thing to do now as well. With “know your farmer know your food” almost becoming a badge of honor among foodies, it is our job as the farmers to educate those consumers so they have the right information when bragging to their friends. There are so many reasons to share your story, and as a agricultural business marketing and sales should be at the top of the priority list. In this agricultural podcast I talk about the efforts I am making to tell my story, and how educating my customers is paying off for me. I then interview the director of marketing at Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs on the strategies they are using to educate their customers.

You customers have to know why they are spending money on your product. Just because you know it is awesome, does not necessarily mean that they know it. That is where education based marketing comes into play. Consumers are getting sold to almost 24 hours a day. Selling based marketing is dying. There are so many products out on the market that consumers are looking for more information about the products they buy. That is particularly evident in the food industry. Education around food is not only something that is becoming a necessity, but it also a popular thing to do now as well. With “know your farmer know your food” almost becoming a badge of honor among foodies, it is our job as the farmers to educate those consumers so they have the right information when bragging to their friends. There are so many reasons to share your story, and as a agricultural business marketing and sales should be at the top of the priority list. In this agricultural podcast I talk about the efforts I am making to tell my story, and how educating my customers is paying off for me. I then interview the director of marketing at Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs on the strategies they are using to educate their customers.

Getting exposure from the press can be either a good thing or a bad thing. I’m not talking about being caught out for a scandal or something like that, I am talking about being unprepared for that media exposure. Disregarding any bad press you might receive, and I hope that you never have cause to receive any, I want focus on how you can make the most out of the good media exposure. I have gotten good press across the country. On radio, television, and various forms of print. The honest fact is, it is not that hard. Sure, there is some luck and skill involved with getting your name to appear in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, I’ll save that blog post for when I have accomplished that feat myself. I am talking about local news. Local newspapers and local television stations want to print an upbeat story every now and again. Since you are a farmer selling locally, this is the media outlet you want to hit. After all, you are selling to the locals. In this farm podcast I go over what you should do before you approach the press with a story. Below I detail a few ways I have found success getting local press across the country.

Getting exposure from the press can be either a good thing or a bad thing. I’m not talking about being caught out for a scandal or something like that, I am talking about being unprepared for that media exposure. Disregarding any bad press you might receive, and I hope that you never have cause to receive any, I want focus on how you can make the most out of the good media exposure. I have gotten good press across the country. On radio, television, and various forms of print. The honest fact is, it is not that hard. Sure, there is some luck and skill involved with getting your name to appear in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, I’ll save that blog post for when I have accomplished that feat myself. I am talking about local news. Local newspapers and local television stations want to print an upbeat story every now and again. Since you are a farmer selling locally, this is the media outlet you want to hit. After all, you are selling to the locals. In this farm podcast I go over what you should do before you approach the press with a story. Below I detail a few ways I have found success getting local press across the country.

Farming certainly keeps you on your toes. Just when you think everything is going your way, life throws you a curve ball. That’s certainly alright. It is not what happens to you, it is how you deal with it. I was recently thrown a curve ball regarding a delivery and storage of 4,000 pounds of chicken feed. It’s alright, I dealt with it, well, I’m dealing with it, and I talk about that a little in today’s farm podcast episode. It is not just the weather and unfortunate circumstances that keep you on your toes. Owning and operating a farm business will exercise your mind in ways that you never imagined. Part of owning and operating that business is farm marketing. Actually it’s a serious part of your business. Marketing is about making more money. It is about selling products. It is also about building a community around your farm that involves not only your customers, but like-minded businesses as well.

Your farm products, your farm, and you the farmer all have something in common. You should all be presented in a clean and organized manor to help increase sales. There are so many reasons to keep a clean farm. Efficiency, marketing, and peace of mind are just a few. You cannot necessarily expect top dollar when you are not willing to present the best side of yourself, your products, and your farm at all times. With me starting a farm on a shoestring budget I am struggling to get the farm clean, neat, and organized before I have any customers come and see it. It’s a diamond in the rough, and I need to get some polish on it. Today’s farm podcast covers this very topic.

There is a generational gap between old farmers and new. The average age of the American farmer is pushing 60. They are starting to look at retirement, looking to pass the farm on, and looking to get out of the business. The problem is, their kids did not get into farming. This presents a problem as we lose more farmland to development, and we do not have enough new farmers to fill their shoes (and our bellies). Somewhere along the line we skipped a generation, and now are faced with a unique opportunity. There is good news! A new generation of farmers is coming on the scene. The kids of the old generation did not get into farming, but the grand-kids are, and for new reasons. With fresh blood out on pasture there are new ideas, new ideals, and new techniques coming with them. I am happy to be part of a passionate movement toward something wholesome, connected, intelligent, motivated, and inspired. This episode gives you an update on my farming endeavors, I discuss my opinion of the future of farming in America, and I bring on a guest who has some of the best insights on the subject.

Keeping organized is critical when running a farm. There are simply too many things to manage to be disorganized. Keeping it all in your head is not an option, because no matter how good you think you are, you are going to forget things. The good news is you don’t have to break the bank. You hardly have to spend any money at all. The investment you will be making in your farm is a little time up front to save you loads of time down the road. I never go anywhere without my trusty notebook. One subject graph, quadrille ruled, inexpensive notebook that I got from Staples. It is on my person at all times. I meet too many people, manage too many projects, and have to remember too many things not to have something to write it all down in. I am not saying you have to run out and buy this notebook specifically, but I am suggesting you get something to write down your thoughts in. It could be a one-subject notebook, or something that you can stick in your pocket. I have a few more organizational tools that I cover in today’s agricultural podcast. Managing all the projects we as farmers have to manage is tough, but keep organized and you will be fine.

There are many good reasons to get into farming. Take part in work that is challenging and fulfilling. Have easy access to fresh and healthy food. Be a part of a local community with shared goals. Spend more time with you family working together on the farm. Simply because your parents did it. Your spouse wants to do it. Whatever reason you have to start a farm it will take you down a long and adventurous road. I have been on a number of adventures in my day, and this one is just as crazy as the rest. In some ways, I feel like there is a lot more at stake with this adventure. In the beginning of this episode I update you on what is going on on my farm. The weather is warming and things are starting to happen OUT of the office, which is fantastic. Though I feel like the more that happens out of the office, the more paperwork comes up to take care of whatever else is happening. I then discuss one of the reasons I have for starting a farm, my health. I share insights into my goals of creating a healthy atmosphere for myself and my family through farming, and give some advice on how to deal with motivating others to eat right.

Adapting to new technologies can sometimes be a good thing, and sometimes be a bad thing. Adapting to the internet is a good thing. It can, as it has for me, do good things for your business. I have been marketing my CSA through my farm website, social media, and out on the streets in person. Even with the people I meet in person, a good percentage of them like having the website to send to friends, review at home, or join my CSA when they decide to. Besides marketing my farm I have been busy working on it in other ways. I have redesigned my chicken tractors, started seedlings, and added more content to the Farm Marketing Solutions website.