Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Blueprint for Promoting Your Products

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "jay gee" <jgj23 AT mindspring.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Blueprint for Promoting Your Products
  • Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 21:19:01 +0000


I received a number of requests off-list for the blueprint
posted in response to another's comments about "Lead
Pricing."

I am reproducing it below in a slightly altered and expanded
form that I hope will be helpful to all who read it and decide
to put it to work for themselves.

If I sent you a copy privately, this message includes additional
explanatory information so you may want to read it.

Good luck at market to you all,

Jay Gee
not a farmer -- but interested in farming

Here 'er goes:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A BLUEPRINT FOR PROMOTING YOUR FARM PRODUCT(s)

Satisfy people's curiosity, natural shyness and desire to
not look foolish or naive by promoting each of your products
with an individualized flyer telling a complete story of that
product and how you and your farm bring that product to market.

The flyer doubles as a promotional device for your farm and
crops by creating a brand image. The brand image will be
a combination of how you treat people, what your flyer says
and how good or bad the experience is that customers have
with your products. Pricing is not a part of the brand experience
unless the customer's product experience is bad.

Start with a blank sheet and write out a detailed description
of all the TLC that goes into producing your crops for sale.

Write out the facts, sparing no detail on your first draft. Go
lightly on adjectives, skip hyperbole and flowery language
altogether.

The final draft that you hand out at market is targeted at
a final length of between 700 to 900 words. In reality it can
be shorter or longer, but the intent is to say all that needs to
be said -- not too little, and not too much.

The headline is the crop or product name. If you want
to get fancy, put the latin biological name below it in
italics one third the size of the headline font.

Include separate paragraphs that:

1.) Describe your farm and location;

2.) Describe when the crop was planted and when it was harvested;

3.) Describe how it was fertilized, tended, irrigated, and harvested;

4.) Describe how it was brought to market;

5.) Explain any special considerations that the customer needs to know about,
e.g., that due to ripeness, the product should be consumed within twenty-four
hours, the product should NOT be refrigerated, etc.

6.) Describe the farm family and workers who make this crop possible;

7.) Explain that though the price charged for your product may be higher
than that in local supermarkets, BUT, your crop is fresh, not factory farmed,
etc.

8.) Explain your satisfaction guarantee.

also:

Be sure to mention if you have a roadside stand at the farm and give
directions.
If you have a web site, encourage people to visit it by stating your URL.

Formatting the Flyer

Page size of 8 1/2 x 11 no folds. Do Not Use more than
three different typestyles on the same page, excluding
bold or italic variations of the same face.

Format the Headline in 72 pt BOLD CAPS with a clean, simple typeface
(best are Arial, Helvetica, Swiss Condensed, Arrus Bold Titling or Times New
Roman)
Note: You might want to put your farm name above the headline in a smaller
type face, not bold.

Give each paragraph a bold Sub Head using 14 pt type, preferably serifed.
Don't try to be cute - be straightforward. Use subheads such as:
"Where it was grown"
"How long it took to grow"
"How it was cared for"
etc.


The best styles of type for easy reading are:

Times New Roman, Century Omega and most serifed "book" faces.

Paragraphs should be set in 9 pt or 10 pt type. That is plenty
large for easy reading in daylight.

Using "newspaper columns" helps you squeeze more words into
the same space. A 1/2 inch outside margin and 1/2 inch space
between columns is plenty. Use three columns across the 8 1/2 width.
(if you come up with a short flyer, use two columns or 11 pt type)

For each crop use a different color of paper, no less than 20# weight.

Run off a fresh supply of "crop flyers" before each market and offer
the flyer(s) in full size, see-through plastic brochure stands on your
selling tables. Brochure stands can be purchased at Staples or
Office Depot and many local stationers.

If you bag crops for buyers, place a flyer in the top of each bag.

FYI, research on consumer buying behavior consistently reveals that
"getting the lowest possible price" ranks third or lower on the average
shopper's agenda. Consistently most important is getting high quality
and good value.






  • Blueprint for Promoting Your Products, jay gee, 04/27/2001

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page