The Best Marketing Is Still Free

Thursday, March 12, 2009

These are tough times. Small businesses (and yes — farms should be considered a small business) need to cut expenses. Usually the first place they do is in marketing, thinking that is the most expendable. While that should be up for debate, it simply is the reality. However, the very best marketing that anyone can do is completely free — smile. Yep, it’s that simple. One of the most overlooked aspects of marketing that many small businesses/farmers (from here on out, I’ll refer to you as SBF, for Small Business Farmer) is customer service. And that is a darn shame, because this is the one thing that is not only free, it’s the best marketing tool available, hands down as well as being the very reason of why you have customers in the first place.

The Buy Local movement is gaining momentum. Every news headline about food contamination or Frankenfoods make more and more people ask “is there another way?” They want to KNOW where their food is coming from and it inevitably brings them to Michael Pollan, Nina Planck or one of the many other authors who’ve written books speaking about the virtues of eating locally and knowing the person that raises your food. And a common thread in all of these books is an idyllic vision of people having casual conversations with “their” farmer at the weekly Farmer’s Markets. It speaks to our most desperate desire in this wacky food-world: to connect as well as be part of a community. Whether you like it or not, that’s the bill of goods we “locavore” people have been sold on. And don’t just blame the authors: farmers have been touting the “connection” angle for some time. So, in people’s minds, that’s what they expect. And time and again, I do see it delivered, albeit unbalanced. Let me offer 2 of the bad examples.

The first example is for the local small business. My husband and I  purchased environmentally sound products to refinish our floors from a local store. We spoke with them at length about it. We were assured of the quality. Right away, there was a long list of problems: wrong order, person left at the desk who didn’t know anything about any of the products. Then, about 6 months after the floors were re-finished, they started to peel like tape. Called the store, was assured by the manager that the owner would call. Never did. This is where things go south: never, I repeat NEVER leave a customer in the lurch. Even if you cannot refund, not returning a call turns what could be a disgruntled customer into the worst possible thing for your SBF: someone who evangelizes against your company. And it doesn’t have to be this way. Most people who are drawn to SBF can take some punches and our first reaction is to think about things from the business/farmer’s perspective. So take heart that most of your customers give you more rope than they would, say, Wal-Mart. But don’t take this for granted. Be up-front and honest about what you’re selling. And, if it still doesn’t work out, pick up the phone and call. No matter how mad they are, the fact that you called will make a difference. Be nice, be empathetic. Chances are, if you make a good case, they will eventually come back. Because, unlike big box stores, you are in business to make a difference. And your customers share that motivation. 

The next example is a farmer. My husband goes every week (when in season) to the Farmer’s Market at Rittenhouse and buys himself peaches. During a particularly humid week, all the peaches went rotten within 2 days. Taking a cue from Michael Pollan, he asked what he could have done to prevent that. The assistant asked the vendor and he replied “Impossible. He bought them two weeks ago.” When my husband went to speak, the vendor waved his hand and said to his assistant “just give him some.” The vendor never raised his head to look at the man asking about the peaches. This should go without saying: never treat a return customer as if he is trying to scam you. KNOW your return customers, even if you hardly say two words to them. This is vitally important. It’s so simple, yet I see time and time again, farmers ignore this because of the pressure in the market.

Yes, it is difficult to be a SBF, but it’s so important that you understand that your customer’s know this as well and they are understanding. We know that it’s just you. You wake at the break of dawn, harvest, then rush to market. The markets are busy, people clamoring for your attention. We know and we understand. But you cannot let it get the best of you. Think of it like this: most of you can’t afford a website (or, if you can, it’s far less full-featured than, say Acme or Home Depot); most do not run ads; and most certainly have no more than 1 location (or 1 movable location in the markets). When faced with corporate competition, the odds are not in your favor. So you need to understand why people come to you: your great product and your fantastic service. In both of my examples, these SBF failed. 

When people shop locally, they are doing more than spending money. They are making a conscientious purchase. They aren’t just buying apples, they are saying something about the apples they are purchasing as well as against the stores where they are not. As an SBF, you may be at a large-scale marketing disadvantage, but you should have the customer service angle tied up in a bow. See this for what it is: the very best marketing that money can (but doesn’t!) buy. Good customer service makes customers faithful; they evangelize your product (and that still is the best advertising that money can buy); they purchase more; and they are more forgiving when those few instances of stress pop up. Still not convinced? Guess who is one of the best in customer service for large stores? Whole Foods. Who are you in direct competition against? Whole Foods. And for all of you SBF out there who do pay attention to customer service, your customers notice and appreciate. Keep up the great work! Every new customer you get is a testament to your smart investment.

I’d like to give a shout out to those SBF that go above and beyond in customer service (none have requested this, none know that I am doing this. Heck, I don’t even personally KNOW most of them! But good deeds should be rewarded): Greensgrow; Tom (formerly of Greensgrow, now raising flowers as Longview, sold at Headhouse); the ladies at Birchrun Hills; Hendricks Dairy; Meadow Run; Culton Organics; Wild Flour Bakery. I know that I am forgetting so many more and that’s a great thing because so many SBF are fantastic! Keep up the great work!