MODULE - Amazon S3Slides.pdf10 TRAITS I’VE OBSERVED IN ENTREPRENEURS… 1. Are willing (eager) to...

THE FARM BUSINESS MINDSET

MODULE

DO YOU HAVE A FARM BUSINESS

OR A FARM HOBBY?

LESSON

ARE YOU GARDENING/HOMESTEADING

OR FARMING?

YouCONSUME

what your garden/homestead produces

YouSELL

what your farm producesfor others to consume

OTHERS THINK YOU LEFT YOUR JOB TO START A FARM. IS THAT TRUE?

YOU LEFT YOUR JOB TO START AFARM BUSINESS

AND EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS CUSTOMERS

DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FARM AS A

BUSINESS OR HOBBY?

WHEN IT’S A HOBBY, YOU THINK…

1. What do I want to grow?

2. Look how cute those goats/chicks are…I want one!

3. How do I want to spend my time?

4. What do I enjoy?

5. I can’t wait to browse the new seed catalog!

WHEN IT’S A BUSINESS, YOU THINK…

1. What is my vision?

2. What products will I make/produce?

3. Who will I sell them to?

4. How will I sell my products?

5. Who else makes it (competitors)?

6. What makes me unique? What’s my competitive advantage?

7. What’s my profit model? HOW WILL I MAKE MONEY?

PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT WAY ARE ENTREPRENEURS

AND ENTREPRENEURS WORK ON THE BUSINESS

RATHER THAN GETTING TRAPPED IN THE BUSINESS

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT…

YOU’RE NOT KEEPING COWS

YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE LIVESTOCK BUSINESS

YOU’RE NOT GARDENING

YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE MARKET GARDEN BUSINESS

YOU’RE NOT RAISING CHICKENS

YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE PASTURED POULTRY BUSINESS

YOU’RE NOT MAKING CHEESE

YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE FARMSTEAD CHEESE BUSINESS

YOU’RE NOT “GIVING” A FARM TOUR

YOU’RE NOT “GIVING” A FARM TOUR YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE AGRITOURISM BUSINESS

YOU’RE RUNNING A PROFITABLE

FARMING BUSINESS

THAT’S HOW ENTREPRENEURS

IS IT HOW YOUTHINK?

LET’S FIND OUT

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL

MINDSET

I DID THIS BECAUSE I HAD A STRONG

DESIRE

AND THE ENTREPRENEURIAL

MINDSETSTARTS WITH

DESIRE

I WASN'T BORN AN ENTREPRENEUR

10 TRAITS I’VE OBSERVED IN ENTREPRENEURS…

1. Are willing (eager) to start something new

2. Embrace risks, because they see the status-quo as risky

3. Have a vision of what they want to create

4. Are driven equally by vision & financial results

5. Understand that sales is job one. Period.

6. Passionate about what they’re building (not what they’re “doing”)

7. Are paranoid, but never paralyzed

8. Are willing to tirelessly sacrifice time and money to realize a dream

9. Know that people may lie, but numbers don’t

10. Are supremely confident/cocky/full of self-belief

EMPLOYEES ENTREPRENEURSvs

Are afraid to fail Are afraid to not try

Think without starting Start without thinking

Ready, aim, aim, aim, aim… Ready, FIRE, aim

Only want promotions in someone else’s business Only want to promote THEIR business

Are indecisive Are VERY decisive

Seek direction Provide direction

Are specialists Are generalists

Are always working Are always selling/promoting

Think how to save more Think how to earn more

Focus on problems Focus on solutions

Live with the fear that they’re not in control Live with the security of being in control

Focus on what they need to do now Hold short and long-term visions simultaneously

Seek to avoid risk Thrive on (calculated) risk

WHICH ARE YOU MOST LIKE?

EMPLOYEEOR

ENTREPRENEUR?

I WASN'T BORN AN ENTREPRENEUR

BUT WHAT IF YOU’RE NOT A BORN ENTREPRENEUR?

YOU CAN BECOME ONE!

YOU JUST HAVE TO AWAKEN

THE ENTREPRENEUR

WITHINFARMPRENEUR

AWAKEN THE FARMPRENEUR

SORRY, BUT YOU HAVE MULTIPLE

PERSONALITIES

SORRY, BUT YOU HAVE MULTIPLE

PERSONALITIES

EntrepreneurManager

Technician

SO DO YOU DOC

• Our friend, Doc, wants to start his own practice• He has extensive education and has devoted years to

perfecting his craft • Ah, but medical schools teach the practice of medicine,

not the business of medicine• So no matter how good a doctor he is, that expertise

won’t help him with marketing, managing cash flow, operations, employee relations or any other task critical in creating a successful business

• For the most part, Doc is a highly skilled, highly paid technician

Technician

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

ENTREPRENEURour inner visionary, sees the future first, then

endeavors to connect the present to it

ENTREPRENEUR

What sort of farm should I start?

What’s my vision for this farm business? What’s our mission?

How must this farm business work?

What will my competitive advantages be?

How will I go to market?

I see my long-term vision, so I’ll change what we’re doing now to

match that vision.

our inner visionary, sees the future first, then endeavors to connect the present to it

ENTREPRENEUR

match that vision.

When can I get an appointment at the meat processor?

Who do I call to get an egg candling license?

How do I manage my farm tour?

I need to arrange a team to process chickens.

How do I manage CSA orders?

How do I recruit and manage farm apprentices?

What’s my breeding schedule look like for the dairy operation?

MANAGERcreates order out of the entrepreneur’s chaos and is constantly stressed by the entrepreneur

and technician

ENTREPRENEUR

match that vision.

When can I get an appointment at the meat processor?

Who do I call to get an egg candling license?

How do I manage my farm tour?

I need to arrange a team to process chickens.

How do I manage CSA orders?

How do I recruit and manage farm apprentices?

What’s my breeding schedule look like for the dairy operation?

What farm chores do I need to do right now?

How can I fix this irrigation leak?

I need to weed this afternoon.

I need to catch up all the chickens for processing.

The hay needs to be cut and put away.

I see what we’re doing now on the farm, and I want it to stay that way.

Why do we have to have these farm tours? I don’t have time for

MANAGERcreates order out of the entrepreneur’s chaos and is constantly stressed by the entrepreneur

and technician

TECHNICIANlives in the present, doesn’t want to hear about lofty goals, he’s much too busy for

that…he’s the doer

AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, WE NEED THESE

THREE PERSONALITIES

AS LONG AS THEY GET EQUAL TIME

BUT DO THEY?

TechnicianManagerEntrepreneur

TechnicianManagerEntrepreneur10% 20% 70%

THE WRONG PERSON IS IN CHARGE

WE’RE FOLLOWING THE

THE WRONG PERSON IS IN CHARGE

WE’RE FOLLOWING THE

TECHNICIAN!

THE TECHNICIAN

HITS THE WALLSHE CAN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GROW A

PROFITABLE FARM BUSINESS WITHOUT BECOMING A SLAVE TO THE FARM

ENTREPRENEURSHE THINKS SHE’S NOT AN

SO WHAT CAN SHE DO?WHAT CAN YOU DO?

LEARN TO VIEW YOUR FARM BUSINESS

AS SOMETHING

SEPARATE FROM YOU

BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT YOUR BUSINESS!

The purpose of your life is not to serve your farm business. The purpose of your farm business is to serve your life.

BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT YOUR BUSINESS!

HERE’S THE PROBLEM WITH FARMING

WE ENJOY DOING FARM WORK.WE LIKE BEING THE TECHNICIAN.

DO YOU A FARM BUSINESS

OR A FARM HOBBY?

DO YOU A FARM BUSINESS

OR A FARM HOBBY?

IF YOU WANT YOUR FARM TO SUCCEED, YOU MUST

ACHIEVE BALANCE

HOW TO GAIN CONTROL FROM THE TECHNICIAN

• Repeat after me. I’M RUNNING A BUSINESS! THIS IS NOT A HOBBY! (seriously, say it)

• Schedule two hours every day to work ON YOUR FARM BUSINESS, and not in it.

• Divide the two hours into 30 minute blocks; 4 blocks each morning

• In each block, have a specific critical task to accomplish or decision to make

• Prioritize business strategy and marketing

• During those two hours, have social media and your cell phone off. Only turn on your phone if you must make a call. No distractions.

• This will still give you at least six-eight hours a day for farm work.

• Devote an hour each weekend to planning your blocks for the following week

List Status• Review MailChimp, see how many

subscribers I gained last month.• Set goal for new subscribers this

month.• Create plan to achieve goal.

List Plan• Outline 5 bullet plan that will result

in subscriber list growing 25% per month

• Print plan and paste on wall

Lead Magnets• Brainstorm ideas for lead magnet

related to pastured poultry - 15 mins

• Brainstorm and choose headline for best lead magnet idea

Lead Magnet Copy• Write copy points for my chosen

lead magnet

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

MONmorning

TAME THE TECHNICIAN CALENDAR

lead magnet

Lead Magnet Copy• Finish copy for chosen lead magnet

Lead Magnet Design• Layout lead magnet in Canva,

including a great cover• Start with template from canva.com/

templates• Be sure to use my branding colors!

Website Update• Compress lead magnet file• Upload to website• Create pop-up form and inline call

to action box • Integrate both with MailChimp

Social Promotion• Promote links to lead magnet on

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn• Create striking image of lead

magnet for Instagram and Pinterest

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

MONmorning

TUEmorning

lead magnet

Restaurants• Call chefs at 5 of my second-tier

restaurants• Arrange specific time to visit and

introduce product

Call Script• Refine call script/technique based on

how some chefs responded to my call

• Rehearse call out loud, with phone in hand

Research• Study menus of top-tier restaurants• Research background of chefs at

those restaurants, particularly recent news

Restaurants• Call chefs at my next 5 top-tier

target restaurants• Arrange specific time to visit and

introduce product

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

MONmorning

TUEmorning

WEDafternoon

lead magnet

introduce product

Content Marketing• Create a calendar of blog post

concepts for the next 60 days• Select desired SEO keywords for

each blog post.

Content Marketing• Begin writing the first blog post,

aiming for 600-800 words, centered on the chosen keyword or phrase.

Content Marketing• Finish the first blog post.• Choose the headline carefully with

help from AMI’s headline analyzer, keeping keyword in title.

• Make keyword part of URL and test with Yoast.

Facebook Ads• Set-up ad manager account• Create a Facebook pixel• Add pixel to website for future

retargeting ads

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

MONmorning

TUEmorning

THUmorning

WEDafternoon

lead magnet

introduce product

Content Marketing• Create a calendar of blog post

concepts for the next 60 days• Select desired SEO keywords for

each blog post.

Content Marketing• Begin writing the first blog post,

aiming for 600-800 words, centered on the chosen keyword or phrase.

Content Marketing• Finish the first blog post.• Choose the headline carefully with

help from AMI’s headline analyzer, keeping keyword in title.

• Make keyword part of URL and test with Yoast.

Facebook Ads• Set-up ad manager account• Create a Facebook pixel• Add pixel to website for future

retargeting ads

Email Marketing• Create a calendar of email

campaigns for the next 60 days

Email Marketing• Write the email for this week• Include a graphic of new lead

magnet in email• Include either a promotion or an

ability to sign up in email

Email Marketing• Schedule the email for delivery

Sunday morning.• Schedule cross-posting of email on

Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn

Think…30 mins on• Am I happy with how my farm

business is performing?• Am I moving toward my vision?• What is causing me the most stress,

and how can I fix that?• Other…

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

MONmorning

TUEmorning

THUmorning

FRImorning

WEDafternoon

HERE’S A PROMISE

IF YOU DON’T SCHEDULE THIS STUFF, IT WON’T GET DONE

NOW IT’S

YOUR TURN!

COMPLETE YOUR TAME THE TECHNICIAN CALENDAR

NOW THAT WE’VE TAMED THE TECHNICIAN

AND ARE RUNNING A REAL BUSINESS,

NOW THAT WE’VE TAMED THE TECHNICIAN

AND ARE RUNNING A REAL BUSINESS,

WHAT’S NEXT?

“REAL BUSINESSES” HAVE BUSINESS PLANS

YOUR ONE-PAGE BUSINESS PLAN

YOU’RE RUNNING A “REAL BUSINESS”

“REAL” BUSINESSES...

• Have business checking accounts

• Keep business expenses separate from personal expenses

• Maintain business records

• Register the business with the state or as an LLC

• Comply with state and federal tax laws

• Maintain a business website or physical location

• HAVE A PLAN TO EARN A PROFIT

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A BUSINESS IS

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A BUSINESS IS INCOME OR PROFIT

“REAL BUSINESSES” ALSO HAVE BUSINESS PLANS

BUSINESS PLAN

Executive SummaryMarketing Plan

Income StatementCash Flow ProjectionsMarket Analysis

5-Year PlanSWOT Analysis

8 QUESTIONS

WHY are you farming?

MISSION

WHO will care, and why?

MISSIONCUSTOMER SEGMENTS

WHO will care, and why? HOW

will you go to market?MISSION

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS CHANNELS

WHAT will you sell?

YOUREVENUE STREAMS

WHAT will you sell?

WHAT are your costs?

YOUREVENUE STREAMS COST STRUCTURE

WHAT will you sell?

will you go to market?

WHAT alternatives are there?

COMPETITION

MISSIONCUSTOMER SEGMENTS CHANNELS

WHAT will you sell?

WHAT alternatives are there? WHAT

determines success?COMPETITION

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

WHAT will you sell?

WHAT alternatives are there? WHAT

determines success?

ARE you unique?

COMPETITION

ADVANTAGECRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

My Farm Business Model

MISSION Why am I doing this?

• What am I passionate about? • What are my goals? • What do I hope to accomplish with this business? • Why is this important?

COMPETITION What alternatives exist?

• How do I define my marketplace? • Who else offers what I offer in my marketplace? • Who are the indirect competitors…the alternative

choices my customers have? • Who are the potential new competitors that could

emerge?

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS Who will I target?

• A local, regional or national market? • If a niche market, what is it? • Rather than thinking of an “ideal customer”, what

do my customer segments have in common? What do they want from me?

• Is my customer the end user, or is my customer a wholesaler, distributor or retailer?

• Do customers need education…in other words, do they have an active need for what I offer, or do I need to make them aware (latent need)?

emerge?

Latent Need Not consciously thinking

of problem/need, but they do have it

emerge?

Example • Joint issues that bone broth may help• Children/family suffering from allergies or immune deficiencies that may improve with raw milk

• Would love to learn “lost” skills, such as butchering, but unaware options exist

emerge?

Active Need Aware of a problem/

desire, actively looking for a solution

emerge?

Active Need Aware of a problem/

desire, actively looking for a solution

Example • On Paleo diet, so looking for grassfed meat

• Recent news of e.coli outbreak, looking for grassfed alternatives

• Looking for handcrafted, farm gift ideas• Chef/caterer looking for “unique” meats, cheeses or produce

emerge?

REVENUE STREAMS What will I sell, and for how much?

• What products will I sell? • How will I price them? • How does my pricing strategy compare to

competitors and alternatives? • Will I have one fixed price per product or unit

(pound), or will I offer discounted prices for larger orders?

emerge?

CHANNELS How will I distribute to customers?

• Farmers markets, farm stand, eCommerce, via distributors, to restaurants, CSA, buying clubs…?

• Is my desired distribution channel consistent with my competitive advantage?

emerge?

COST STRUCTURE What are my critical costs & metrics?

• What are the critical costs in my model? • What are the most important metrics? • How will I measure those metrics daily/weekly? • What key resources could increase in cost that I

have no control over? • How can I respond if costs increase? • What are my fixed costs that I can’t reduce? • What variable costs can I manage?

emerge?

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS What actions determine my success?

• How can I effectively attract customers? • Will customers pay the prices I need? • Can I navigate regulatory hurdles? • Do I have the necessary legal structure,

accounting and insurance in place to protect myself?

• Can I produce a product consistent with the quality I’m promoting?

• Do I have access to contingency and funding resources should I not achieve projections?

emerge?

ADVANTAGE How is my farm business unique?

• What is my defensible competitive advantage? • Am I executing a value strategy (high price,

differentiated offering) or a cost strategy (low price, low costs)? I must choose.

• Why will customers choose me over competing alternatives (other farms, supermarkets, growing their own food, etc.)?

emerge?

My mission is to be the preferred source of nutrient-dense meat from heritage animals

raised in their natural settings.

emerge?

My geographic market is from Athens to Atlanta, GA. There are several other farms, but none with a strong brand identity. Of course, most potential customers buy from “regular”

grocery stores, and need to be made aware of the value of pastured meats.

emerge?

I don’t want to ship product or sell through distributors, so I’m targeting customers who

shop at farmers markets, Whole Foods & natural food stores. Two niches that I’ll target are, 1) followers of the Weston A. Price diet, and 2) ethnic groups who want to purchase

whole animals (goat, lamb) as well as organs. Both of these groups value and are unable to find these cuts elsewhere and will support our

alignment with their values.

emerge?

My products will include grass fed beef and woodlot pork sold in quarters, whole chickens,

live goats and lambs ready for on-farm butcher. I’ll price each product by the pound based on my costs and income needs, and NOT based on what other farms charge. I

won’t offer discounts for large orders, because my production costs don’t decrease.

emerge?

To achieve my price and income targets, it’s imperative that I build a respected brand and

sell directly to customers. My marketing emphasis will be on education…to get people

out to the farm to see our production and welfare standards, to build an email list and to

convert subscribers to customers.

emerge?

Feed is a critical cost for pigs and chickens, & I have little control over that. Butchering costs are a factor for all products. Both of those are beyond my control. Critical costs and metrics

within my control include poultry and pig mortality rates & feed conversion ratios (waste). Monthly farm mortgage is a fixed cost, so net income must support that expense & utilities.

emerge?

To succeed, I must: • become the preferred brand for nutrient-

dense meat in north Georgia • build a loyal, opt-in list that I can market

products to • Align with a butcher who shares my animal

welfare values and can produce the cuts my customers desire

• set my business up with the help of my CPA to take advantage of all tax breaks

• retain at least six months of ALL costs, including pay for myself, in savings

emerge?

To succeed, I must: • become the preferred brand for nutrient-

dense meat in north Georgia • build a loyal, opt-in list that I can market

products to • Align with a butcher who shares my animal

welfare values and can produce the cuts my customers desire

• set my business up with the help of my CPA to take advantage of all tax breaks

• retain at least six months of ALL costs, including pay for myself, in savings

I will make my farm the de facto standard for naturally raised meats in north Georgia. Through hands-on farm

events, pitching stories to media to educate consumers, and participating

in niche marketing events, I will position my farm as the preferred brand in the

eyes of consumers & journalists.

NOW IT’S

YOUR TURN!

COMPLETE YOUR ONE-PAGE BUSINESS MODEL

FOUNDATIONS OF FARM & LOCAL FOOD

MARKETING

WHAT MARKETING IS NOT

MARKETING ISN’T

• Aggressive (used-car) sales tactics

MARKETING ISN’T

• Convincing someone to buy something they don’t want or need

MARKETING ISN’T

• Advertising, brochures or email

MARKETING ISN’T

• A website

MARKETING ISN’T

• A website

• Creative/graphic design

MARKETING ISN’T

• A website

• Creative/graphic design

• COMPLICATED OR DIFFICULT

MARKETING IS THE CONTINUAL PROCESS OF

ATTRACTING & RETAINING

LOYAL CUSTOMERS

THEREFORE, MARKETING IS YOUR MOST

IMPORTANT JOB

DON’T GET ME WRONG... WEEDING, SEEDING,

FEEDING & BREEDING ARE IMPORTANT...

BUT MARKETING IS

BUT MARKETING IS MORE IMPORTANT

TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR FARMBUSINESS

CAN DO THIS

FARM MARKETING IS ABOUT BUILDING

RELATIONSHIPS NOT HARD-CORE SALES TACTICS

BUT HOW?

YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS & ATTRACT CUSTOMERS BY

‣ It starts with being yourself

‣ Talking WITH (not TO) the customer...being conversational

‣ Telling / sharing your story in a way that resonates

‣ Making it easy for customers to find you

‣ Making it easy for customers to buy from you

BUT REMEMBER, MARKETING

IS NOT THE GOAL

ACHIEVING

CUSTOMER LOYALTY

& BRAND PREFERENCE IS!

MARKETING ISCOMPLICATED

& CONSTANTLYCHANGING

TACTICS & TECHNOLGY HAVE CHANGED & WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE

BUT RELATIONSHIP MARKETING IS STILL ABOUT

RELATIONSHIPS

7 MARKETING TRAITS OF

HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL

FARM BUSINESSES

HOW TO RECOGNIZE GREAT FOOD MARKETERS

1. Customers feel as if they personally know the farmers, cheesemaker, chef, etc.

2. Customers share their values & have a vested interest in their success

3. Customers become cheerleaders and promote the business to others

4. Customers defend the farm and its values

5. The business delivers very professional service

6. The farm delivers exceptional quality

7. The experience makes the customer feel proud of their relationship

THOSE ARE TRAITS OF GREAT BRANDS

MODULE - Amazon S3Slides.pdf10 TRAITS I’VE OBSERVED IN ENTREPRENEURS… 1. Are willing (eager) to...

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