Whose responsibility is it to market our produce?
As farmers, we are incredible at producing nutritious food to feed our nation, we are knowledgeable, efficient and consistent at making sure our produce meets demands.
However once that produce leaves our farms, all of a sudden we forget all about it and we leave sales in the hands of those further down the chain.
In short, we repel any responsibility for marketing our produce.
Yes we pay our levy boards and rightly so we should expect them to play their part in helping market our sector. However, is it really all their responsibility?
I can’t think of another industry or business by where a product is not marketed in some way or form by those who produce or create it.
We need to take some accountability.
We are losing that connection and that vital time to tell our story by not taking the time to market our produce or speak to our audiences ourselves.
When a business markets their products it shows a sense of pride, it shows belief in what they are selling and it allows a business the opportunity to build and maintain long lasting relationships with the audience (in farming’s case; the consumer).
I firmly believe that by leaving marketing up to someone else, we are doing both ourselves and our businesses an injustice.
The observation of the lack of individual marketing was what pushed me to start selling my lambs direct from the farm to the public.
It’s also what pushed me to talk publicly about farming on social media, in schools and at big events, because connection and empathy with your audience is vital to develop understanding and loyalty.
When I wrote my book or released my Red clothing range I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of letting someone else try and flog it for me, so why should it be different with my produce on the farm?
Along the way I’ve learnt something very valuable when it comes to marketing and it’s something I’ve applied to all my endeavours.
It’s the importance of finding your why.
In the words of Simon Sinek: ‘People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it’.
Tell people your purpose, show them your passion, show them your cause, allow people to come on a journey with you and empathise with you.
The most successful business, no matter how big or small does not stand there and demand you to buy their product, they tell you why they believe it in, and why they do what they do.
They also don’t set their sights on selling to every person who needs their product, instead they focus on those people who are aligned with the values and morals of their business.
For example – I’m not going to shout at every person who needs food to explain the importance of lamb in their diet until I’m blue in the face.
Instead, I’m reaching those people who believe in eating sustainably, who believe in the importance of animals living as natural life as possible.
As an industry it’s our time to take responsibility individually and collectively to market our products through their time on the farm and way beyond the moment they leave.
It’s our responsibility to talk about our job every single day and make it accessible, and it’s our responsibility to build that rapport with those that we are willing to buy our products.
School talks, farm walks, social media profiles are all amazing tools.
Don’t leave it to the people behind the desks with no emotion or care (other than price) to market for us – be proactive, tell people your why, show people the heart.
Connections form relationships, and loyalty, which in turn help secure a solid future for your business.
