AND How much should you spend? It is con- sidered good business in to spend 2 to 3 percent of gross sales for advertising. A 1985 survey of direct farm by Douglas Dunn1 marketers in the mid-Atlantic states showed that producers spent an average of 3 percent of sales on advertising. You may find you cannot afford to do as much advertising as you would like. Therefore, it is important to set priorities. A scattered shotgun approach with limited funds usu- ally ends up with poor results. It is impor- tant to plan your advertising program, ou may have the finest product otherwise you may fritter away your hard and the most attractive prices, earned dollars. Know your targeted cus- Ybut if potential customers don’t tomers and direct your appeals to them. know about your business, your chances Be honest and factual. of success are limited. Advertising and promotion refer to activities undertaken On-farm and roadside markets with that to increase sales or enhance the image “something special” usually build their of a product or business. Advertising is merchandising program around a distin- used primarily to inform the potential guishing trademark—a unique sign, dis- customer of (1) the availability of prod- play, atmosphere or building design. Ad- ucts or services, (2) when they are in vertising is easier to remember and more season, (3) where you are located and appealing when backed up by a unique, (4) anything special about your product. easily illustratable business name or slo- Promotional activities are important for gan that clearly and concisely states the maintaining customer traffic throughout nature of the business and/or the prin- the market season—used early in the ciple products sold, e.g., WILBER’S WA- season to draw customers to your busi- TERMELONS, APPLE ANNE’S—Fruit, ness and during the season to maintain Cider, Bakery Goods, RATZLAFF’S customer traffic levels during slow peri- CHEMICAL FREE PRODUCE. Avoid ods. creative names that may serve to con- fuse your potential customer. Many suc- Unfortunately, the benefits of advertising cessful on-farm businesses carry the and promotion for direct farm marketers owner’s name, creating a more intimate have yet to be consistently demonstrated. and sincere relationship with the con- Promotion of farm products appears to sumer. be effective in some cases, but not in others. The potential for successful In the summer of 1993, a survey was advertising and promotion is increased undertaken of the fresh farm produce when products are clearly differentiated, outlets in Cochise County, Arizona. Visi- are of exceptionally high quality, are very tors were asked how they learned about seasonal in nature or are new offerings. the direct farm market they were patron- Research conducted on direct farm mar- izing. A similar survey was completed in keting indicates that advertising, with Michigan. The results, summarized as emphasis on product freshness and qual- follows, give some indication of the effec- ity, is more likely to move produce than tiveness of different promotional activi- price cutting. ties.

Advertising and Promotion 1995 1 How did you learn about this fresh farm outlet? • Recipes and cooking ideas. Arizona Michigan • How to get to other farm outlets and community points of inter- Word-of-mouth; from friends or family 45.4% 51% est. Newspaper articles 14.6% n.a. Roadside signs 10.6% 21% Build repeat customers through Media advertising 9.3% 10% customer satisfaction. Inquire into “Fresh Farm produce” brochure 3.4% n.a. the customer’s needs. Seek sug- Travel information centers n.a. 3% gestions for improvement. If visi- From other producers/businesses 4.2% n.a. tors have a bad experience or don’t find what they were looking Have you seen/heard the following advertisements? for, they not only don’t return, but will also tell others where not to Arizona stop. Roadside signage 68% Newspaper articles 49% Maintain a guest register or ask Newspaper advertising 48% customers to fill out a pre-printed “Fresh Farm Produce” brochure 34% card. Then mail them a postcard Radio advertising 11% or flier at the start of next year’s T.V. coverage 9% season thanking them for their business, indicating when differ- ent produce will be available and Let’s now look at each of these promo- inviting them back. Hopefully they tional activities and how they might be will also bring others. Consider used in your enterprise. To help you having customers register directly evaluate these advertising options, first on to a postcard. Later, print your ask yourself: Why am I considering doing message on the reverse side. This this? What is it suppose to do? What are can save you a lot of time. my goals? Then seek feedback from your customers, particularly new customers, 2. Media coverage as to how they heard about you, to deter- mine which advertising media was most The fresh farm produce outlets in effective. the Willcox, Arizona area have been particularly successful in gen- 1. Word-of-mouth erating and receiving news cover- age in local and regional newspa- What can you do to help your present pers and television. Not only has customers spread the word? Pro- this media coverage been very vide visitors with your business card. effective in promoting the outlets, Include fliers or coupons with each it is free. The direct farm market- purchase and ask your customers to ers in an area should consider pass them on to family and friends. banding together to generate me- Develop and distribute “point of pur- dia . Name (contract with) chase” marketing materials and dis- a publicist to develop media op- plays: portunities and systematically gen- erate positive publicity for the • A “Fresh Farm Produce” buyers’ area’s direct farm marketing out- guide and map (discussed later). lets. This might be done through the local Chamber of Commerce. • Information on “how to” pick, re- Organize a media tour of area duce spoilage, can, freeze, dry outlets. Invite the media to special produce, etc. events.

Advertising and Promotion 1995 2 3. Roadside signs a. Classified ads in the food or for sale sections of the Want Ads of Road side signs are a particularly local and regional newspapers: important information source once The ad should indicate what is travelers are near your business or for sale, when and where. Most event. Road side signs can be hin- direct farm marketers do not ad- drances if they are not done profes- vertise price. sionally and kept well maintained. If signs are unattractive, hard to read, b. Display ads in the entertainment home painted and unkept, your op- or food section or in special eration is likely to start with a bad supplements of regional news- impression. papers: Such ads should be attractively designed and easy The entrance to you business should to read, with a limited number of be clearly marked with a pull-off area words and a good use of white on each side of the road. Your initial space. Incorporate a trademark road sign should, as a rule, be placed or symbol in every ad so that it is at least 2,500 feet from the entrance quickly recognized by your regu- to your business to allow travelers a lar customers. The advertising safe stopping distance. Then place department of the newspaper several advance road signs out from can help you plan a layout. Since your initial sign that state the dis- such ads are more expensive, tance to your business, e.g., JONES’ cooperative funding should be PRODUCE, 2 MILES. Signage explored with other area direct should start from the nearest Inter- farm marketers. A group ad will state or major highway and clearly convey to potential customers direct visitors to your business loca- the wide variety of outlets, pro- tion. duce and experiences available, and assure visitors that they are Roadside signs should contain six likely to get what they want if words or less, with a 1 or 2 word focal they make the trip. point to catch the traveler’s interest. Use 7" to 12" letters and a good c. Radio ads: Due to their higher contrast of colors. The most easily cost, spot announcements on read color combinations are black, the radio must be short and to dark blue, bottle green or scarlet the point, 15 to 30 seconds. More red on white, yellow, orange or frequent short announcements green. It is not always the U are believed to reach more size of the letters that make people than less frequent them readable, but the longer ones. Frequent spot space or margins pick announcements can help around them. Create create name recognition. a simple logo, such as the example provided, that pro- d. Place information articles and/ vides easy recognition. or advertising in area shopping guides, tourist publications, com- 4. Media Advertising pany and special interest news- letters targeted to specific audi- There are a number of options for ences, e.g., Garden Clubs, media advertising. Interviews with health food, retirement commu- direct farm marketers indicate that nities, ethnic food. the most commonly used mediums are: e. Yellow pages listing.

Advertising and Promotion 1995 3 5. Community brochure/buyers’ customers to you. Make referrals. guide Exchange customers. Help visitors find the products they are looking for. Many rural communities have devel- The Cochise County survey found oped an informational brochure or that many visitors were not aware of directory that lists all direct farm mar- the wide diversity of products avail- keters in the area with a description able at other locations. Some re- of the products they offer. Also in- turned home without purchasing cluded is a map of the area with sought-after items. When asked what directions to each outlet and a har- other products or activities they would vest calendar indicating when differ- like to see offered, a significant num- ent fruits and vegetables will be avail- ber of visitors indicated a park/picnic able. Such brochures are often de- area, swimming, horseback riding, a veloped with the aid of the county good place to eat—not knowing that Cooperative Extension office and are those facilities were available in the funded through a subscription of those Willcox community. A community businesses listed. Printing and fi- brochure and map to local restau- nancial aid may also be available rants, museums, motels, retail shops, through a local utility or the state swimming and other recreational fa- Department of Agriculture. Such di- cilities should be available at the farm rectories will be effective, however, outlets. only if they are properly promoted and distributed to prospective cus- 7. Special festivals tomers. The printing cost of the bro- chure is small compared to the cost Agricultural festivals can be effective of promoting the directory, postage in attracting visitors to your commu- for mailing them and travel costs in nity. They can generate additional placing the directory at travel infor- sales if on-site activities are provided mation centers and brochure racks at which bring potential customers in strategic locations. This directory contact with your products. Such on- should also be distributed at the di- site activities might include things rect farm market outlets to assist with like hay rides, pick your own pumpkin referrals and encourage return visi- (or watermelon), menudo cook-off, tors and word-of-mouth promotion. celebrity tomato pitch, watermelon This project might be coordinated by seed spitting contest and farm tours. the local Chamber of Commerce. Unfortunately, the research indicates that limited spending on fresh farm The Willcox community has imple- products occurred at agricultural fes- mented a telephone service which tivals mainly because such products out-of-town customers can call for a (even those that the festival was regularly updated recording indicat- named after) were not widely avail- ing produce availability. The service able. The festival activities often is sponsored through subscriptions interfered with visitors getting to local from the advertised businesses. businesses and on-farm outlets.

6. Referrals 8. Special tours

Make sure that the employees of Field trips and special tours have recreation and tourist facilities, mo- proven effective in bringing people to tels, gasoline stations, restaurants, the area and your business that might campgrounds, the Chamber of Com- not have made it on their own. Such merce and other visitor oriented busi- groups include garden clubs, resi- nesses are aware of your business. dents of retirement communities, eth- These people can help channel more nic clubs, foreign visitors and com-

Advertising and Promotion 1995 4 pany picnics. School tours have been can also be printed on T-shirts, effective in stimulating return visits aprons, hats and bags, for sale, to by the children with their parents in help your customers promote your tow. business.

9. Coupons, special discounts, drawings References

Experience indicates that general dis- “Successful Roadside Marketing”, Coop- counting can be counter productive erative Extension Service, Michigan State in the of farm pro- University. duce. A discounted price suggests lower quality. The use of coupons “A Guide to Successful Direct Market- can, however, help you track the ef- ing”, Texas Agricultural Extension Ser- fectiveness of different advertising vice, Texas A&M University, College Sta- media. In general it is recommended tion, Texas. that discounts be expressed in whole dollars and cents rather than as a “Agricultural Tourism in Cochise County, percent, and focus on increasing busi- Arizona”, by Leones, Dunn, Worden and ness during the slow seasons of the Call, Arizona Cooperative Extension years. Giving your valued customers (1994). on unexpected benefit, e.g., free samples of new or slow moving pro- “Direct Marketing of Agricultural Prod- duce may have a more positive im- ucts to Tourists”, by Propst, Newmeyer pact than a discount. and Combrink, Cooperative Extension Service, Michigan State University. 10. Labels David Latimer, Bisbee, sign painter. Labels on bags, boxes, jars and con- tainers reinforce your name to the “Farmers Market Development Manual”, consumer. Labels provide an oppor- Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land tunity for word-of-mouth advertising Stewardship (1987). as guests to your customers’ home observe your products. Generally, people will buy food items as gifts only when there is an attractive label indicating its origin and special quali- ties. Also labels can be effective in promoting the quality of your product, 1Prepared by Douglas Dunn, County Di- e.g., vine ripened, pesticide free, or- rector and Extension Agent, Community ganic, high fiber, farm fresh, vitamin and Economic Development, Arizona Co- rich. Your name, logo and/or slogan operative Extension (Willcox).

Advertising and Promotion 1995 5 FROM:

Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook.

Disclaimer

Neither the issuing individual, originating unit, Arizona Cooperative Extension, nor the Arizona Board of Regents warrant or guarantee the use or results of this publication issued by Arizona Cooperative Extension and its cooperating Departments and Offices.

Any products, services, or organizations that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona.

The University of Arizona College of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, Vietnam Era Veteran's status, or disability.

Advertising and Promotion 1995 6