………HOW TO SELL WHAT YOU GROW…………
The concept of entrepreneurship has evolved from a large for-profit business to those individuals who successfully sell something they’ve grown or created. An artesian or grower can potentially manage an agribusiness but may not have the skills generally associated with a successful business person. An entrepreneur is someone who produces for the market.
Planning. Does it seem like there is more planning than working in the gardens and starting at the end of the growing season for the next year? Do you leaf thru endless seed catalogs and planting charts and create diagrams of your garden and where the plants will go? Or…. do you throw seeds out over the ground and hope they will grow? It will make a difference in the volume you harvest in the end. Do you find that much of your product doesn’t turn a profit, that you have way too much of one thing or the other?
Planning
It’s time to choose if you want to become an entrepreneur and make a business of your labors or just a hobbyist and sell occasionally.
An entrepreneur is not simply someone who can organize and operate a business. Instead, they have to possess a set of qualities and skills that will turn them into a successful business person. A true entrepreneur aims at two points, producing for the market to make a profit and find ways to improve the product quality as well as increase the efficiency of production itself. Doing the latter is like stepping out of a comfort zone since it requires taking calculated risks to go beyond the day-to-day management activities into the realm of competition.
Most farmers, however, choose to produce based on their own consumption needs while selling the surplus to the market for additional profit only at best. This lack of drive can be explained by fear of taking risks and taking time to plan how to yield a successful harvest. But there exist solid strategies that farmers can practice to grow into successful entrepreneurs.
Strategies to Turn Farmers into Entrepreneurs –
The USDA/RISE Program can help, and we offer FREE classes!
The critical difference between an ordinary small-scale farmer and a farmer-entrepreneur is how they approach making a profit. While most farmers in the world are mainly concerned with feeding their own families, entrepreneurs are focused on profit first. But to successfully maintain such a profit-oriented focus, farmers/grower/entrepreneur needs to be educated in agribusiness management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Besides, they need to understand clearly basic common strategies to ensure their risks will ultimately pay off.
Marketing Strategy
Every farmer-entrepreneur has to know about the 4 Ps and 4 A’s. These are the foundation “pillars” of marketing, the 8 points to keep in mind while doing business. An entrepreneur/grower has to consider the quality and the appearance of the product, the distribution methods (place), the price, and how to promote the product effectively. And then, the farmer will need to anticipate the customer’s reaction to the 4 P’s, whether or not they’ll find the product acceptable, available, and affordable.
Customer Satisfaction Strategy
The main goal for any business is a satisfied customer, and entrepreneurs should aim at creating a loyal customer base. To achieve that, farmers need to understand and fulfill the ever-changing needs of the customers by creating effective marketing strategies.
Stakeholders Engagement Strategy
Building effective and sustainable partnerships are of critical importance when it comes to business development. That is why reaching out to different existing and potential stakeholders is not something farmers should ignore. The stakeholders include private sector companies and distributors, the local government, IT solution providers, and legal or financial experts.
Financial Management Strategy
Entrepreneurs have to aim at becoming financially viable as soon as possible. It will ensure the farming business not only stands on its feet but also does not require continuous support from multiple stakeholders.
