My Digital Farmer Podcast

Every once in a while, an email offer lands in my inbox that stops me in my tracks. It's not just well-written... it's strategic. It makes me want to forward it. Study it. Steal from it.

In today's episode, I'm auditing one of those unicorn emails — and I'm showing you why it worked so well.

This email (from Function Health) was a masterclass in offer psychology. It played multiple sales motivators all at once, had brilliant positioning, and used subtle language that made it feel like a gift — not a pitch.

It's rare to find something this clean, so I knew I had to share it with you.

If you've ever wanted to know how to write an offer that people can't ignore, you'll love this episode. I break down:

• The exact copy of the email that hooked me (you can read it below too)

• Why the structure and language worked so well

• The different "buying triggers" this brand used to drive conversions

• How you can take these same elements and use them in your own farm emails or product offers

• Why stacking motivators is a marketing superpower

Once you start to see the building blocks of a great offer, you'll never look at marketing emails the same way again.

Want to build better offers for your farm?

Check out my workshop inside Farm Marketing School: "Build a Better Offer" — where I teach you the core offer formulas, how to increase average order value, and how to create compelling urgency (without feeling slimy).

Join the membership and get instant access here: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

Most farmers try to push the "big sale" first… but what if your smallest product was actually the secret to long-term customer loyalty?

In this episode, I break down the concept of the gateway offer—a key piece of your sales funnel that many farms overlook. You'll learn what it is, why it matters, how to identify yours, and how to use it to grow your customer base on purpose.

You'll discover:

• What a gateway offer is (with examples for veggie, meat, flower, and value-added farms)

• Why small, low-risk products are often your most powerful marketing tool

• How to position and promote your gateway item online and at the farmers market

• What to do after a customer buys it to lead them deeper into your product ladder

• A mindset shift that will help you stop seeing small sales as a loss—and start seeing them as an investment

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

One of the biggest struggles for new farm businesses? No testimonials.

When you're just starting out, you know your product is amazing—but your customers don't. And without social proof, it's hard for new buyers to feel confident putting your food in their cart (or their bodies).

In this episode, I share a simple, repeatable strategy to jumpstart your testimonials—even with zero reviews. And yes, it involves giving away product strategically to build the kind of trust that drives sales.

You'll learn:

• Why testimonials are one of your biggest marketing levers

• The catch-22 most beginner farmers fall into (and how to break it)

• A simple script + 5-step plan to get your first reviews fast

• What to ask for (written, photo, video, or all 3!)

• Where to use testimonials for maximum impact

P.S. Want my full testimonial playbook? It's inside the Social Proof Project in Farm Marketing School → mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Ever wonder what it's really like inside one of my monthly FMS coaching calls?

In this episode, you'll listen in on a real strategy session with a first-year chicken & egg farm business. We dig into their sales funnel, troubleshoot the sticking points, and uncover where the energy (and growth potential) really lives.

Inside this call, we cover:

• What's clogging the sales pipeline in their direct-to-consumer model

• How to build a product ladder that bridges the pricing gap

• Why their quirky Chicken Bingo event is a marketing goldmine

• Why the fear of running out of product can actually work in your favor

• Ideas for leveraging social proof, storytelling, and list-building

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

Edwards Family Farm -- I reference Stacie's awesome online store offerings, as an example of how to set up your product listings. Click on their store button to go to their Local Line store to see how it's done!

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

In this episode, I walk you through specific customer phrases and dialogue strategies that boost confidence, spark curiosity, and increase conversions at your booth.

You'll learn:

• Buzzwords that create urgency, desire, and trust

• How to use the "suggestive sell" and assumptive close

• Upsell, downsell, and cross-sell phrases that increase cart size

• Tips for building rapport that turns browsers into regulars

• How to train your team to say the right things—without being pushy

Listen to the episode here!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

Grab my Freebie for this episode! I put together my suggested customer dialogue/sales phrases from this episode into a document you can download here. Print it out and study it! Pick out one phrase each week and "practice" it. Soon you'll have a toolkit of phrases you're comfortable using.

232 How to Use Mirroring to Close More Sales -- I talked about this episode!

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain.

You'll hear the exact posts I published on Facebook and Instagram during the months of July/August—and more importantly, why I posted them. I'll break down the thinking behind each caption, the strategy behind my weekly rhythm, and how I keep showing up online even when farm season is chaos.

Spoiler: It's not random. It's not last-minute. And it only takes me 30 minutes a week—because I've built a rinse-and-repeat content system that works.

• Seven of my actual posts—including real captions, images, and CTAs

• The post categories I rotate through to stay consistent and engaging

• How I subtly layer in education, sales, storytelling, and list-building

• My weekly planning process that keeps me from burning out or going silent

Listen to the episode here!

If you liked this peek behind the curtain, you'll love what's inside Farm Marketing School.

Inside the Social Media Planning Project, you'll find: ✅ My actual post copy for all 30 days of June, July, and August ✅ Done-for-you templates you can tweak and post ✅ A repeatable system to save time and stay visible year-round

Subscribe to FMS for a month and take my SM Planning Project!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

That was me last week.

I was shopping for soap and paper towels when I spotted two clever packaging choices that completely reframed everyday items—and stopped me in my tracks. And that got me thinking…

What if we could borrow the same playbook as big consumer brands?

In today's episode, I'm breaking down five powerful marketing strategies that mainstream brands use to breathe new life into their products—and how YOU, as a farmer, can adapt these ideas to your own veggie boxes, meat bundles, cheese, flowers, and more.

These aren't complex. In fact, some are as simple as renaming a product or repositioning it for a new use.

Here are the ideas we share in this episode, that you can start testing right away!

1. Change the product shape or format to unlock new use cases

2. Sell the benefit, not the product (think: gut health, energy, mood)

3. Bundle and sample to encourage discovery

4. Create new occasions to increase purchase frequency

5. Tie products to identity and lifestyle for emotional resonance

Try one of these ideas this week and see if it sparks new customer interest or encourages a repeat purchase!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

Last week, while I was restocking products in our online store, I noticed a few items were still showing from the previous week—greyed out because they had sold out.

My first instinct? Clean them up.

But then I had a lightbulb moment: What if I left them there on purpose?

Because "Sold Out" sends a message—actually, several. And in this episode, I'm going to show you how to turn sold-out items into one of the most powerful, persuasive, no-cost marketing strategies on your farm.

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

August 20, 2025

Would you panic? Wing it? Or would you know how to strategically show up and shine?

Well, that's exactly what happened to us.

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of our recent appearance on WTOL's It's a Good Day morning show—and break down the exact steps my husband Kurt and I took to make the most of this golden moment for our farm business.

You'll learn how to prepare for a media appearance, show up like a pro, and use the afterglow to grow your brand, email list, and customer base.

Because here's the truth: these kinds of media moments can't always be planned. But you can plan how to leverage them.

• How to prep your talking points so you're not caught off guard

• Why you ALWAYS say yes to these opportunties.

• What props, swag, and soundbites help visually tell your farm's story

• The subtle cues that make you look confident on camera (even if you're nervous)

• How to use your 5 minutes of fame to build long-term brand equity.

• Why you might not be getting these media opportunities...
• How these moments also benefit your current customer base!

• Post-interview marketing moves that generate buzz and leads

Media attention is rare—but powerful. It builds instant credibility, wide exposure, and serious buzz. But most farmers don't know how to make it work for their brand.

This episode will help you be ready when the spotlight shows up.

See the 5-minute clip from WTOL's It's a Good Day morning show, featuring our farm! 👉 Watch the TV appearance on YouTube

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding) 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

See the 5-minute clip from WTOL's It's a Good Day morning show, featuring our farm! 👉 Watch the TV appearance on YouTube

Try using past media appearances into your evergreen marketing funnel content. You could put the link to the appearance in an email nurture autoresponder sequence! What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show. Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.

When most people think about farm merch—aka swag—they imagine T-shirts with your logo. Maybe a tote bag. Maybe a hat. But what if I told you that farm swag is one of the most underutilized marketing tools in your farm business?

Swag isn't just "extra." It's strategic.

Done right, it becomes a walking billboard… a conversation starter… a loyalty builder… and a bridge that turns casual customers into brand superfans. In today's episode, we're sharing 20 different ways you can use your farm merch to support some of your bigger marketing goals.

Find one of these ideas and implement it!

Local Line is my preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2025. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

If your marketing to-do list is starting to feel like a second full-time job, it's time to call in the experts at Taste the Local Difference (TLD). With over 20 years of experience, TLD is the go-to marketing agency for purpose-driven farmers and local food entrepreneurs. Their sole focus is helping businesses like yours succeed—from creating marketing plans that reach your ideal customers, to designing eye-catching labels and packaging, to building beautiful, search-optimized websites. No wonder most of their clients see an average 200% return on their investment within the first year! And here's a special offer just for My Digital Farmer listeners: visit LocalFoodMarketing.com/podcast, fill out a no-obligation marketing inquiry form, and mention My Digital Farmer to get 10% off any marketing service (up to $300).

Marketing doesn't have to feel overwhelming! Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step system for building a profitable farm marketing plan. Inside, you'll get access to bite-sized marketing projects like:

• 📆 Creating a promotion calendar that drives consistent sales
• 🛠️ Setting up & optimizing your Google Business Profile
• 📧 Writing high-converting emails (nurture, promotions, onboarding)
• 🗣️ Collecting & using customer testimonials effectively
• 🔍 Auditing & improving your sales funnel
• 💬 Monthly live coaching calls for answers to your burning questions

Each project includes a workshop and step-by-step plan so you can take action and see results without the overwhelm. Join here: 👉 www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms (Cancel anytime!)

Ep: 319 How to Create a VIP Customer Strategy for Your Farm Part 1

Ep 320 How to Create a VIP Customer Strategy for Your Farm Part 2

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com (formerly ConvertKit.com) -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Take the 7 Day Instagram Stories Challenge! Inside Farm Marketing School, I just dropped a brand-new project: The 7-Day Instagram Stories Challenge. It's a day-by-day training that teaches you how to use IG Stories -- with bite-sized video demos, daily prompts to practice what you learned, and even some strategy tips. Each day builds on the next, so that by the end of the week, you'll feel confident and creative -- like IG Stories is actually fun.

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? You can help keep the show going!

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
• ⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps other farmers find the show.
• Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner.