Growing sales while building up a farm and a family

Market more effectively with Charlotte Smith on April 18

By Jonathan Kilpatrick • Farmer Education Director

Before working for SFA, I managed a ranch that sold grass fed meats direct-to-consumer. It was around the time I started that position that I came across some of Charlotte Smith’s marketing resources and podcast, “The Profitable Mindset Podcast.” I started listening faithfully and gleaning from her content online. 

When I took over the management position, the ranch had experienced a meager 20,000 dollars in total sales the prior year. Armed with my experience growing up on a direct-to-consumer farm operation, my previous learning and management positions, and Charlotte’s resources, I got to work. 

Running an agricultural business is not an easy task and adding a marketing enterprise on top of that adds complexity. However, by following proven marketing principles that work across all industries, we started seeing success. One of Charlotte’s common results from students (and the name of one of her online marketing courses) is them being able to 5X their farm sales. By the time I wrapped up my tenure in the position, we had indeed done just that. I had grown the sales of the ranch to well over 6 figures annually. And we didn’t add any more employees, it was mostly just me running the ranch and doing all the marketing.

How did we do that? Coupled with a dogged determination, carrying out the marketing principles that Charlotte imparts played a huge role. Plus, on top of growing those sales numbers, we improved soil health, livestock genetics, grass management, the quality of the product we sold, farm infrastructure, and added two kids to our own family!

Because of my personal experience applying the principles of effective marketing that Charlotte teaches, I’m super excited for the opportunity to have Charlotte come and teach us how to more effectively market our farm products in person on April 18th.

Preview the Workshop on Dirt Rich

If you’re curious to learn more about the workshop and Charlotte, I recently chatted with her on SFA’s Dirt Rich podcast. Check it out here, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Bonus Offerings

Attendees will have the opportunity to have Charlotte Smith review their website, social media feed, or email newsletters during the workshop (sign up during registration). Each registration also includes Smith’s book, Farm Marketing from the Heart.

Registration

Advance registration requested, walkups welcome. This workshop is $150 for SFA members, and $175 for nonmembers. Members, please log in to see member price. Lunch is included with registration. Click here to register.

See you in St. Joe!