Ronda Payne
There is more distance between most Canadians and the source of their food than ever before. People live in urban centres, shop in mega-groceries and are three, four, or more generations away from farming. While there is a consumer movement to get to know farmers better and understand where food comes from, farmers have a role to play in this education and it comes in the form of their own marketing – specifically a website.
Marketing. Social Media. Creating a website. These can seem like scary, overwhelming tasks for people who already have too much to do. But, it can be manageable. Take it in bite-sized pieces, look to others for help and think about who your customers are.
Why a Website?
Consider how people shop, research and learn about their food. Most everything is done online. Having a website is essential and it must be mobile-friendly, meaning, it can be viewed on a cell phone.
Imagine a family attending a baseball tournament in another city. They’ve heard about the organic berry grower there, but can’t remember where it is. What will they do? Pull out a phone and look it up.
A grower’s site can be quite basic; just a few pages can deliver all the information needed if done correctly. Growers who have their products distributed will speak to their distributors (or potential distributors) differently than to consumers.
Websites also give the grower complete control of what goes on the site and provide a hub for all online activity.
How to Build Your Site
For most growers, website creation is the biggest hurdle. Growers grow – they don’t tend to be technology wizards. Good thing there are lots of people and companies willing to help create a professional looking site. You can ask your kids, friends or neighbours, or check out some easy templates from Wordpress or GoDaddy. Many entrepreneurial designers love and specialize in building websites
No matter what option is selected, ensure the site can be updated easily.
Remember, It’s that old 80/20 rule in that 80% of the people viewing a grower’s site will be consumers, so it should be built for them. A single page or section on the contact page can start the dialogue with distributors.
Home Page – The first page people see. Use good photos and write it for your customers. Let them know they can get what they need, give them a sense of trust and help show an understanding of their problem and the solution (like what to do with apricots).
Your Product Page – A page dedicated to you products where to buy them, pricing and other details. People love pictures, so try to include photos.
About Page – All about the grower (you) and your business. Include your story, how you got started and why you do what you do. This is the stuff most growers think is boring is exactly what people want to know.
Contact Page – Phone number, address, email and any other ways to connect. Include some personality here. Throw in appreciation for the customer’s interest in the site, products and farm or orchard.
Language Counts
A great website uses the customer’s language. Not the language they speak, but the various words they use when thinking about a problem or issue.
Consider the anecdote where the young stove salesperson told the female shopper that the inside of the oven was 6.1 cubic feet. She looks at him blankly until a more experienced salesperson tells her the stove is big enough to fit a turkey on the top rack leaving the bottom rack in for parsnips and warming the pie.
Know how a customer speaks and use that language with them. If this is a challenge, consider hiring a professional writer. Ask a friend or professional to do a final spell check for you.
What Customers Care About
Chances are, customers looking to find out more about a grower have some of the same interests as that grower. Generally, these people value homegrown, good food, the environment, serving the best food for their family, local, nutrition and honesty.
Understand why these things are important and speaking to them becomes much easier.
What’s Up with Social Media?
There are options galore when it comes to social media. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram what the heck does it all mean? It comes down to finding out where customers are and using the right tools to engage and possibly take them to the website for more information.
Twitter and Facebook are the most well-known. Others may be interesting, but ultimately, it comes down to doing what works for the customer and continuing to use it on a regular basis. Start with just one or two. Don’t take on too much and ensure there are buttons to “follow” or “connect” through those tools on the website.
Farmers and Growers Matter
People who are interested in buying food from their local growers want to know what drives those growers. For the grower, telling their story is the most important thing they can do to appeal to customers. Growers and farmers who share what they are passionate about with the rest of the world will help both the local food system and their own business. ■
In addition to being a regular contributor to Orchard & Vine Magazine, Ronda Payne occasionally speaks about marketing to farmers and other groups. Before becoming a freelance writer, Ronda spent more than 15 years as a marketing expert in various industries. Contact her at ronda@eybenconnected.com or visit http://girlwithapen.ca/