Selling

Ideas for selling your farm and ranch products.

Selling directly to consumers: How to find customers and market your beef

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In my last blog, I discussed how to find a plant to process your beef. In this edition, we’ll look at using social media to find customers and setting up a website.

Of course, word-of-mouth advertising is the cheapest way to advertise, but you may live in a small town or have already exhausted your possibilities through your existing network. One rancher friend of mine noted recently, “Many of my neighbors are also trying to sell directly to consumers and my small town is saturated with supply. What I need is more prospects.” 

https://www.beefmagazine.com/cattle-market-outlook/selling-directly-to-consumers-how-to-find-customers-and-market-your-beef

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Selling

USING FACEBOOK TO GENERATE FARM AND RANCH LEADS

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Generate More B2B Leads and Get Better Results from Facebook

  • What is the best way to generate farm and ranch leads on Facebook?
  • Can we mix our online and offline campaigns to maximize results?

In less than an hour, we’ll show you how we’ve used Facebook to enhance existing marketing campaigns and uncover new opportunities. Whether you’re deep inside of a marketing team or the leader of a small team of salespeople, this webinar will help you understand how to match Facebook‘s advertising platform to your sales cycle to generate more leads and get better results from your ad spend.

USING FACEBOOK TO GENERATE FARM AND RANCH LEADS Read More »

Selling

Do you want to subscribe, but you don’T know at what level?

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Hope this simple spreadsheet shows you the different levels that you can participate.
An example of an entry level participation is … access to our gazette and all the past articles in the Tips and Tricks Newsletter, many magazines , the ADCA, PDCA and Legacy publications in clipboard formats with an easy to use search feature…you will need to spend $20. This feature has allowed me to help so many when they have a specific question about a topic we have already covered.

You will need decide your level of participation, register and then enjoy your subscription benefits.

We are always looking for people to help. If you want to join an exciting and dynamic team…reach out!

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General Selling

We can help you sell your Dexters and farm products

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Are you struggling to sell your Irish Dexters? Their Beef?  Farm made products?  

I think one of the hardest things for the Dexter owner is to sell their products. I have a background in marketing, sales and science, which seems to have helped us find our niche.  The Irish Dexter dairy and beef are a niche products and should be marketed with that in mind.  We happen to be grass fed, grass finished another niche market.  I think if you take a step back and look at your market, you will be able to carve out a niche for your Dexter products.  I use the chef Ramsey card all the time….do you know that he prefers Dexter beef and uses them in his restaurants.

Did you know that Crest Point Farms, also a member of the IDC online stores is a supplier to the restaurant market.  Take a look at his marketing on our website and you will see his marketing of both his Irish Dexter beef and Kune Kune pork.  Using the systems put in place for you at the Irish Dexter Cattlemen ( IDC) website you should be able to create this niche for you and your products in your area.

Take a look the products available from Stumpys Acres and Ashron Acres?  They are selling Dexter beef and handmade farm items.   
Also take a look at Maple Creek Dexters, they have no ads currently running, but a lovely write about their farm. Lucky them, they have nothing at the moment that they are trying to sell. This happens with repeat customers and word of mouth selling from happy customers.

But if an online store is not right for you at this time in your marketing…then look to the IDC Marketplace.  To receive a free ad for the marketplace all you need to do is register first  and then fill out the information as  it  prompts you thru the process.  The end result is a beautiful professional looking ad.  You can then copy and paste that link anywhere like FB, IG or an email.  I have found that by using the ad link I look more professional and now have a wait list for my Nubians, Dexters and my soap business has certainly taken off in a big way, as I am now shipping more and more!  It’s no longer just a local sale.  One important feature for me is…it lets me know when my inventory is low by item.  This is helping me produce what I need for my growing business.

The IDC website is so much more than just a marketplace and free monthly newsletter.  With an entry level membership you have access to practically everything in the cattle industry, specific Dexter articles, and access to all three registries….I no longer need to remember other website addresses.  The IDC website is a one stop shop for everything I need, and provides access to anything Dexter.

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Selling

Growing my business with GrownBY

By Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm

I have had a small soap business for years.  It has been a very manual order process. So, when someone was needed to test the GrownBy site for the next phase of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen website, I decided it was time for me to have an easier way to order.  It also gave me the added benefits of being able to sell my Irish Dexter cattle and Nubian goats without having to set up my own website.  Everything in one place, with no knowledge of set up or having to maintain my own website.
Well I have to tell you….this has been a most enjoyable experience.  From the ease of using the site, to the help that is available from the GrownBy team at the drop of a hat.  I can edit, add or remove things with little effort.  But the really exciting thing was having metrics to be able to see if the site was working for me.  The first time I checked how many had clicked on my site it said 163…WOW! I started working on my site in May and had yet to check the metrics out.  I shared it on my FB page and on the IDC site once, well maybe twice and boom a week later 193 visits.  The other notable is that my order size increased.   Not by a little, a lot!  We are still working on GrownBY handling the shipping component, but the problem is at my end, not theirs,  everything has to be weighed and then the zip code has to be taken into consideration.  The work around is pick up at farm and handling the shipping afterward…or adding to the price the average shipping…but I’m working on that.
The long and short of it is, not only is the site working for me for selling my soaps and shampoos.  It provides an easy link for my customers to go to and see what I have available …and helps me with driving what needs to be made and stocked. And maybe they will consider some of the adorable bucks we have currently for sale!
I didn’t need to learn another language or program, all I had to do was share it, so people know where to look. 
Another added benefit is, you can see other farms in your area …that you might want to visit or buy from.  It’s farmers!  Yup, farmers, you are working with other farmers.  So if you have a soap business like me, or just a few animals to sell, or a CSA, you really should check it out.
I hope you have the same experience as I have had….now off to make another soap and build that inventory.

Check out my new online e-commerce store https://grownby.app/farms/stay-n-put-farm/shop

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Selling

Selling Dexters by Sue Pollington

There is this thing that happens when you have Dexter cattle and really any kind of cows. It’s called cow math. The cows just keep multiplying and it’s all your fault.

In my Dexter journey this happens 2 ways. I got my fist Dexter cow, she had her yearling steer by her side and was pregnant. I thought cool, 3 for the price of one. Who doesn’t love a sale?

The new calf was born, another steer (not at birth but after a bit (was removed)). I know I’d have 3, but I didn’t know how much I would love being a milkmaid. I loved milking, processing the milk, and making all the fabulous dairy products. When the calf was weaned, my avocation as a milkmaid did too. No more dairy goodies and now I knew what real dairy was and I couldn’t bear to buy the junk stores have and call dairy.

I bought a second Dexter Milk Cow, with a steer by her side so I could milk year round with Spring and Fall calves. Now there were 5 cows. One steer went to freezer came and I was down to 4. Good for me. But then the new heifer calf was born and we were back up to 5.

Here I became foolish and bought a 3rd Dexter milkcow for emotional reasons. ( I did not need a 3rd Dexter Milk cow) She did not come with a calf at her side hooray. So, we were up to 6, I sold the heifer calf and we were down to 5. The new cow had a heifer calf and we were back up to 6.

It’s all my fault. I bred the cows, bought the cows. I will sell the new heifer calf and be back down to 5 but I have 2 calves due this Spring, but I will send another steer to freezer camp next month so I will stay at 6 until the 2025 Fall calf will make it 7 unless I sell 1 or both Spring calves.

Cow Math is real. So you will have to consider how you want to manage your herd size.

Sue Pollington

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Farm Management Selling

Training a Dexter to lead.

By Sue Pollington

I have just been a Dexter owner for 3 and a half years now, but I have had to halter train 1 cow and 2 heifers. Luckily for me, I grew up with horses and it’s pretty similar although I think my Dexters have been far more willing and patient with training than horses.

I have also stanchion trained 3 cows. Beyond that I haven;t had to train much but I too have been trained. My Dexters have taught me they like affection and treats but mostly affection as they want pets whether I have treats or not. They have trained me that they would rather follow me than be driven from the back but will accept that too, but only if someone is leading as well. My Dexters like their routine and prefer if I’m on time but will forgive me after some complaint if I am late.

I have learned working with cows is a partnership. I may need to be firm but I shouldn’t be scary. Mostly as soon as the herd understands what I want they are pretty happy to give it. We all need to be respectful of each other and patient. A human will not win and may not even live in a cow fight so that must not happen.

On time my Dexter Milk Cow, Lacey, moved me to the wall of the barn. She was not happy with the stanchion training and wanted to let me know. She didn’t hurt me or smash me in anyway but I learned good lessons that way. If a cow loses patience, take a break and try again later. Lacey is now a pro in the stachion and we are both happy with that.

This is just my experience and what I wanted and needed to train in. My best advice is develop trust with you Dexters and work with them, not against them.

Sue Pollington

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Selling

If You buy a trained Dexter milk cow….

By Sue Pollington

If you spend the money to buy a trained Dexter milk cow please define what you expect by this and tell the seller you choose.

Does this mean halter trained, lead trained, stanchion trained, milking trained, trailer trained? 

When I was buying my first cow, I wanted a trained milk cow that I could halter, lead, and who would stand to be milked and had been milked.  What I got was a cow pregnant with her second calf who has been milked, she could be haltered and would kind of be lead. She had never ridden in a trailer or been in a stanchion. 

This brings up an important point. Find out how a cow has been trained to milk. My first cow was trained to come into a milking parlor, go to a trough with hay and stand there to be milked while she ate. She was not tied or haltered for this. Luckily for me, my first cow had a great temperament, was patient, understanding and willing, so she would let me fail and we could both find a way to make it work together.

Just as you will be training your cow, they will also be training you.

Within our first lactation (milking season) together, my first cow and I got really good at leading, she learned to enjoy the stanchion, I learned to milk with lots of help from my cow. We have become very comfortable together and I am looking forward to her next calf in the Spring so I get to milk her again.

Sue Pollington

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Selling

Buying an Irish Dexter. Part 2

By Sue Pollington

So, now you are ready to buy your first Irish Dexter. You have your land, fencing, a water source, a farm vet who makes farm calls (or a trailer to take them to the vet), a shelter, hay or a hay source, a mineral source and the money to buy.

Now you need to find your cow or cattle as the case may be and the confusion starts. What’s the difference between an Irish Dexter and an American Dexter? Are the white ones really Dexters? Do I want registered or unregistered? What registry is better?

Remembering I am not an expert, and I can be wrong. This is what I learned in my own Dexter journey. There is an American Dexter Cattle Association (which is the largest), a Purebred Dexter Cattle Association, Legacy and many more that I won’t get into.  A registered Dexter is more expensive. This is because the market will pay a higher price to know the genetic testing, DNA and pedigree. But even with registration it doesn’t mean they are all perfect cows, if there is such a thing. I personally don’t care about registration yet I have chosen to buy registered Dexters because there is less chance of deception ie I know what I am getting.

I have a cousin, we will call him Dale who has cattle in MI and he claims if someone comes to him he sells them an Aberdeen and tells people they are the same as a Dexter (they are not) and Dale’s cows aren’t registered and most are mixed in breed. I don’t buy from Dale as I want to know what my cows are, Dexters. There are more people than just my cousin Dale pulling shady things in cattle sales just like with any animal sales. Buyer beware.

Find a reputable breeder, with references. Go see their place and their cows in person. It’s worth the cost. Or if you have a trusted friend who can do this for you, for breeders out of your area, ask them. I found a breeder about 2.5 hours from me and went to visit. .The breeder was open to visitors and she had a great place and super good looking cows that were friendly and approachable. She also wasn’t trying to sell me a cow but made it more educational as my first visit was for that and to see if I would even like Dexters. By the end of the visit I was in love and wanted to buy a cow. This breeder wasn’t sure if she had anyone for sale right now but said she would think about it and the kind of cow I needed as my first cow. I was looking for the unicorn of cows, trained to milk, bred, with a calf at her side. The breeder did offer me an ADCA Dexter at a registered Dexter price. I did not get the perfect cow but I did get the perfect cow for me as a 1st time cow owner, she was patient, easy going, was pregnant with a yearling steer included. She also didn’t have the perfect udder, it was good but she had large teets with small orifices. So she hand milks slowly. She was a great first cow and taught me a lot of good things. I was lucky to end up with her. I still have her.

Take your time, know what you want and be willing to either wait or compromise where you can. Make sure you feel good about the purchase as this is an investment. Cows are not cheap and if they are I want to know why.. Listen to the good stories and the horror stories and learn all you can. Get a cow mentor to guide you who is not trying to sell you something. Let me know if I can help. I am happy too. Good Luck. Getting the Dexters I have,, was a great choice and they make my life so fun. I wish the same for you.

Sue Pollington

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