What are “Routes to Purchase” and Why Do They Lead to More Sales?
Setting up shop at a Farmer’s Market is a classic “route to purchase.”
A “route to purchase” is a means for customers to:
Discover your product.
Trust it or like it enough to purchase.
Of course, there are a number of ways to put your Farm business “out there” to be seen by your target customers. The important question to consider, however, is which routes will be the most direct, accessible paths for buyers. And, of course, what is cost-effective. Let’s review what you need to know.
THE NUMBERS
Whereas maybe 100 unique people may view the advertisement you placed in your church’s newsletter this month, an advertisement placed through your Instagram page has an entirely different scale of possibility—we’re talking anywhere from hundreds to thousands of views in just a week’s time. Additionally, those 100 people from your church may need to go through several steps before getting to know your inventory and placing an order.
While it can be intimidating to adapt new business strategies, there is a huge opportunity for your Farm online. Customers find it difficult to discover your products, get to know your Farm, and purchase from you with ease. If you are interested in growing your Farm business, increasing your orders, and saving time along the way, you need to create digital routes to purchase. You’ve got to make it convenient and easy for customers to find and buy from your Farm.
YOUR FARM WEBSITE
Your Farm website is your greatest digital asset when it comes to your routes to purchase. Your social media profiles will be linked back to your website, after all. Your Farm will benefit from having a simple, user-friendly website where customers can purchase with ease. What do we mean by user-friendly? There are a number of common website mistakes we see Farmers make. It’s imperative that your website is pleasing to the eye, the navigation is intuitive, and customers can view your inventory to make a purchasing decision on the spot.
A major blocker for selling to retail or wholesale customers is the lack of visibility. Buyers need to be able to view your inventory to make informed purchasing decisions on the spot. With 8 out of 10 US adults ordering online every month, the expectation is that your Farm will offer the same, and that the customer can select pickup or delivery options right then and there. This is why we recommend a solution that allows your Farm to sell, capture customer details, track orders, and send order reminders all in one place.
Barn2Door builds and delivers Farm-specific technology to accommodate each Farmer’s individualized needs, and we have new product features in development at all times. We are incredibly responsive to the Farmers we serve across the US. Our goal is to make it easier for your Farm to succeed in feeding your local community. Your custom-designed Farm website is step one.
ADVERTISING OPTIONS
To “advertise” is to effectively communicate what you are selling. Every business hopes their advertisements are successful in garnering attention and interest from potential customers. Traditional, “offline” routes to purchase include overt, personal advertising methods like setting up a Farmstand on the side of the road and hoping for enough customers to pass by, see your sign, and stop. You might also participate in a Farmers Market or you may have a listing in your town’s paper suggesting people in the community stop by at a certain time each week to buy from you.
You have plenty of advertising options, and each method is a potential “route to purchase.” The question, again, is—what are the most direct routes? Not only cost-effective, but also time-efficient.
Many discover purchasing options through targeted ads on social media.
Consider the following:
What are the chances my target customer will see my advertisement?
Am I offering convenience for my customers?
Am I spending too much time or money on a particular activity?
Is my advertisement achieving a worthwhile payoff?
The trouble with setting up a Farmstand is that your time is valuable. You don’t have endless time to coordinate logistics and manpower to be physically present at every location where you might accumulate high foot traffic. There are more creative ways to advertise your Farm and meet your sales goals. If you want to save time and money, you’ll want to invest in the most efficient routes to purchase available to you—they are all online! Think about which of your advertising activities are providing the most customers with the most convenient purchasing options.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Plenty of our Farmers have asked us about the importance of using social media to promote their business. We know you are busy so we’ll be direct in saying that you do not have to be everything to all people. It’s better to use just a couple of social platforms—we recommend Facebook and Instagram—to develop consistency and quality with the content you post there. It’s truly easier than you think to develop a clear marketing strategy. Remember, the goal is to save time and increase sales. That’s the exact reason why it’s important to spend some time promoting your Farm on social media.
Facebook and Instagram can provide a high payoff for Farmers who use them to place targeted advertisements and provide clear calls to action to “shop now” online. If you’d like to learn more about doing this for your Farm, schedule a time to speak with one of our team members today. We walk you through step-by-step how to get started advertising your Farm on social media (we’ll even help you run your first ad and target your local audience). These types of targeted social ads increase your visibility and help you find your customers. As far as user demographics go, Facebook and Instagram incur the highest usage rates among those shoppers who are inclined to buy local, organic food and to look to do so online (in other words, your ideal customers!).
While building a following on any social media outlet takes time, these channels are obvious, high potential routes to prospective customers. These channels also increase awareness and convenience for your existing, loyal customers who may share and amplify your Farm brand with their followers. A Farmstand or phonebook listing may capture a few people each day, but there are no limits to how many people could find you through social platforms. Social media is a true asset to your Farm’s marketing, increasing brand awareness and driving Farm sales.
Was this helpful? Would you like to streamline your next steps? Let us know if you have a need for additional resources. We are dedicated to providing your Farm with the technology and support you need.