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  • From: "Tom at Limerock" <limerock AT thirdplanet.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] business sense
  • Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:45:32 -0500

As a roadside market/farmer I can not agree more.  One thing I try to do is learn people's names and call them by name each and every time they stop.  This is especially effective when you have lots of other customers within earshot.  ( I do truly like to get to know my customers.  This time of year, it gets lonely not seeing them, asking how their family is, how the fishing was that day, etc.)   
 
Here are two good examples from last year:
 
I called a few customers by name as they were paying for their produce one day (as always) and when it came time to take the next person's money (an older man with his grown sons who has stopped several times before) he said 'hello and just what is your name?' and we introduced ourselves.  Kinda clever way to present his name to me.  And yes, I call him by name now too.
 
Another time, a regular stopped with several friends.  After greeting her by name, the others said to her, 'Wow!  You must come here a lot.'  Then she advertised for me and replied 'Always, I wouldn't go any where else.' 
 
( I do truly like to get to know my customers.  This time of year, it gets lonely not seeing them, asking how their family is, how the fishing was that day, how did their weekend of making pickles go, etc.)   
 
Tom
Limerock Orchards and Roadside Market
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 11:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Re: Market-farming Business-Gross Profits


Most would probably agree that a business sense and sound principles are
needed in any business. But direct food sales - farm to consumer - IS
something other than commodity production and marketing. It's not like
buying off the supermarket shelf at all. To be successful it needs to be
treated as relationship, the grower's connection to the buyer. It's the
difference between buying a car off the lot and buying from a friend or
neighbor.  Buying from someone you come to know and trust is that
difference. They're not just buying beans or tomatoes, they're buying into
a relationship.  This can be important to buyers, and growers who don't
value that personal connection are missing something that may well save
their bottom line. I suspect successful market farmers know this very well.

paul tradingpost AT gilanet.com
http://largocreekfarms.com
http://medicinehill.net




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