by It’s one of the first lessons any new business owner learns: Keeping an existing customer is far more important than attracting a new one.
This popular advice is especially true for farm stores.
Returning customers rely on you to restock their refrigerators and freezers with farm-fresh eggs, dairy, produce, and meat, and keeping them engaged and satisfied should be your number one marketing goal.
In this blog, we’ll explore six ways to retain farm store customers and secure steady revenue for your farm store.
Seven Sons Farm: A Customer Retention Success Story
First, let’s talk about why you should trust us.
Seven Sons Farm is a farm store success story. They’ve been in business for over 20 years and currently bring in over $12,000 in monthly revenue — 80% of which comes from repeat customers.
Wondering how they did it? Let’s look at six tried-and-true strategies they’ve used to nurture relationships and boost sales.
1. Share Your Farm Story
Why should customers buy meat and produce from your farm instead of the supermarket down the street? While the quality of your products is certainly a factor, the main reason is that they support what your farm stands for.
Sharing your farm story is an excellent way to build lasting, meaningful relationships with customers. Whether your mission is to carry on a family legacy or provide your community with healthy and sustainable options, tell them why they should care about your products.
Content marketing is the best way to implement this tip. Use your farm’s blog, email newsletter, or social media posts to tell your story, educate customers about the value of shopping local, and share behind-the-scenes looks at your farming practices.
2. Create a Convenient Experience
Another crucial way to retain customers is to make shopping at your farm store easy.
This tip is especially important if you sell online. If ordering from your farm store is confusing or slow, customers will turn to your competitors for a more convenient shopping experience.
To keep them happy, prioritize these three factors:
- Simple ordering: Explore your website with fresh eyes. Customers should be able to browse your products, add items to their cart, and check out easily.
- Clear-cut pricing: Confusing or misleading prices can turn one-time and returning customers away. Make sure your website clearly explains weight-based pricing and delivery costs.
- Fast, accurate deliveries: Waiting too long or receiving the wrong products can ruin a customer’s experience — which is why you should invest in the right technology and make a plan to fulfill orders quickly and accurately.
When shopping at your farm store is simple and convenient, customers are much more likely to come back.
Pro tip: Offering subscription boxes is a great way to boost convenience and customer retention! Customers can sign up for a subscription and have their favorite farm-fresh products delivered on a set schedule.
3. Follow Up
After a customer visits your farm store or places an online order, don’t let them forget about you! Find ways to stay top of mind after their shopping experience.
One of the best ways to do this is to start an email or SMS newsletter. When customers make an online or in-store purchase, encourage them to share their contact information so you can send them updates about your newest harvests and upcoming promotions.
If you want to go above and beyond for your online customers, include a handwritten thank you card or a free sample of another farm-fresh product.
Above all, remember that a customer’s first purchase is only the beginning of your relationship; look for ways to build connection, cultivate loyalty, and bring them back.
4. Ask for Feedback
Listening to customers is another one of the best ways to increase satisfaction and earn repeat business.
Whether it’s a formal survey in your email newsletter or a casual chat at your farm store’s checkout counter, regularly ask how you can improve. Customers might ask you to offer new products, invest in better packaging, or expand your pickup and delivery options.
Hearing them out and adopting their suggestions will improve your farm store shopping experience and make your loyal customers feel valued and understood.
5. Build Excitement
While a consistent experience and excellent products are must-haves for retaining farm store customers, you also have to build excitement.
Give shoppers new reasons to visit your farm store — whether you’re offering a new line of products or a steep discount. Even small announcements like new packaging or updated signage are worth creating fanfare.
Leverage your blog, social media posts, and newsletter to build anticipation and keep customers up to date on the latest farm news.
6. Offer Staples and Luxury Products
Our final tip is to make your farm store essential by providing staple and special products.
First-time customers will often gravitate toward products like dairy and eggs — but they’ll stay for the products they can’t find anywhere else, like grass-fed beef and artisan sausage.
Offering the right mix of products and encouraging customers to take advantage of your diverse selection will make your farm store irreplaceable.
Grow Your Farm Store With GrazeCart
Ready to take your farm store to the next level? We’re here to help.
GrazeCart is a powerful farm store software solution designed to help you sell online and in-store, stay connected with customers, and grow your business. You can build a custom website for your farm, manage email newsletters, offer subscription services, learn about your customers’ shopping habits, and more.
Start your free trial today to see GrazeCart’s loyalty-boosting features in action.