LANCASTER, Ohio – Donna Bowman, of Lancaster, worked on her uncle’s farm east of the city since 1995. At her insistence, she was given the OK to have a small vegetable stand at the roadside in front of the farm. By 2005, that operation grew enormously to accommodate her increasing customer base.

With that business firmly in place, Bowman decided to expand and take her produce (much of it exotic) to Findlay Market on Race Street in Cincinnati. A rather pricey venture, but still very profitable. Bowman has repeat customers in Cincinnati, too.

“A farm marketing plan starts with a simple list of all of the products and services you currently offer or want to offer in the future,” Bowman said. “A successful plan can help expand your customer base and lead to additional revenue. I have repeat customers both at my uncle’s 35-acre farm and at the market in Cincinnati. Offer your customer a good product and you will have an abundance of repeat customers.”

Bowman credits her success to friendly service, attention-getting signage and a variety of produce to choose from.

Charlotte Smith, of St. Paul, Ore., is a marketing and mindset coach for farmers. Her primary focus is teaching farm marketing and developing marketing strategies for farmers. Smith conducts her “3 Cow Marketing” course online for farmers and holds seminars across her state. Smith has proven ways to make farming profitable with good marketing strategies.

“I grew up in the 80s and my father went bankrupt farming,” Smith said. “I watched him lose everything over a four-year period.”

When it came time for Smith to do farming on her own, she sold her event planning business and bought her first farm. She credits much of her success to online marketing but used many marketing techniques as well.

“I took my marketing skills from one business and applied it to my own farm,” said Smith, who authored the book Farm Marketing from the Heart.

According to a recent USDA study, 80 percent of new farms fail within the first two years, and 98 percent fail in the first five years.

“Marketing is not just about being big or loud, or getting people to find you. It’s about giving to others and building relationships with your customers,” Smith said. “Farmers should remember that marketing is the lifeline of their business and it’s a farmer’s business to learn it.

Farmers need loyal, consistent customers. These customers pay your price without question, and they come back to buy from you and you don’t have to worry about the competition.”

Similarly, Sara Bewley helps farmers with communication as well. Bewley raises Angora goats and sheep in Killbuck, Ohio. She owns a marketing services agency called Hill Shepherd Marketing Group. Bewley has strong advice for farmers – market your product.

While Smith and Bewley are specialists in farm marketing, they have their own preferences when it comes to marketing. But there are similarities among these pros when it comes to successful farm marketing.

Shelly Detwiler, a grower of a highly successful U-Pick operation in Plain City, Ohio, discussed creating marketing at March at the Small Farm Conference in Mansfield, Ohio. Detwiler shared her marketing strategies and techniques with attendees of this event, explaining the many marketing techniques open to them.

There are a multitude of farm marketing strategies out there and there are seven that are consensus among this foursome.

· Identify your farm’s market. Do women or men buy more frequently from you? Are your customers young, middle-aged or retired? Do they belong to a certain ethnic group? Do they tend to be of a certain income level? Do they live in a particular area or are they geographically dispersed?

· Set your farm apart. Why should one buy from your farm instead of someone else’s farm? What unique benefits does your farm offer? Freshness, quality, personal service, rarity – these can be part of your unique selling proposition.

· Create a farm logo. Your farm’s logo can be something as simple as your farm name in a distinctive font, or it can be more intricate and include illustrated elements that pertain to your product or farm name. A logo should project a business image based on your goals and objectives. A logo can be incorporated when expanding your marketing efforts into packaging, signage or even letterheads. Perhaps enlist the help of a professional graphic designer.

· Launch a website. Today’s farmer needs to be technologically savvy and an effective farm marketing plan includes having a website. Whether you use your site as a static farm brochure to get your name out or actually sell products online, a website can help take your marketing to the next level without a huge investment. Need help? There are plenty of web designers out there to lend a hand. They can help you with a page layout that includes photos, text and color.

· Join farm associations. Association membership can also be a cost-effective way to market your farm and its products. Being a member in the society puts your farm out there in front of all the other producers.

· Attend farm-related events. Be it festivals, farmers’ markets, seminars, demonstrations or farm open houses, events provide you with an excellent opportunity to market your products in a hands-on environment. Just as some buyers aren’t comfortable buying from catalogs, some of your customers are likely to want one-on-one contact with you and your products or animals before making a purchase decision.

· Begin advertising. Display ads in a glossy magazine might not be within your budget, but there other good avenues. Show programs and newsletters can provide cost-effective advertising opportunities. Always be sure to include your farm name, phone number and your website address in any advertising you do. If you have room, include your logo.

· Provide good customer service. Good customer service doesn’t cost any more to deliver than bad customer service, but bad customer service can literally cost you your business. Small efforts can make a big difference.

· Establish a marketing budget and calendar. In the startup years, a farm marketing budget might be 5-10 percent of one’s gross sales figure, but as time goes on and word-of-mouth begins to work the marketing budget might drop 2-3 percent of gross sales. Creating a marketing budget and calendar is a good way to set goals and keep yourself on track.

· Evaluate your success. Ask yourself questions like: Did I sell more? Did I make a larger profit? Did my farm products sell more quickly? Did I retain more customers? Did I get new customers? Were my existing customers more satisfied? Was my job easier and more fun?

“Over time, as my business matured, I expanded my marketing horizons in areas of product packaging, press releases and signage for my farm store and show booth,” Bowman said. “There is always a continuing stream of marketing possibilities to consider.”