#89 - Make Marketing Part of Your Routine

Sep 23

“If you don’t send it out, if you don’t publish it, it doesn’t happen. You can’t learn from it. You have to push “go” to learn from it.”

As a farmer's wife, mother, and business owner, I understand the challenges of juggling multiple responsibilities while trying to grow your farm or ranch. Marketing often falls to the bottom of our to-do lists, but it's crucial for our success. Today, I want to share some practical tips on how to make marketing a manageable part of your routine.

Why Marketing Matters for Your Farm or Ranch

Marketing isn't just about selling products; it's about sharing your story, connecting with customers, and building a sustainable future for your family farm. As farmers and ranchers, we're not just business owners – we're caretakers of a legacy, passing down knowledge and values to the next generation.

Start with the Basics: Your Marketing Foundation

Before diving into complex strategies, let's focus on creating a solid foundation:

Choose Your Source of Truth: Pick one main place where customers can find accurate information about your farm or ranch. This could be your website, email list, or even a social media page. Whenever you communicate with customers, direct them to this one source.
Create a Simple Template: Make something easy to replicate for your marketing messages. It could be a basic graphic design, an email template, or a list of common questions and answers. The goal is to save time and maintain consistency.
Establish a Routine: Think about what your customers need to know, when they need to know it, and how often. Maybe it's a weekly email update or a monthly social media post about what's happening on your farm.

Making Time for Marketing

As busy farmers and ranchers, finding time for marketing can be tough. Here's how to fit it into your schedule:

Plan: Set aside time each month to plan your marketing topics, collect important dates, and set goals.
Create: Schedule time to actually make your marketing materials, whether it's taking photos, writing posts, or designing flyers.
Publish: This is crucial! Make sure you have dedicated time to share your marketing materials. It doesn't count if it never reaches your customers.

Growing Your Marketing Efforts

Once you have a basic routine in place, you can start to expand:

Add New Ways for People to Find You: This might mean trying a new social media platform or advertising in a different publication.
Create More Opportunities to Connect: Offer more chances for customers to get to know you and your farm better.

Finding Help When You Need It

If you're struggling to keep up with marketing on your own, consider these options:

Ask college students who need internships
Reach out to local programs with overlapping goals
Mentor FFA or 4-H members who need projects
Engage your most enthusiastic customers to help spread the word

Avoiding Common Marketing Pitfalls

As you develop your marketing strategy, watch out for these common traps:

Don't compare your marketing to others – focus on what works for your farm and family
Remember to grow your in-person network, not just your online presence
Avoid expensive software – free or low-cost options often work just fine
Set goals and track your progress
Don't waste time on strategies that don't fit your lifestyle or farm

Making Your Content Stand Out

When creating marketing materials, keep these tips in mind:

Be informative: Include all necessary details
Use visuals: People remember images better than text
Include a call to action: Tell people what you want them to do next
Give each piece a purpose: Know why you're creating it

Your Marketing Homework

If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: Determine your "source of truth" – that one place where customers can find accurate information about your farm or ranch. Make sure this information is included in all your marketing efforts.

Remember, as farmers and ranchers, we're not just marketing products – we're sharing our family's story, preserving our heritage, and building a future for the next generation. By making marketing a regular part of our routine, we can ensure that our farms and ranches continue to thrive for years to come.

If you are interested in signing up for the Marketing Routine class, do so here!

If you would like to support the podcast or be a part of the conversation join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page.

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