My Digital Farmer Podcast

Getting volunteers to come work on your farm can be a powerful way to build connections with your customers (and get stuff done!). However, too many farmers fail to follow a few key rules of volunteer engagement, and end up getting burned. In this episode, I share 7 best practices to help you organize a stellar volunteer work day on the farm.

Imagine finding out your CSA was starting WAY earlier than planned, and you had to onboard your customers in 4 days. That's exactly what happened to me this year. In this episode, I break down the ESSENTIALS of customer onboarding -- what to talk about and how.

Have you thought of doing a "Market Card" style CSA, but weren't sure how it worked? Well today's guest is Jen Browning of Juniper Layne Farm in Portland, and she answers all the details for how to set up this kind of CSA. A gold mine of step by step information!

Getting a new customer to buy for the first time is a critical step you must ace as a business. It's the moment when the relationship changes from "observer" to "buyer." One of the best ways to finesse this key moment in the customer journey is to build a great first offer. In today's episode, my guest Juliet Orezietti shares her strategy of "the Weekly Special" and how she uses it to build her email list and turn fence-sitters into paying customers.

Take my free 7 Day Instagram Stories Challenge at mydigitalfarmer.com/IGStories. Are you making the most of Instagram Stories to grow your connection with your followers? Today's guest Kendall Ballantine from @MarketingforFarmers shares her expertise in all things Instagram to help you learn 5 tips to turn your IG Stories into sales.

In today's episode, I feature a case study of a CSA farm that's ALSO doing online orders, shipping, and farmer's market. Ann Stone of Elmwood Stock farm shares her marketing secrets that help her get discovered by the likes of Cook's Illustrated Magazine and Spruce Eats.

Ever heard of the NextDoor app? I've been hearing farmers mention it from time to time as a GREAT way to sell their products. So I decided to investigate. In this episode, I interview Rowan Miller of RowanTree Farms, who explains how this social media app works, who it's best for, and how to use it to sell more of your products.

When I first learned marketing fundamentals, I kept hearing my teachers talk about delivering a "quick win." In today's episode, we talk about what this looks like in your sales strategy, and I talk through the characteristics of a quick win in real life. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to quickly build 3-5 quick wins into your customer journey system, that will create raving fans and increase your retention.

Writing a CSA Handbook is often an overwhelming job the first time you tackle it. This document acts as your "Users Manual' for your CSA members - the one source of truth to spell out your membership agreement and policies and procedures. But what should you write in it? Find the answers in this episode!

So you've got this great lead magnet. No what do you do with it? In this podcast, I share 10 different places you can promote that lead magnet to help you grow your email list with qualified potential clients!

Have you ever thought about partnering with a community supported fisherman in your CSA? Neither had I -- until I got a call from Aaron Sechler of Citizen Salmon Alaska. In this podcast episode, you get to be a fly on the wall, and listen in on our initial Zoom call where Aaron and I talk out the possibilities and rethink the word "local." My hope is that you might consider adding this product line and partnership to your own CSA, as we find ways to collaborate with other local-minded businesses!

Are you looking to make your CSA more accessible for all levels of income? One of the ways to do so is to make SNAP payments possible. Today's podcast guests share a pilot program called "CSA is a SNAP" that uses a revolving fund to make SNAP payments work for farmers. A great discussion about how to make CSA more accessible to all income levels.

Are you growing your email list? Your email list is arguably your most valuable marketing asset you own. In this podcast, I share 7 ways you can be collecting this vital contact information, so you can start increasing your customer acquisition today!

Most farmers don't prioritize marketing from the start. Marketing is an afterthought -- something they think of doing at the last minute. This is often because for many of us, we're not sure what we're even supposed to be doing. All we know is that we don't have enough time to do it. Enter today's guest. Tim Young of Small Farm Nation has just released a new book for farmers called "The One Page Marketing Plan." In it, he shares his simple strategy for how to build a marketing system that works.

Ever heard of Lindsey Shute? The co-founder of the National Young Farmer's Coalition? Yeah, that Lindsey. Well, now she's set her sights on building another resource to help farmers: a new farmer owned software app called "Grown By." In this interview, we talk ALL about why she made it, how it helps farmers sell their product and get discovered, and why you should list your farm. Lindsey's betting that this app will become the "AirBnB" of the local farm scene, and make locally-sourced food a mainstay for more Americans.

With all the ideas you hear from this podcast and other marketing gurus, you may be feeling overwhelmed as you try to find time to build your own marketing system. You might be thinking: "There's no way I can do that!" If you're not careful, you can easily start to feel like a failure when your strategy seems insufficient or imperfect compared to what you hear "other people" doing. But what if imperfect and incomplete is "good enough?" I share with you the concept of "minimal viable marketing." Is there such a thing? How can you stop the comparison trap and find your "good enough"?

Looking for another example of a successful CSA farmer? I interview Jordan MacPhee of Maple Bloom Farm on Prince Edward Island. He shares how his farming business morphed from a CSA-focused business, to a more diversified approach over time. He also shares how he vets his add-on share vendors so that he can offer lots of products from other farm businesses to his clientele. And he shares how he grew his email list to over 2000 using Facebook ads!

Word of mouth marketing has been called the most valuable form of marketing. It's responsible for 19% of all purchases and influences as much as 90%. Yet today fewer than 1% of businesses have a strategy to leverage these conversations. In this podcast, we'll share what to think about as you set up a referral system, and give you several examples of how you can build a mechanism in your business that will get people talking.

If you're like most CSA farms, you've added a lot of new members in the last year due to COVID. Now you might be wondering, "How do I make sure they stay?" In this episode, Benzi Ronen of Farmigo shares what he's learned about how to keep your CSA members coming back. We also talk about his popular CSA management software tool and how it's helping farmers with customizable shares. If you're in the market for a new CSA management tool, you'll want to listen to this!

Getting the right people into your business matters. In this episode, we interview special guest Cole Jones of Local Line who shares his best practices on how to build systems that "qualify" your leads so you don't end up with a revolving door in your business.

One of the most common questions I hear from CSA farmers as they scale is "What CSA software system should I use?" This week, I created a podcast resource where I interview the founder of Harvie.farm -- and we talk about how this platform can help the right farmer build a strong CSA community.

If you're a farm looking to scale into regional or national shipping, then today's episode is for you. I've got Brooks Hitzfield from Seven Sons Farm, who has helped his little farm scale to 6 figures, by leveraging the power of online marketing, e-commerce and shipping. Brooks shares the 3 secrets to building an effective shipping and delivery system for your farm using Grazecart. He is a great example of a farm that has embraced online marketing to increase their profits.

Writing your email list every week... ugh. Do I really have to? In this episode, I share why this system in your business is SO important. I also share 7 topic templates that will help unlock your writer's block the next time you sit down and try to think of something to say. Practice makes perfect!

I interview CSA farmer Liz Graznak from Happy Hollow Farm in Missouri. As you listen to her interview, pay attention to the intentional experiences she gave herself before she started a CSA in earnest. All these experiences helped build her confidence that she could actually provide what she promised to her CSA members. She also shares some of her other secrets to success. This is full of GOLD. Take some notes.

Last season, Stacey decided to take the plunge and pivot her farm business away from the farmer's market towards CSA. The result was a life-changing moment for her and her farmer husband, who discovered the power of CSA community relationships. Hear their inspiring story of their CSA "farm-ily."

In a season when CSAs are once again "hot," many farmers may be asking themselves, "Should I start a CSA for my farm?" In this episode, I interview my life partner, Kurt Bench, as we explore the 10 qualities that we think will help you have an edge. Ask yourself if you have some of them before you pursue your CSA dream.

Are CSAs on the rise? Here to stay? Or on the decline? In this episode, I invite Claire Strader from the CSA Fairshare Coalition, to share recent data from her coalition member survey. We take a look back at 2020, and ask: "Where is CSA going in the future?"

People don't buy based on your product's features. They buy based on your product's results. In this episode, we talk about the importance of knowing your product's "promised result," and learning how to lead with THAT as you go for the sale.

Building a promotion plan isn't just figuring out a plan for what you want to SELL. It also should include marketing strategies for getting your prospects and customers to do OTHER things. We talk through what those "other things" are in this training.

In this episode, I walk you through my process for developing my annual promotional calendar. I walk through the 8 steps we follow every year. You'll learn the questions you need to ask along the way so that you can create your own promo plan that will guide your sales process.

Sales don't "just happen." In great businesses, there are repeatable systems that ensure that certain actions happen over and over again. In this podcast, I share 8 of the most important systems you need to optimize to build happy customers and more profits.

I've used email a LOT in my farm business. Now I share which of them are the MOST beneficial to your farm in acquiring a customer and turning them into a lifelong buyer. Learn what they are and what goes inside them.

My private Facebook group is the fuel that is powering my CSA's momentum. Without this platform, our CSA would not be the same. How am I using this tool to add value to my CSA and learn about my members? I share 7 ideas in this episode! Use this as a roadmap to start your own CSA group!

My CSA for next season sold out in just 2 weeks using my early bird presale campaign formula. In this episode, I share the big take-aways that led to this awesome result!

I walk through the second part of my two-part series on how to research your customer. If you want to become great at marketing, you MUST make knowing your customer a priority. I share what information matters most. Don't miss this!

Here's the secret to becoming great at marketing: know your customer. If you've done the work of asking the right questions, everything will become clear to you. In this episode, I talk you through what you need to find out.

Want to learn from a seasoned CSA veteran farmer? Then you'll want to listen to this episode! Cassie shares how she has adopted many digital marketing strategies in her business -- what's worked and what hasn't. It's a goldmine of wisdom!

When is the BEST time to sell your CSA? Is there one? My answer is unequivocally yes. As a marketer, you are always trying to get the right product, at the right price, at the right place, at the right time. So how do you figure out when that time is?

Are you doing a sales push to get your CSA members to renew early? If so, did you know there are some things you can be doing NOW to "grease the wheels" to get them in the right mindset to say "yes?" I share what those things are in this episode.

In this episode, I interview Farmer Sarah Judd of Meadow Lynn Farms. She shares how she used my early bird sales formula to help her get more of her CSA members to commit to her farm earlier than ever before -- giving her peace of mind over her winter break.

I interview CSA meat farmer Sharon Mauzy! She and I talk through how she found her first group of customers (a BRILLIANT strategy!) and how she took that small group and turned them into a loyal following.

If you're planning to do an early renewal registration period this season before November, then I recommend you make sure you do THIS. A quick tip!

Wish you could raise your product price, but worried about how it will be received? In this podcast, we walk around this predicament in detail, and I share some strategies for how to do it so your customers take it well.

If you're a local business, one of the top ways customers will find you is through Google. In this episode, we talk about claiming your free "Google My Business" listing, what information to include so you can be found more easily.

Are you thinking about creating a wait list for next CSA season already? I used to say, "Don't do it! They don't convert!" But in these COVID times, I now say GO FOR IT -- as long as you do THIS.

I know you seed your veggies. But are you "seeding" your products? In this episode, I share 7 ways you can use the marketing concept of "seeding" to build brand awareness and turn leads into sales.

Kurt & I have decided to homeschool this year. As I've been researching this new terrain, I began to notice all kinds of "marketing strategies" in the homeschooling industry. What were they doing to help me feel ready to spend $500 on curriculum resources? I share my observations and 9 marketing applications that you can apply to ANY business.

In this podcast, I teach you the "four limiteds" -- how to sweeten your offer 4 different ways so that your prospect will feel motivated to buy now.

In the age of COVID, it's awfully hard to build a sense of community and excitement, when you can't physically interact with your customers.... Or is it? In this episode, I share how we are using all kinds of creative weekly contests to jazz things up and get our customers excited.

A year ago I invested in a video email app after hearing about it from one of my podcast influencers I follow. In this episode, I share 7 ways you can use a tool like this to help you connect with future customers, convert them into buyers, and provide great service.