Marketing farm direct and ag tourism on the web

The camera we used to record these videos is a Flip Camera. I got mine on Amazon. I've even see them at Walmart. They plug directly into your usb port. Downloading is very simple. There are no instructions. All support material is on their website. www.theflip.com

Networking, the old fashioned way, is the ‘heart’ of NAFDMA but we want to learn new tricks

Social Marketing was THE hot topic this year. I haven’t seen our industry this hyped-up in years. They wanted to know what they were missing and how to catch up. What did we learn? What should business do now?

Do a search of your business on  www.flickr.com to see what pictures have been posted. Mary Vollmer of Vollmer Farm did this after the presentation. There were 394 pictures taken at her farm posted on Flickr . Some were amazing. All told a story.  Is it the right story? Businesses need to know what image you have on the web.
 
Search www.youtube.com  to see what videos people have posted from your business. Some farms have started using viral marketing to spread the word about their events. They post videos on youtube that can be shared. This video was created by Saunders’ Farm to promote their Fall Haunting Season on the farm. This video was created to spoof a popular song and features a character from the Haunting Season at Saunders’ Farm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBOmPvsWgRA&feature=related
 
People are talking about you on www.facebook.com

 A facebook page, chat room or blog might be needed.  We have built this blog using www.blogger.com 
 
Use www.google.com/alerts to keep track of what is being posted on the web about your business. We get about 5 alerts a week about NAFDMA. 

NAFDMA members share a few web site ideas at the Website session on Participation day.

Upcoming webinar: NAFDMA 2009 highlights

Our own Charlie Touchette, NAFDMA's Executive Director, is this months guest presenter on the Canadian Farm Business Management Council's Ag-Webinar. Charlie's topic: Recent Revelations - The Best of NAFDMA 2009 February 23rd @ NOON EST.

Sign up now at http://www.agriwebinar.com/

The Ag-Webinar is free of charge. You will need to be at a computer to take part.

Highlights from the 2009 NAFDMA Awards Banquet and Participation Day.

NAFDMA award winners

This year the membership committee introduced a new award package. Thank you to all who entered and shared their products and ideas with us. We all learn by sharing- it's the NAFDMA way. Congratulations to all of our people's choice winners.

The 2009 Best of Show goes to the Kuipers Family Farm. Congrats!!!

Contest Winners:

1. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence web site contest is: Rosabella’s Gardens

2. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Television contest is Bowman Orchards

3. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Maze Design contest is Treinen Farms

4. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Printed Rack Card is
Robas Family Farm

5. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Employee Handbook is
The Apple Shed

6. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Promotional Innovation is
Apple Annies

7. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Printed Brochure is Kuipers Family Farm

8. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Specialty Printed Literature is
Kuipers Family Farm

9. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence School Tours is Mesilla Valley Maze

10. The winner of the Celebrate Excellence Printed Newsletter is
Tanners Orchards

Outstanding NAFDMA Leadership award- Anne Holcomb

NAFDMA Hall of Fame award- Time & Jan Vala

Outstanding NAFDMA Participation Team member - Anna Lyles

Honorable Mentions
1. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence web site contest are
Dewberry Farms and Tanners Orchards

2. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Television contest are Tate Farms and Swank Farms

3. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Maze Design contest re Apple Annies and Swank Farms

4. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Printed Rack Card

are Tate Farms and AKL Maui

5. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Employee Handbook are Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard and Mesilla Valley Maze

6. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Promotional Innovation are Carolyn’s Country Cousins and Treinen Farms

7. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Printed Brochure are Gifford Barn and Hollabaugh Brothers Orchards

8. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence Specialty Printed Literature are Vollmer Farm and The Rock Ranch

9. Honorable mentions for the Celebrate Excellence School Tours are
Carolyn’s Country Cousins and The Rock Ranch

10. The Honorable mention for the Celebrate Excellence Printed Newsletter is Alstede Orchards

Retailing basics

You need a signature item.

A viewing area that let's your customers watch production of your products boosts sales. People buy the process. It's food theatre!

Merchandizing with antiques and old farm products helps create a authentic experience in your store.

If you don't have an 'no-sugar' section. It's time to get one.

Tell your customers how to use your product.

Cooking demonstrations push product sales. High end appliances - Viking is the sponsor.

We all know sampling works. Try before you buy.

We played "pass the baby". The future of NAFDMA.

Experiencing culinary tourism

At Wolf Mountain Winery we learnt how to create a high-end food experience. Appeal to all the senses. Spectacular views and great food.

Who let the cows out?

We got up-close and personal on tour "school tour" at Cagel's.

At Cagle's Dairy we walked under the road to get from the Ag tourism area to the dairy.

Shelving ideas fro Dekalb. Angle the shelves, use slats, raise it up high.

Networking and learning on the NAFDMA Bus tour

One of the best ways to get to know people on a the bus tour is to change seats.

The Food, Events and Retail bus was serenaded by Bill Michaels .He shared his Apples & Cider jingle with us.

NAFDMA Tour, Georgia. Day one.

An early morning, and a long driving day got us from Savannah to Atlanta on Day one of the 2009 tour. Great stops today. We were all brought to tears at Vidalia Valley, home of the vidalia onion.

NAFDMA Participation Day

Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A, was our closing speaker. He inspired us to go the second mile.
Lani, from Maui, did an awesome job in her workshop and round table session. We learnt so much her and from each other during Participation Day.
The banquet was held during lunch. The membership committe launched a new awards program. NAFDMA members entered all the contest allowing us to learn from them and there marketing materials. We will announce the winners soon.
The volume was turned up high during lunch. People were pumped from the sessions.

NAFDMA participation day review

Participation day comments from Bonnie Swank.

Marketing a Whole Farm

Marketing a lifestyle - three nuggets from Angela.

Whose at the NAFDMA conference this year?

Here's a sneak...

Urban Vintage Retailing - can NAFDMA members relate?

There is a 'look' to many of the trendier retailing shops in Savannah. It's Urban Vintage. They keep the authentic, rustic and historical pieces of their buildings and businesses and layer it with chic, urban and edgy touches. It appeals to the younger consumer on many levels. Back in the Day Bakery does it well.

The old brick wall reveals the history of the building and the reminds us of how life used to be. Back when bread and cupcakes were home baked. It reminds of of a time when things were simpler and more wholesome...back in the day.

NAFDMA members: What pieces of history can you show off? From your building

NAFDMA members need to capture local food customs and tell their story

At the Kitchens on the Square we watched a cooking demonstrations for The Low Country Boil. A southern tradition.

Check out how interested we all are? We took pictures, we gathered in close. We were engaged!

What culinary traditions can you translate down on the farm?

NAFDMA Food Tourists spend money

Is there any money to be made by the food tourist?
One of the busses on today's Foody Tour had 23 NAFDMA members on it. They spent over $1200 shopping on the Foody Tour.
Hum, you do the math.

Jamie and Bobby Dean pose with Lane and Charlotte at the Paula Deen Store. This is Lane McConnell's first NAFDMA Convention. What did Lane Learn? I asked her for her top three take home points from the Foody Tour. Here they are:

Education: Savannah Bee Hive focused educating their consumer through educational videos from the youngest shopper to the eldest. The honey tasting room was an ingenious idea.

Word of Mouth Marketing: Back in the Day Bakery was a perfect example of positive word of mouth advertising. The business provides a premier product and doesn’t skip on ingredients for their products. They only use high quality ingredients to make their quality product – and their customers know that.

Know Your Customer: According to the American Express Travel Survey (2008) even though the economy may be bad, 87% of vacationers are searching for a culinary experience that reflects their passions. These are the customers of direct marketers and we must know our customers needs and preferences. Customers today want to put a face to their food – culinary tourism fills this need.
Lane McConnell mailto:Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov

Education Day Highlights from the The Savannah Foody Tour Company lead workshop "A Taste of Culinary Tourism - Savannah Style
http://savannahmovietours.net/


According to the US Travel Association, Culinary Travel Survey found the food traveler spends $1,194/trip. 1/3 of that is spent on food related activities.

The culinary traveller is younger, highly affluent, better educated, they visit museums and cultural sites and they choose destinations for food and wine experiences. They read specialized interest publications and may be more responsive to travel packages that focus on the uniqueness of a destination.

The culinarty tourist is in pursuit of unique, memorable, culinary esperiences of all kinds, often while traveling.

On the tour we visited:

• Wright Square Cafe
• Savannah Bee Company Honey House
• Lady and Sons
• Kitchens on the Square for cooking demonstrations
• Mom & Nikki's Soul Food
• Back in teh Day Bakery
• Leopol's Ice Cream
• Polk's Fresh Market
• The Distillery

River boat breakfast cruise - Innovation day

To start off the convention we all got on board the river boat for a morning cruise. We ate breakfast and then went out on deck to enjoy the sites. After the cruise we returned back to the hotel for a day of contests, information sessions and tradeshow booths. The room was a buzz.
Pat and John enoying the river after breakfast.

Joe, Eric and that guy from Ohio State....what is his name? Rob! yes, that is his name. He always wears the Ohio State clothing. He's hard to miss.

Our stomachs were full and we enjoyed getting to meet up with old friends and introduce ourselves to new ones.

The sun is just coming up. It was an early morning.

Good Night from the Marriot on the Savannah River.

Welcome to NAFDMA Georgia 2009

Randii shares a Big Idea for Farmers' Markets.

Learning more about mazes.

Check out the peddal carts.

Lots of great dessert vendors.

Scarlett and Mammy are leading the 'Gone with the Wind' bus. The food,events and retailing bus. They got into character tonight.