How to Sell Produce Online
As a produce Farm business, you should look for ways to expand your reach within your local community. You may have an inventory of perishable, local goods, so it is crucial to find a customer base that will consistently purchase from you to keep your crops moving through your store. To be successful, it is imperative to find an eCommerce platform built for Farmers and best suited for your online produce store.
Why you Need a Separate Farm Website and Store
While it is wise to have a website for potential Buyers to research your brand and find more information about your Farm, it is more important to build a streamlined eCommerce shopping experience first to fuel sales. Prospective Buyers can access eCommerce from email, social media, QR codes and your website. But, before you rush to build a website, consider how you intend to sell your products, your packaging and pricing, your inventory availability and fulfillment options.
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.
Farm HERO: Sell your Pork in a Variety of Ways!
This Colorado Farm has attracted more Buyers and increased sales by simplifying their pork product offerings with Bundle Boxes, Subscriptions and Specialty Cuts. By refining their packaging options, the Farm has streamlined their inventory, moved more products, and introduced Buyers to new items. Farmer Michelle shared how their Farm found success in their various pork offerings to increase sales.
How to Name your Farm Subscriptions to Sell Out
Successful Farmers put in extra effort when setting up their Farm inventory to make their products attractive to potential buyers. This may include high-quality photos, in-depth product descriptions and enticing names. Especially for Bundle Box Subscriptions, your Farm should consider names that draw Buyer attention, making your products more emotionally appealing (e.g. giving them an idea of meals, seasonality, or experience of the items).
Farm HERO: Streamline your In-Person Sales with POS!
This North Carolina Farm found success using Barn2Door’s POS to fuel their in-person sales. See the features that made their transactions seamless, and how they attract Buyers to their on-Farm store. With 97% of Americans preferring to use Cards or Digital Wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) for every purchase, this Farm quickly attracted 6-figures in in-person sales with their POS!
The Data on Selling your Beef Products Direct
Beef is regularly consumed by many Americans on a consistent basis - it is a staple for many households. When selling Beef products direct to consumer, it is crucial for Farmers to understand best practices to attract orders and meet Buyer expectations. Understanding the purchase habits of consumers can help increase sales and ensure your Farm can move all parts of the cow.
How to Sell Meat Online
Whether you sell meat online or in-person to wholesale or retail Buyers, direct sales are convenient for your customers and the business. Buyers want to know how their food is grown and access to an easy shopping experience. Build an independent Farm brand that aligns with your values and mission, and manage sales without a middle man.
Growing a Passion for Farming - Sasquatch Family Farms
When Shauna and her family bought their Farm in 2023, they had a growing passion to serve their local community with healthy, farm-fresh food. However, as challenges arose, Sasquatch Family Farms realized the importance of leveraging community resources and software to streamline their sales and fulfillments.
Farm HERO: Selling Beef Byproducts
Some Farms choose to raise one product to ensure they are moving every part of an animal. One Farm in Washington focuses on their beef sales and believes if they do one thing, they can do it well. This requires mastering moving all parts of the cow. They cannot simply maintain a sustainable operation while only selling certain cuts. The Farm must move more niche cuts and byproducts to remain profitable while only raising cattle.
Selling Beef Subscriptions Online
As an Independent Farmer, offering Subscriptions to your products is a sure way to build recurring cash flow and delight Buyers, while ensuring all your inventory is moving through your store. Beef Box subscriptions provide farmers with consistent monthly revenue and the opportunity to sell various cuts and products together --- and reduce the need for freezers! Subscriptions are easier for both the Farmer and the Buyer, because routine orders provide the opportunity for planning and consistency for both parties.
The Roles of an Independent Farmer - Hopewell Farms
Phil of Hopewell Farms moved onto 10 acres of land in Gainesville, Georgia in 2019. Inspired by “Folks, This Ain’t Normal” by Joel Salatin, he decided to leave his commercial banking job to raise meat for his community. Once he uncovered that the other 33 surrounding acres would be sold, he decided to buy that land and begin learning to raise cattle.
10 Questions to Ask Before Committing to a Farmers' Market
Not every Farm chooses to sell at the Farmers’ Markets. However, if that is an avenue you want to utilize for local sales and meet new buyers, it is important to determine which markets will be worth your investment. There are a myriad of factors to consider, such as the popularity of a certain Farmers’ Market, the consistency of foot traffic, and the accommodations offered to local Farms.
How Should you Allocate your Marketing Spend?
Quickbooks Pro Advisor, Taylor Bridges, encourages Farms to use marketing tools to help their brand succeed within their community. She says marketing can be a useful tool for your Farm business to expand your reach, and offers several tax advantages. Tangible and intangible Farm Marketing efforts, can both be written off as an operating expense (lowering your taxable Farm income).
Checking it Twice: Audit your Farm Store!
Ahead of your initial launch and prior to each season, it is important to review your Farm store to ensure you have implemented best practices that will attract Buyers and be simple to maintain. Keep your product inventory limited to make it easy for customers to shop, with convenient fulfillments to access your goods. Make your Farm shopping experience consistent, so Buyers know what to expect, trust making a purchase from you and are encouraged to continue shopping with you.
Pick-up Captains for the Win!
Farms that offer their products for pick up provide Buyers with more convenient fulfillment options. Many Farms located outside of metropolitan areas may have a high concentration of Buyers in certain neighborhoods. To ensure your pick-ups are streamlined and convenient, you can offer pick-ups in various locations, such as someone’s home or a local business.
Farm POS - Not Just for Markets
A Point-of-Sale (POS) makes capturing sales easy and convenient for your Farm and Buyers. The device allows you to take multiple payment options, sync your online and in-person Sales and collect tips on transactions. While Farm POS is important at Farmers Markets, there are many different occasions where the device can streamline your checkout process and attract more Sales. Try a POS built for Farmers at different venues for increased profits and added ease to each transaction.
Top 5 Farm Podcasts of 2024
Life is busy on the Farm, but it is still important to learn from others as your business evolves. Farm podcasts make it much easier for Farmers to digest information as they work, learning best practices, tactics and gaining inspiration from others, while doing chores . Listen to other successful Farms and industry experts as they discuss how to build a profitable Farm business.
Top 5 Farm Reads of 2024
At Barn2Door, we share content each week to inspire, educate and share the stories of Farmers across the country. Find tactics, tips and best practices to implement into your Farm business today, and learn from industry experts and 6-figure Farmers who have built thriving businesses. These free resources share information that will be helpful to your Farm business.
How to Find the Perfect Retail Buyer for your Farm
Your loyal Buyers often determine the strength and consistency of your Farm sales. You want to attract local Buyers that are willing to pay a premium for sustainably-raised products, and will consistently place orders. Successful Farms across the country have become a staple in their community’s shopping routines. Follow these tips to find who your ideal retail Buyers are in your community, and how to effectively target them through marketing and packaging.