Product Promotion
How to Promote Your Local Farmers’ Market
Local farmers and organic food companies sell their produce and products at farmers’ markets.
But…
A farmers’ market, just like any other business, requires proper marketing to lure buyers. Ranging from online tools to involvement of the local community, the markets can attract families and individuals in many ways.
People looking to eat locally-produced, healthy foods make up prospective buyers for the markets.
The United States of America had only 1,755 known farmers in 1994. The figure grew to 8,760 farmers by 2018. With an increasing number of farmers in the nation, people want to buy more from farmers’ markets; hence they’re thriving.
Ranging from fudge makers to bakers to artisanal jam makers, the markets have allowed food entrepreneurs to launch and sell their products.
Websites such as Etsy and Amazon make it easy to e-tail food products. However, the power of word-of-mouth of farmers’ markets can’t be overlooked.
Use both online (social media such as Facebook and Twitter) and offline (hosting booths) marketing methods to promote your local farmers’ market. With the viral promotion, social media has seen many small food businesses achieve significant growth and success.
Here’re seven ways to promote your local farmer’s market:
Top 7 Techniques for Marketing Your Farmers’ Market
- Create a social networking page
Develop a social page for networking on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to promote your farmer’s market. Post photos of previous fairs or farmers’ markets to give prospects an idea of what the event would be like.
Create articles on the market, upcoming dates, vendors that sell there, and the types of foods to expect and post them regularly.
For example, if you’re selling vegetables, provide simple recipes. And, request your followers to offer feedback on their experience at previous markets and suggest the types of foods they’d want to be offered at the market.
- Live to stream
Go live on social media to give prospective clients an authentic glimpse into your business. New features on Instagram and Facebook have made it easy to go live.
After Facebook launched the “Facebook Live” feature in 2016, live video feed has become a popular business marketing tool. With a streaming live video service, you can broadcast from any device connected to the internet directly to your Facebook Newsfeed.
Use the live video tool to capture the attention of your audience or followers from your office or home. You have the potential to reach millions of prospects worldwide, coming to your Facebook page as first-time visitors.
Unlike video posts, Facebook Live creates thrice more engagement.
- Spread the word through social shares
Show everyone that you’re ready for business despite your experience hosting a farmers market. Re-share your local events or promotional materials for your upcoming farmers market on Twitter and Facebook.
You can also partner with the official Facebook page for the farmers market to advertise your booth. Request your customers to re-share your previously-posted online promotion for a discounted offer.
You’ll drive online views and promote your food business.
- Use compelling stories
Micro-storytelling is handy if you aren’t comfortable doing a live video. With this feature, you can share disappearing images with your followers, the public, or specific individuals in your friend’s list.
It gives you the opportunity to showcase your business to potential customers for what differentiates it from other markets or businesses.
- Send out emails or text messages and organize friendly games
Use email offers, text messages, or updates to promote your booth. Encourage customers to visit your farmer’s market using quick location or sale notification updates.
You can also host friendly games and invite your friends, neighbors, and family to enjoy a few meals of the foods you offer. Ask them to invite their friends of friends and use the platform to promote your farmer’s market.
As an example, you can hire a shuffleboard table to have lots of fun playing with your family and friends. Promote your farmer’s market through the gathering.
- Develop a community partnership
Partner with local businesses to promote your booth at the farmers market. Reach out to natural or organic restaurants to find out if they’d like to set up booths or offer samples at the upcoming produce market.
Search for holiday fairs and food drives in your community to rent a booth for selling food or giving out samples.
- Develop a customer system and provide mobile payments
Use your mobile phone or iPad to collect information about your customers. You’ll need the contacts of your clients to send them updates through text messages or notify them of your business social media pages.
Set up your smartphone or iPad and put it on display to enable customers to join your texting or email list instantly. Take advantage of the opportunity to display your social media accounts and encourage your customers to follow your business.
With PayPal and Square, you can also turn your mobile device or iPad into a mobile payment system.