On a recent farm marketing tour a group of growers were able
to experience the gamut of retail farm marketing from large corporations that
incorporate small market aesthetics to small markets making full use of the
mobile and internet tools available to them.
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| Giant Eagle's apple display signage |
One large corporation, Giant Eagle Market District in
Pittsburgh, is taking marketing back to its roots. Utilizing hand-painted signage and displays
that look like I could put them together in my garage, they were able to take
what sounds like a rustic set-up and make it eye-catching and even beautiful.
Their store displayed a large variety of national brands, local produce, and
locally made value added products such as baked goods and sauces all in one
convenient location for the consumer. Cues can be taken from their
straightforward signage and grouped display stations that dominated the store,
making it easily navigable for customers.
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| Peach display at Giant Eagle. Notice the inclusion of pie-baking supplies. |
On the flip side we visited a
family farm, Covered Bridge Gardens, in Ohio who is utilizing cutting edge
technology to get the word out to their CSA and farmers’ market customers. In
addition to their slick looking website linking their Facebook page, blog, and e-commerce
site, the farm is in the initial development stages of an app for smartphones. This app will alert their CSA customers to
surplus produce or changes in their pickup schedules. It will help customers find them at area
farmers markets, link to their online store on their website and make every
part of their business literally available at their finger tips. With the trend of smartphone users to utilize
their devices more for social media and web surfing rather than for simple
calling, transitioning to an app is a logical method for Covered Bridge Gardens
to reach their customers in the way that is most convenient for both parties.
In discussion after our groups visit to Covered Bridge
Gardens, a tour attendee brought up a good point. If you are unable to be lucky enough or
willing to pay the money for the development of your own farm app, a great way
to replicate some of the functions is through the use of QR codes. Many area markets are starting to add these
codes to their value added product labels, door stickers and the backs of their
business cards. When incorporated
correctly, meaning printed in a clear and easy to identify fashion, these codes
can be used as another quick methods to direct customers to your website. Especially useful if your site offers an
e-commerce shopping section allowing customers to make purchases directly on
the web. Just think if you pick up a jar of your favorite spicy gooseberry
jelly at a market while traveling and was savoring the last bits at the bottom
of the jar. Wouldn’t it be nice to scan
a quick code from the back of that jar with your phone as you savored your last
mouthful and be instantly directed to a site where you could order more? I think this sounds downright delightful, and
delicious!
For more information on QR codes, straightforward signage and
displays for your market, or technology based marketing options for your
business check out the Ag Entrepreneurship Team’s past blog posts. Here are a few of my favorites:
This post comes from the newest member of Penn State Extension's Ag Entrepreneurship Team, Carla Snyder. Carla is the Ag Entrepreneurship/Marketing educator in Adams County, PA.
