Small Farm Natio‪n‬ Tim Young: SmallFarmNation.com

smallfarmnation.com So it’s December and we’re winding down the farm season. While that means we have fewer chores to do, we still have farm chores, right? Frozen water troughs, hay that’s gotta be dished out, pigs still need to be fed and so on.



But the chore load is definitely reduced this time of year, and that’s a good thing. Because we need to rejuvenate, celebrate the season and recharge our batteries. No doubt about it. So what can we do on these frigid winter days to drive our farm businesses forward. I suspect many of you are looking at seed and hatchery catalogs, or even working on planting calendars.



But we also need to take advantage of this time to focus on one of the most strategically important areas of our business—of any business. And that is marketing.



In this episode I'll walk you through 7 Farm Marketing tasks you can perform this winter to get your farm in great shape for next year.

Free farm marketing training at smallfarmnation.com We all know that sustainably produced food is more expensive than supermarket food, so how do we explain that when challenged?



This week I want to discuss a challenge that many small farmers face.  It’s one that they seem to all dread and it puts them on the defensive.



It’s the whole issue of defending why their products cost so much. Or, at least seems to cost so much.



Now, this is a real issue for many of us, so it’s not one we should run from. We need to be prepared to face this head on, and the better you get at this, the more it will become a non-issue.



Why is that?



Because, as your skill improves at conveying value, that skill will permeate all aspects of your marketing.



Your blog posts, your social media updates, what you say on your website and in your email marketing.



You’ll become proficient at conveying value and focusing on benefits, rather than being defensive.



Before we dive in, I want you to understand something.



The Dollar Store shopper isn’t your farm's customer. Or at least not for most of you. You’re not running blue light specials.



I want you to understand that price objection is a good sign because it’s usually a buying signal.



The prospective customer wants to buy but needs to rationalize this objection.



And it’s your job to help them do just that.



And in this episode, I explain how to do that.

smallfarmnation.com

One of the challenges I hear most often expressed from small farmers (really any small business, actually), is how difficult it is to create an email list of potential customers. In this episode, we'll discuss three keys to putting your list-building efforts on autopilot so you can grow your email list.

smallfarmnation.com Okay, so it’s strategy week here on the Small Farm Nation podcast. And nothing says “strategy” more than business planning, so that’s the focus this week. Now, the first thing you're told to do when starting a business is to write a business plan. But should you? Do traditional business plans help? Or is there a better way.

Yes, there is a better way, and in this episode I'll walk you through how to create an actionable one-page business plan.

smallfarmnation.com What do most people think of when they think of branding? They think of logos. In fact, many people think that their logo is their brand. And you can’t have a great brand without a super cool logo design, can you? Today, I’m gonna tell you the mistakes you’re making with your farm logo design and what you really should be doing, instead.

smallfarmnation.com What can you do if you have a business but you’re not a natural entrepreneur? Today, I’m gonna show you how to stop working ON your business rather than being a slave to it so you can avoid burnout and realize your entrepreneurial dreams. And I've got a special, awesome download to help you do just that.