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(click here for directory of past newsletters)
September 2005
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What does it say on your website?
I know it's easy to get bogged down - so many
things to do - but I urge you not to put your website
on the back burner.
Imagine what it says to your customers when they
check your website to see if the corn is ready, and
your website still says "We are closed for the
winter."
If you update your website yourself, do it!
If you have a web designer provide your updates,
keep him informed!
If you are not getting good service or you are still
not happy with the look of your website, then I urge
you to call us at
Eckert
AgriMarketing.
Our job is making your
website
updates "pain free" for you, and effective for your
customers.
Let us do your website - so you can keep harvesting
and selling.
Fall Season is coming soon,
and
literally thousands of people will use the Internet to
choose what maze, what pumpkin patch, or what
mum shop to visit! If your not there, they may not
be heading your way this fall!
Call 314-862-6288 now.
Quick Links...
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Eckert AgriMarketing's FarmWebDesign
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More About Eckert AgriMarketing
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The question is always - how do we get each customer to spend more when visiting our farm in the fall?
It’s simple – it’s called food concessions.
I believe that people have a set amount of money that they are willing to spend on the family pumpkins, fall decorations, apples, and admission fees. At the same time, they don’t seem to limit their budget on the food they eat while visiting.
“We are going to eat somewhere, why not here?”
 Food concessions are generally the last area for many farms to develop, when in fact they should be the first consideration every year. I recommend your immediate consideration to adding another product - or two or three - to your food concession mix. Even better, add another concession stand! Seriously!
Those farms with multiple concession stands have seen that every time they add another concession stand the food sales increase – they don’t decrease. That’s right – the more selection we offer – in more locations - mean more sales.
 While I can’t exactly tell you what your next food concession item should be, here are some of the most popular: cider donuts, cider slushes, cider or fruit juices sold in apple and pumpkin plastic sippers, sliced apples with caramel & whipped cream, plenty of cold beverages including bottled water, roasted sweet corn, hot dogs, brats, popcorn, funnel cakes, chili, kettle corn, pumpkin shaped cookies, caramel apples (small and deluxe), etc.  You name it, and people will eat it and pay for it.
And remember, don’t be timid with your pricing. Just think what it costs to buy a soda and popcorn at the movies.
Food concession sales are a good number to track year to year. You will be surprised how you can increase the average sale per customer by giving them more food choices.
A reminder: if you would like to quickly check the news headlines that affect Agritourism around the country, stop by the Eckert AgriMarketing home page. I am constantly searching the Internet, and these news stories are updated at least weekly to keep you in touch with the news that affects agritourism and farm direct marketing.
Click here to go directly to the Agritourism News page. We also have many articles on our website with tips and ideas to help you make your business more successful, and now we've added previous newsletters, in case you've missed one, or just want to look back. Click here to read my articles and newsletters.
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