Top 6 Tips to Collecting Emails for your Farm
Farm email marketing enables your operation to actively communicate directly with Buyers with personalized messaging and product links that lead straight to your store. Unlike social media, where your posts are passively shared with your entire follower list with no opportunity for segmentation, Farm newsletters allow you to tailor messages to specific Buyer groups to increase engagement.
Email is by far the most successful avenue to drive consistent, recurring sales. To catapult your Farm success, it is crucial to collect email addresses across all your online and in-person marketing efforts. To grow your email list, create content and provide exclusive offers to engage your audience, help them connect with your Farm and encourage purchases. Follow these 6 tips to attract email sign-ups and fuel more sales for your Farm business:
Tip #1: Capture Emails Directly at your Farmers Market Stand
The Farmers Market or a stand at a local community event are great ways to interact with potential Buyers in person, and collect their emails. Always post a QR code and offer a sign-up clipboard at your checkout, with a form for Buyers to share their information. Some Farmers pay their employees $1 per verified email collected, encouraging some to walk around Farmers Markets with clipboards in hand to grow their email list with in-person interactions.
Listen: From Hobby to Full-time Farmer
Your sign-up clipboard should include a QR code on the form, ample pens or pencils, and inviting, potentially with a plate of product samples or Farm stickers next to them. These can incentivize sign-ups while allowing them to experience your product and brand. Many Farms offer a small discount for new subscribers or enter them into a drawing for a free product. Use event sign-up sheets or digital forms for farm tours, workshops, and open houses to collect contact information.
Tip #2: Use Pop-Up Forms on your Farm Website
Whenever Buyers navigate to your website to learn more about your Farm or shop from your store, you can capture their emails with a “pop-up” sign-up form. This is a standard experience across all websites today, helping to build relationships and encourage purchases with promos or incentives. Your website may include a standalone sign-up page, or a pop-up form that automatically appears as viewers scroll through it. Your sign-up form should be easily visible and engaging to ensure visitors do not overlook it or click out.
Pop-up forms should be on brand with the rest of your website, nonintrusive, and simple to complete. Too many questions or repeated pop-up forms turn-off potential customers, leading them away from your Farm store.
When creating a landing page to collect contact information, consider what will most effectively attract visitors to share their details. Include a sign-up form on pages with engaging content (e.g., a Farm Table Dinner event) to show Buyers what they can expect from your email communications. Promote special offers, such as “10% off your first order” or “Exclusive Invites to On-Farm Events and Dinners”. This will pique the interest of potential sign-ups and could be the deciding factor for someone considering entering their information.
Tip #3: Place Sign-Up Forms in Engaging Content
Offer valuable content or exclusive access to special offers for those who sign up for your email list. Consider free assets like seasonal recipes, cooking tips or ideas for using your whole cow or pig (e.g., making stock with bones), or a video breaking down a chicken or arranging flowers. People will be more willing to sign up if they receive something in return. You can add a sign-up form to the end of the website page or blog post to encourage readers to subscribe for more valuable insights via email.
Some Farms host On-Farm events, workshops or activities such as canning, sourdough baking or cooking classes. When attendees sign up for your newsletter, you will ask for their email to send them tickets and information. Thereafter, you can continue to send them future events, such as Farm tours or dinners, as well as updates on current offerings and stories that lead to your store.
Tip #4: Utilize Farm Partnerships for a Wider Reach
Partner with complementary local businesses (e.g., bakeries, restaurants) to reach new Buyer groups and expand your reach within your community. Consider offering pick-ups at these locations, or pairing their goods into a bundle box to attract more Buyers. When partnering with another brand, encourage them to share your website or social media with customers, so they can find more of your products in your store.
Set up pick-up locations in popular local establishments where local Buyers frequent regularly (e.g. gyms, CrossFit studios, coffee shops) to attract new customers. Place signs or QR codes around pick-up locations to capture potential customer details, and help new Buyers discover your Farm. Whenever you partner with other local businesses, whether it is a pick-up location or for product bundles, ensure you are sharing both your brands throughout marketing efforts.
Tip #5: Place Calls-to-Action in your Social Media
Social Media can be an effective way for potential Buyers to find and share your Farm brand. It is crucial to add your email to your bio for visitors who may want to contact you. Link to an email sign-up form in your profile to quickly capture emails. Use compelling calls-to-action on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to direct followers to your email sign-up pages on your website or store. Offer exclusive access to Farm products or events, promotional discounts and/or downloadable items (e.g., a recipe eBook) to attract more sign-ups. You can place a call-to-action right in your bio to make it the first thing visitors see (e.g., “Click the Link in Bio for 10% off!”).
Listen: The ABCs of Social Media’s 3 E’s
Run social media contests that require email sign-up for entry, expanding your reach to new audiences. It is wise to caption your competition or giveaway posts with rules, including “fill out the form in our bio,” and “share this post on your story,” or “tag a friend in the comments”. Each of these will help you expand your reach to capture more emails. You can partner with other local businesses to attract different audiences by bundling your products together for a giveaway box (e.g., breakfast bundle box). Always require completing your email sign-up page as a condition to participate in the giveaway.
Tip #6: Market Exclusive Farm Offers in your Newsletter
The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is a powerful emotional draw that encourages current and prospective Buyers to sign-up for your email list (in exchange for a perk). Build FOMO by communicating that email subscribers will receive rewards like exclusive discounts, early access to new products or be the first ones to pre-order popular items. Prior to harvest dates, share on your social media or a banner on your website or store, encouraging sign-ups for first access to products or exclusive items.
Share behind-the-scenes photos from prior activities, festivities or events (e.g., Farm-to-Table dinners) in your marketing emails to help build a personal relationship with subscribers. Add videos of Farm chores that may not have been featured on your Social Media, include personal stories, product updates and “In the daily life of a Farmer” to foster a strong sense of community and connection. You can entice Social Media followers or website visitors by including a CTA of “sign up for our email list for exclusive offers and to learn more about the Farm!”.
Engage subscribers with interactive content like surveys, polls, meme challenges or Q&A sections in your newsletters. This will make them feel more involved in your Farm and help you gather valuable feedback. This may also help you craft engaging content to share in your emails and on Social Media. Always point to your store through product links and buttons to help convert readers to shoppers. Your main goal is to encourage sales while building a relationship with Buyers, so emails should feel personal and easy to navigate.
Conclusion
Email marketing is a crucial asset for independent Farmers looking to build a loyal, engaged customer base. Unlike Social Media, your Farm newsletters can be personalized, segmented and link directly to your store or individual products. Be sure to encourage email sign-ups across all channels, from in-person to online avenues. This will help you attract more Buyers and foster stronger relationships.
Your content should be engaging and interesting for email subscribers, and always include links that lead them to your store. As you build a personal relationship with your subscribers, you can expect email subscribers to purchase more often from your store with exclusive offers and access to new products. Email is one of the most powerful sales tools for many Farmers, provided you are committed to providing interesting content, encouraging sign-ups and linking to your store.
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