Planning for success
Any new venture needs a plan. But, for many farmers, the move towards processing and selling food direct from the farm is a whole new world. There are both physical and intellectual elements to consider when thinking about how you will attract customers looking for local food.
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Not only does it mean having to invest in new equipment, it involves developing products and learning how to make them appeal to the people you want to sell to. No matter how passionate you may be about what you do and what you produce, customers need to clearly understand your proposition.
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So before you rush out and start altering farm buildings, or buying equipment, it's important to establish what you really want to get from your new venture and how you will make sure others buy into your vision.
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Produce & Provide can help you to shape your ideas into a plan that will deliver what you want and need.
Branding your food and your farm
A brand is often defined as a person's perception of a product, or the business that is selling it and creating the right perception is key to the success of any direct selling venture.
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A brand is not a logo, a product, or an identity. Brands are about feelings. so you need to think hard about not just the product your are selling but the story and values behind your brand too. Your brand is often the first thing people will see and it is essential it makes them want to know more.
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People who want to find local food will want an assurance about who you are, the way you farm and the provenance and quality of the food you offer. A great brand should encapsulate this.
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You need to think about the things you have that will appeal to customers who are curious to know more about the food you produce. Produce & Provide can help you to create intellectual property from those things in your farm and your family and develop a clear and desirable brand that communicates your values to your customers.
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Building your new venture
Putting your plan into action brings many challenges, all of which can be overcome if you have set out a clear plan and can find the right people to help you bring it to life.
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You will need to find the right way to put the food you produce into the hands of people trying to find local food, making it convenient and easy for them to buy. Produce & Provide is collaborating with suppliers of equipment and technical advice to offer a complete service that will help you build your ideas into a successful business.
You will also need to consider how you will drive things forward once the venture is up and running and who will take ownership of it. We will work as an extra member of your team to make sure everyone involved is working towards the same goals.
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Marketing to win and keep customers
Once you have got your new venture up and running, you still need to work hard to make sure it flourishes and grows. Marketing what you produce is an ongoing job and you will need to make sure you always have a visible presence, through various channels, to make sure people continue to choose your products over others.
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It is often said that people don't buy what you do, they buy what you believe. Marketing is key to building a relationship with your audience and winning their loyalty and customer engagement is at the heart of any successful business.
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Attracting customers who want to find local food and keeping them, means building a relationship with them that gives them a strong sense of connection to you and your farm.
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Produce & Provide can help make sure you stay in touch with your customers by creating stories about you, your farm and your family. We can help with building and running your social media, website development and getting your latest news into local press. We can also help to organise events on farm and plan promotional campaigns.
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