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Unit 2: Marketing Opportunities and Strategies for Sustainable Farm/Ranch Businesses

Topic 2: Buyers and Customers

“One of the things farmers forget is that you have to grow something people want to buy,” says experienced farm marketer Ed Sills from Pleasant Grove Farms in California. Sills identifies the most important marketing component farmers must consider: the buyer. If farmers and ranchers  plan to connect with consumers, they must learn about potential customer preferences, purchasing power and geographic location. Most marketing strategies begin with a description of the target market, or buyer characteristics. This piece of the marketing plan is called the buyer description.

Key questions include:

• Where do customers live?

• What do customers value?

• How do customers shop and make purchasing decisions?

• What do customers need in terms of packaging and convenience?

• What are customers willing to pay for their food?