Best Kept Secrets for Selling Half & Whole Hogs
Selling bulk pork helps your Farm push more product in single orders, and gives Buyers peace-of-mind with easy, upfront ordering for months of food. There are several tactics that should be used to ensure your half and whole hog sales are successful and streamline your operations. Do not get caught with too much or too little product once it goes to the processor. See the 5 secrets to successfully selling bulk pork, and making it easy for your Buyers, and your Farm:
Secret #1: Marketing your Bulk Pork like a Pro
Bulk pork purchases may be intimidating for some Buyers. It is important to make them aware of the advantages of these larger orders, helping them understand what they will receive and keeping the sales experience simple. As an Independent Farmer, you have the opportunity to build a local brand, share your practices, invite neighbors to your Farm and be intentional with your marketing efforts. Share with potential Buyers how your pigs are raised in a natural environment, treated humanely, and how happy hogs maximize flavor and nutrients, versus commodity products offered in the grocery store. Your pricing should be transparent, and customers should understand that bulk purchases will result in better prices per pound versus individual cuts.
Market to local Buyers online, on social media and in newsletters, and in person through word-of-mouth, partnerships and tangible marketing assets (QR codes or flyers). Create a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) by promoting exclusive offerings with a bulk purchase that will entice Buyers to sign up. Many successful Farms will include high-demand items in every Bundle Box (e.g. bacon in every box!). Offer returning customers a discount on their next bulk order, and offer those who sign-up for a Pork Subscription Box access to unlock a private store with other popular items (e.g. pork belly). Ensure customers know the high demand of your products by sharing notes such as, ‘Only X boxes left! Running out!,’ so no one misses out on an order.
If selling by the whole or half hog, share visuals of what Buyers can expect from a bulk purchase (note: this can be illustrations rather than real images!). This will ensure that customers are not surprised when they receive their order, and that they will have something to refer to when they have questions of how half and whole hogs are cut. You can give examples of what Buyers may expect in their order. Your order cut off and fulfillment dates should be transparent and obvious on your eCommerce storefront and in newsletters, so Buyers can plan accordingly (and know when to place and pick up an order).
Your customers should be aware of what they are going to receive in their bulk order, such as the average amount of finished products (lbs) for a whole or half hog. In your product descriptions, share what is typically included in those orders, such as ~ 4 full grocery bags, or 5 roasts, 15lbs of bulk sausage in 1lb packs, 4 packs of bacon, etc. They will feel more comfortable signing up for a bulk order if they know what to expect to receive.
Secret #2: Educating Buyers for Increased Loyalty
Educate your Buyers on the importance of shopping from a local, sustainable Farm, and the benefits of eating pasture-raised pork. Explain the advantages of heritage breeds, such as Berkshire, Duroc and Hampshire hogs, explaining how they are sustainably raised and how their diets can impact the flavor of the meat.
One benefit of selling directly to your community is that you can be transparent with your processes, inviting people on-Farm and sharing how your Farm operates in your marketing efforts. Set Buyers expectations ahead of their orders, so there are minimal questions and hiccups once those purchases are made and fulfilled. Explain the timelines for pork growth and harvest cycles, so your customers know when they can expect their meat. Secure commitments upfront with Whole and Half Deposits and Pre-Orders for Bundle Boxes, so Buyers are locked in and you don’t have to worry about moving pork once it is processed.
Inform Buyers that they will be charged based on final weight, and not hanging weight (and give a short explanation as to what this means, many Buyers may be unaware). Make sure they understand how much freezer space will be required for a whole or half, as well as what cuts they can expect from the butcher.
Secret #3: Standard Cuts are your Sales Superpower
Keep it simple and reduce friction in the purchase process by giving customers options that are easy to understand. By only giving the option of standard cuts, you can minimize ‘Buyer Decision Fatigue’ and time required for making decisions, saving you and your customers time and stress. Provide information on your website to anticipate and answer all questions surrounding cuts they may receive in their order.
Giving a limited, well-defined standard cut sheet simplifies decisions and boosts sales. If Buyers are overwhelmed or confused by your offerings, or told they have to choose each cut, they may turn away from making a purchase. Share what they can expect on a single standardized cut sheet, and provide clarity on “this is what you get” when you order bulk pork from your Farm store. Note, you may choose to offer a custom cut sheet at a premium price for Buyers who are more well-versed in pork cuts available with whole or half hog orders.
It is important to know when and why you charge more for custom requests, as these often cost more at the butcher, require more prep work on your end and can cause more confusion during processing. Custom requests should only be offered at a premium price, with a larger upfront deposit (+$50-100 more).
Secret #4: The Power of the “Invisible” Processor
Eliminate stress and confusion for Buyers by handling all the conversations with your processor in the backend, streamlining the purchase experience, then pick up at the processor later. Everything should be easy and convenient for the Buyer, as you are the expert as the Farmer. You can reduce friction in the fulfillment process by offering multiple options - pick-up on Farm, pick-up locations in various towns or direct delivery to their doorstep.
Streamline your Farm operations by aligning your fulfillment and processing dates. That way, pick-up is easy and planned out before your product is even harvested. Run your fulfillments the same day you pick up at the processor to ensure you move all of your product at once. This will reduce your labor costs and efforts, reduce your freezer footprint, and save time from having to pack in and out of freezers over an extended period of time.
Secret #5: Utilizing Farm Software for Streamlined Orders
Use Combined Inventory for seamless tracking of all your inventory - what is already sold and what is still available - all from one place in Barn2Door (whether sold in-person or online). Take advantage of pre-orders to secure upfront deposits and sell out in advance of your harvest dates. With Barn2Door, you can automatically charge the final amount (based on dollar value or final weight) less the initial deposit against the pre-authorized credit card on file. This saves hours of back and forth communications with customers, and makes it easy for Buyers to place an order one-time (and not think about it again, until it is ready to be fulfilled). Farmers no longer need to chase down pre-order customers to get a final payment!
You can automate sending your Buyer a final receipt/invoice, so they can keep track of how much they have paid in total, after your pork is processed. In Barn2Door, Farmers can create schedules to align your butcher and fulfillment dates in the backend, so everything is organized and notated for your business. You can automatically send out order reminders within the system to keep Buyers up-to-date, without extra work on your end. Track and organize your customers and create lists based on their buying habits to keep your marketing efforts tailored and personalized.
Conclusion
Streamline your bulk pork sales by using software that is built specifically with your Farm in mind. Secure upfront deposits, plan fulfillment and processing dates, keep track of your inventory with ease, and automate final payment reconciliation. Consider how to best attract new and returning customers to your whole and half hog product offerings, encouraging them with educational content and enticing promotionals. Sell out of your pork well in advance, increase your cash flow, and give Buyers and your Farm peace-of-mind.
Barn2Door offers software for Independent Farmers to create and promote their brand, sell online and in-person, and save time managing their business. If you’re curious to learn more, watch this 5-minute video.