Say something good, say it well and say it often in advertising messages, greenhouse growers were told in Saskatoon Nov. 14.
Randy Stefan of Monopolize Your Marketplace said growers need to get better at telling and showing consumers why they offer good value and how they are better than the competition.
Speaking at the Saskatchewan Greenhouse and Vegetable conference and trade show, he advised starting any marketing strategy by getting to know who the market is and targetting all messages to that group to keep costs down.
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“You’re not in the business of growing things but really in the business of marketing the things that you grow,” Stefan said.
He suggested talking to customers through e-mails and websites, noting a brief on-line video allows people to see the business before they drive to the farm.
Two-for-one coupons are lures for consumers that enable growers to track their promotions.
Placing products for sale on consignment at a nearby gas station might also entice further sales, he said.
Advertising should not copycat but stand apart from the pack, he said. Stefan cited the highly successful advertising campaign of a moving van ad that listed a 15-point checklist of questions to ask before choosing movers.
Stefan encouraged growers to provide customers in the greenhouse with the help and solutions they require. Supply informational materials on gardening and signs listing what grows best in what location.
“If I can’t find someone to help me, I might leave,” he said. That one-on-one contact with customers also gives growers the edge over more impersonal big box operations.
Bob Chorney, executive director of Farmers Markets Ontario, said the personal touch is not for everyone so people should know their preference for a farmer’s market, U-pick or farm store. He suggested asking the following questions:
- Are you friendly and outgoing?
- Are you willing to have people on your place?
- Do you have the necessary information about what is being sold and how to merchandise it and are there appropriate supply and variety?
- Do you want to work seven days a week during peak seasons?
- Do you have a suitable size and location for the business and do you have the money to do it?
He called the front of the farm shop or greenhouse the showcase and advised keeping it clear of parked cars.
Position the market with its back to the sun and wind, and control traffic flow through the shop to enable consumers to get a look at all sale items.
Natural lighting shows off the produce best, along with a clean, tidy yardsite. Spotlights are preferred to fluorescent bulbs.
Signs along major highways directing visitors to the farm are critical as are in-shop product price cards.
Signs should also inform customers that you are a grower.
“People want to support local growers,” he said.
