Profitable On Farm Fairs

EDMONTON - Nov 18/04 - SNS -- One extension of farm direct marketing is to organize and run on farm fairs and other special events, reminds Alberta Agriculture.

Such projects help diversify a farm direct enterprise, the provincial agriculture department said. "But, it's also a good idea to talk to others in the industry, first. Learn from others' experiences and take what worked for them to develop an event that will be profitable for your business and enjoyable for your customers."

Dome points to remember include:

1. Ideas for your event - choose something that works for your family, your operation and your location. Whether it's a heritage harvest festival, Mothers day weekend, strawberry school, Christmas in the country, greenhouse or saskatoon orchard tour, knowing when to start and end your special event is important.

2. People power - plan for growth. Most businesses start small, using family and friends at the outset. When it's time to hire staff, set a minimum hiring age. Hire for attitude and maturity, train for the skills that are needed. Start staff training before the first day on the job. Include regular job duties in the training as well as dealing with handling emergency situations. Recruit through local high schools and don't overlook volunteers and organizations.

3. Get your event the attention it deserves - market and project your image, whether it's family fun, creating family experiences or building memories. Promote with lots of creativity and little cash. Use creative ways to invite people such as a VIP campaign featuring unique invitations for Very Important Press/Politicians/Pencil Pushers. Develop and follow a promotional plan. Send press releases with photos to local media, then follow up with personal invitations, product samples, discount coupons and familiarization tours.

Use posters, flyers, postcards, handouts and newsletters to promote your event and your business. Talk to community groups and business organizations. Be seen as 'the expert'. Put paid ads on the front page of any newspaper section and ask for color. If the paper's front section is already in color, it likely won't cost any extra.

4. Money with strings attached - use sponsors to leverage your budget. Sponsor ads can offset the cost of the color brochure. Identify partners. Partner with stores to distribute event coupons. Don't overlook donations both in-kind and financial. Charge customers for the experience while at the farm either through gate admission or a per event fee.

5. The perfect experience - first impressions are important. Make sure the beauty of your site is obvious as soon as customers enter the facility. Have a check list to ensure that the site is clean and neat; signs are clear and easy to read; parking and washroom facilities are adequate and well maintained. On-site foodservice facilities and an ATM machine will keep customers longer and put extra dollars in your pocket. Remember that comfortable customers will reward you by returning to your farm.