Checklist for your Farm’s Go-to-Market Strategy
It is important to reevaluate the Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy for your Farm year-over-year. Many Farms are eager to increase sales, access more customers and save time, while achieving their growth goals in the new year. When determining how you plan to run your business this year, consider products, software and innovations that will make operations and sales streamlined.
Barn2Door offers numerous features to support Farms looking to elevate their business this year. Whether you have a generational Farm, or your Farm is just getting started, check these best practices off your list when planning your Go-to-Market strategy:
Organized Schedules
Inventory Sync
Product Pre-Sales
POS for Farmers
Online Presence
Schedules
Your Farm must run on a schedule. From planting to deliveries, your entire operation runs on a cadence. Having clear dates and times for your own business operations, and to meet Buyer expectations, is crucial.
Barn2Door helps your Farm set up personalized schedules for your product Pick-ups and Deliveries. No matter your needs, a schedule can be created to accommodate every situation. Scheduling works across all Buyer types (retail, wholesale and private), as well as multiple fulfillment options (delivery, pick-ups, shipping).
You can blacklist dates to avoid Delivery/Pick-Up scheduling (e.g. major holidays, or when you are on vacation). This provides flexibility for your Farm, and ensures Buyers can trust your business, since you can finetune schedules. The platform also enables you to employ Order cutoff times. If you offer Farmer’s Market pick-ups, you do not want someone ordering a Farm box 15 minutes before you leave, expecting to receive it at your stand. Cutoff times allow you to easily block out orders after a certain time, so there is no confusion for Buyers or last-minute fulfillments for your Farm.
Read: Farm Order Schedules
Barn2Door automates email reminders for upcoming fulfillments, too. You do not have to do any extra work to remind your Buyers of an upcoming pick-up or delivery, and they will still be kept in the know.
Inventory
Maintaining an attractive inventory is important for Buyer retention and to entice new customers. Offer a variety of product types and options, including a range of One-Time-Purchases, Subscriptions, Pre-Orders, Bundles and Deposits. Ensure that product listings are clear and concise, so Buyers are not confused or overwhelmed. Simple product descriptions - including size, cut, practices, recipes and flavor - will provide any and all information Buyers may need to make a purchase (encouraging self-service transactions).
Running a Farm store online and in-person may sound like a big undertaking. Maintaining schedules, quantities, Buyer types and fulfillment dates across various platforms is a feat. However, Barn2Door has created a point-of-sale (POS) system to automatically sync these details - online, and in-person. With the Barn2Door POS, you never need to manually update product quantities after an order. Input your pick quantities and allow the software to maintain accurate numbers.
You can also pin items to the top of your store. Like a corkboard, you can pin important items to the top of the screen to catch the attention of Buyers. Studies show that products on the first page of your store get at least 80% of all the clicks, while the first 3 listings account for at least 60% of all purchases. Pre-orders, bundles and popular items can all be pinned to ensure Buyers are not missing out on certain products, and you are not losing sales.
Pre-Sales
Pre-Selling Farm products will secure cash flow for your Farm ahead of harvest. This allows you to plan packaging, production and fulfillments in advance, with orders already secured. Marketing products for Pre-Order will create ‘hype’ around your store, and Buyers will feel FOMO (the fear of missing out) on your goods that may sell out before harvest. Having cash in advance will allow you to invest in your business, whether that is equipment, high-quality products or Farm labor.
Some grow hesitant to Pre-Sell products, because there may not be security in the amount of goods you can produce. However, you know your Farm better than anyone, and its production year after year. When Pre-Selling bundles and cuts, you can partner with other local Farms and businesses. If you are lacking product when fulfillment time comes around, you can acquire product from other businesses to please Buyers, and build relationships in your community.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are expected by Buyers. In fact, among all the sales through the Barn2Door platform (1000s+), our most Successful Farmers earn 80%+ of the income with Subscriptions. Buyers want the convenience of making one click to receive Farm products for months to come. This gives you the opportunity to plan ahead, bundle high-value and lower selling products together and secure recurring cash flow.
Planning bundles in advance will save you time, allowing you to strategize the package sizing, and product mix. Offering a Farmer’s Choice box (with all products selected by you), will eliminate decision fatigue for customers, while allowing you to push products you want to sell. Many subscriptions are offered at a discounted price when purchased up-front, while others can be paid monthly.
POS
Barn2Door released a POS system built for Farmers in early 2023. This system streamlines and syncs in-person transactions (e.g. Farmer’s Markets) with your Farm’s online store. Through a single merchant account for your Farm, all Buyers, transactions, and inventory can be accessed, and automatically updates with every purchase, saving you time and a headache.
Many Farms serve wholesale, retail and private Buyers. It is important to have a system that recognizes and supports every Buyer type you may serve. Barn2Door’s POS allows you to fulfill purchases from any Buyer type that makes a purchase from your Farm. If pricing and unit sizes differ between various types of customers, you are able to easily select the Buyer type to access those details.
Buyers use an array of payment methods online and in-person. At Farmer’s Markets, you want to ensure that you are not missing out on the majority of Buyers who will want to pay with a credit or debit card. The POS system allows for tap, swipe, or insert payments. Mobile wallets (Apple Pay and Google Pay) are also accepted, for Buyers who forgot their wallet or find it more convenient. (Did you know 37% of all Buyers prefer to use a Mobile wallet?
POS also acts as a cash register, calculating change needed with physical money transactions. Checks may also be accepted through entering details into the system. For credit/debit processing charges, you may employ a tip option on purchases. Many successful Farms label the tip section as “Support Local” or “Cover Fees”. This saves your Farm money, and gives Buyers the opportunity to show your business the support it deserves.
You can easily switch between selling products by weight, or on a fixed price by toggling between options on the Barn2Door POS. This gives you flexibility to accept payments on products as you see fit. Barn2Door’s POS system gives you customization to run your business in a way that specifically works for your Farm. Features have been built for Farmers, to ensure the intricate needs of your business are met.
Online Presence
Building an online store for your Farm will help you increase product sales, access more Buyers, and save time with around the clock service for your customers. Without an online store you may be missing out on Buyers in your area who are busy, older, or simply want more convenience. We have found that 3 in 5 Americans now regularly purchase groceries online. That means that without an online store, you could neglect the majority of Buyers in your area. Barn2Door builds Farmers a store that is tailored to their products. Customize your fulfillment types/dates, cuts, weights and other specialized items, unlike other eCommerce solutions.
Your online presence may be the first impression Buyers have of your Farm business. You want to ensure your values, products, and practices are easily understood from your online profiles. It is also imperative that there is easy access to your online store, so you do not miss any potential orders. Barn2Door designers work alongside Farms to build out branded websites to reflect your voice and vision. These sites link to your Farm’s online store, social profiles, and share photos of your choice. This allows Buyers to learn more about your Farm, and have easy access to securing a purchase.
Another first impression of your brand is your Farm logo. Your logo can say a lot about your Farm - your practices, products and location. We are surrounded by branded products, and we are more drawn to those that feature logos we know and trust. There are solutions that build simplified logos with little input, not taking Farm specifics into account. Our design team has worked with thousands of Farmers, with different products, in various states. Working with a team that understands the industry is crucial. Your logo can then be featured on digital and physical assets, such as your website, flyers, and delivery trucks.
Read: Farm Logo Design Guide
Your brand as a whole will communicate your business to Buyers. Elements of your brand will include your social media profiles, your website and your products. However, your communication and consistency with Buyers will also demonstrate your brand. Maintaining consistent messaging in your captions and emails, being personable and professional, will form trust with your Buyers. They will know what to expect from your brand, and you will have a baseline for how to center communications with customers.
Conclusion
Your Go-to-market strategy for your Farm will either ensure sales and streamline operations, or cause a headache. This checklist lays out features and products that will save you time, and increase profits. Schedules for fulfillments, Inventory sync, product Pre-Sales, convenient Subscriptions, POS for Farmers and an online presence will bring your Farm success.
At Barn2Door, our team is honored to serve 1000s+ Farms across the country, and we have the software and data to help your Farm excel this year. To learn more about the services we offer, watch this 5-min video.