# Attracting new customers



## Yellowchevelle

I am looking for ideas on how to pick up new customers for my custom hay operation. Anyone have any advertising ideas?


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## BWfarms

Social Media. Join Farm Groups on Facebook. Craigslist really is not a great place for Services but you may get a poke because I have seen Posts for people wanting somebody to cut their hay. Take it with a grain of salt though most of it is crappy fields they want to go halves on.

Business cards or fliers and leave them at feed store, stockyards, etc where there is more traffic.


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## IH 1586

Local farm papers and the weekly papers. Do large ads 1/4 page or so not the couple line ones. Run them for a while and you could get a decent discount. Travel to farms and leave cards. Couple ideas


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## JD3430

Yellowchevelle said:


> I am looking for ideas on how to pick up new customers for my custom hay operation. Anyone have any advertising ideas?


What a GREAT question. I think we all would love to know the answer to that one-we'd be loaded with customers!

I have done the following with limited success.

1. Road signs! I had cheapo signs made by Vistaprint for like $10 a piece. I put them out near the road and I got my single biggest account that way. 400 4x5 round bales per year. That big customer in turn told another pretty big customer. I've been with both now for 3 years. Now I have several properties on which I still put out my trusty little signs and they always have the possibility of getting even more customers.

2. Letter writing- I had some nice letterhead made and I write a personal hand written note to someone who has property I think I can farm for them. Sometimes they respond.

3. Emailing- write an email to anyone who you want work from. You have nothing to lose. Worst they can say is "no". However, it could lead to work. I'm not a guy who likes cold calling people and I wont do it because I hate it when people do it to me.

4. Craigslist- I have good and bad experiences, but when it's free, you cant pass it up. I have gotten lots of hay sold and aquired some field mowing customers on CL.

So those 4 ideas right there would cost less than $100 bucks and might lead to thousands in sales! Try it!


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## IH 1586

Signs are good. Keep talking about doing it still haven't done yet.


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## JD3430

IH 1586 said:


> Signs are good. Keep talking about doing it still haven't done yet.


Its very easy!

Go to Vistaprint. You can use one of their hundreds of backrounds or download your own.

"Bobs Custom Farming"

540-540-5400

1-100 acres

Insured

Signs will arrive in like 10 days.

Make sure you order them 2-sided!!!


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## BWfarms

You know what JD, I think I'm going to look into that. Put my brand on it and use it on an as needed basis.


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## NewBerlinBaler

On Tuesday, I met a small-time operator (weekend warrior, really) at the PA Farm Show. He makes certified organic hay on 5 acres and sells all of it via Craigslist. Told me someone once called him from Sarasota, Florida and asked for a tractor-trailer load !

Gary


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## IH 1586

NewBerlinBaler said:


> On Tuesday, I met a small-time operator (weekend warrior, really) at the PA Farm Show. He makes certified organic hay on 5 acres and sells all of it via Craigslist. Told me someone once called him from Sarasota, Florida and asked for a tractor-trailer load !
> 
> Gary


I have gotten several calls like that over the years. I keep their numbers in case I have anything to sell them. So far I have not had enough hay leftover to sell them.


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## Yellowchevelle

I like the sighn idea, hadn't thought of that. I have a very good in at our local feed store and sold a fair bit of hay out of there this fall. I have business cards made up and hand them out whenever possible. Most of my hay is sold via Craig's list and nextech classifieds with very good success. Custom work has mostly been word of mouth. I did a square baling job for one guy and ended up with two others because of it. Equipment is expensive so more to do is a good deal if you can get to it. This is turning into an interesting thread.


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## JD3430

Yellowchevelle said:


> I like the sighn idea, hadn't thought of that. I have a very good in at our local feed store and sold a fair bit of hay out of there this fall. I have business cards made up and hand them out whenever possible. Most of my hay is sold via Craig's list and nextech classifieds with very good success. Custom work has mostly been word of mouth. I did a square baling job for one guy and ended up with two others because of it. Equipment is expensive so more to do is a good deal if you can get to it. This is turning into an interesting thread.


Thing I like about the signs is

they're cheap

you can throw it in the cab of the tractor when you're done for the day and put it back in next morning

If someone steals it, not a lot lost

When you're farming, it's pretty obvious. people stop and look, especially when they need farm help. If the sign is right there, they'll snap a picture of it and dial you up when they get home.

Sometimes I'll stick the sign on top of a RB in a nice neat stack along the road.


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## Yellowchevelle

JD3430 said:


> Its very easy!
> Go to Vistaprint. You can use one of their hundreds of backrounds or download your own.
> 
> "Bobs Custom Farming"
> 540-540-5400
> 1-100 acres
> Insured
> 
> Signs will arrive in like 10 days.
> 
> Make sure you order them 2-sided!!!


This may spin this topic into a complete different direction but. What do you guys cary for insurance to do custom work? What is the Aprox cost for your coverage?


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## IH 1586

Yellowchevelle said:


> This may spin this topic into a complete different direction but. What do you guys cary for insurance to do custom work? What is the Aprox cost for your coverage?


It cost me about $2300 to carry liability insurance.


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## glasswrongsize

I really like the sign idea as well. I have gathered nearly all of my additional hay ground by someone seeing me do a one of their neighbor's ground or word-of-mouth. I am not really looking for more ground, but if I were, I could see where a sign might make a passerby feel more welcomed to stop and talk to you. A lot prolly drive by and don't wanna bother you. You both may want each other's business, but don't wanna "bother" the other. I can see where the sign would be a "welcome mat" at the hay field. I'll put that one in my bag-o-tricks for future use!!

73, Mark


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## panhandle9400

NewBerlinBaler said:


> Told me someone once called him from Sarasota, Florida and asked for a tractor-trailer load !
> 
> Gary


 I have shipped and sent as many as 300 semi loads a year to Florida , it is nothing new , lot of horses down there to be fed. If you know the few big players down there you can stay steady almost year round .


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## endrow

Yellowchevelle said:


> This may spin this topic into a complete different direction but. What do you guys cary for insurance to do custom work? What is the Aprox cost for your coverage?


 the insurance company we use ensures all of the buildings cattle and farm equipment basically the entire operation .
It provides general liability and we have a two million dollar umbrella. We get an Audit form at the end of the year and we have to submit all receipts received from custom farming we are then assessed and billed according to the dollar amount of custom farming we have done for the year.


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## azmike

Sign won't work for us...we know the 12 guys that drive our road!

I did have oldest son set us up a Facebook page, don't really know how to drive it yet. I am hoping someone will "like" me.


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## swmnhay

azmike said:


> Sign won't work for us...we know the 12 guys that drive our road!
> I did have oldest son set us up a Facebook page, don't really know how to drive it yet. I am hoping someone will "like" me.


put a link to your Facebook page on here.I'm sure a few will "like" you


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## RCF

We run a facebook page and it is helpful showing perspective clients what we have done and the equipment but, it hasn't generated any work. When we started out we had signs, newspaper ads, and everything else but, word of mouth and just going and talking to people seemed to work best in our area. We do run ads for Sprigs for sale and Hay for sale.

https://www.facebook.com/Russell-Custom-Farming-LLC-100462820001960/?ref=bookmarks


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## Teslan

BWfarms said:


> Social Media. Join Farm Groups on Facebook. Craigslist really is not a great place for Services but you may get a poke because I have seen Posts for people wanting somebody to cut their hay. Take it with a grain of salt though most of it is crappy fields they want to go halves on.
> 
> Business cards or fliers and leave them at feed store, stockyards, etc where there is more traffic.


I joined a Colorado hay group this year. I've found it's either a bunch of needy hay buyers wanting to pay very little or hay brokers promising the moon. Or hay sellers either pricing their hay to low or lying about the quality of their hay.


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## Yellowchevelle

A couple of things I tried this fall. Orded Koozie's to hand out and for Christmas my wife made plates of goodies that we delivered to all my last years customers. This was only my second year doing custom hay work. Each year I have picked up a few more jobs, hopefully this continues in 2016


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## panhandle9400

Back years ago I ran off some posters to place in windows of coops,dealerships,elevators, parts stores etc. Where I am located I am surrounded by 5 states, matter of fact I live in the only county in the USA that touches so many different states CO,NM,KS,TX, and OK . After word of mouth gets around you will stay plenty busy . I carry a custom clause in my farm and ranch insurance for custom work plus a 1.5 million dollar liability along with a workmens comp insurance due to using the H2a visa program besides doing work for some large corprate feedyards .


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## JD3430

Yellowchevelle said:


> A couple of things I tried this fall. Orded Koozie's to hand out and for Christmas my wife made plates of goodies that we delivered to all my last years customers. This was only my second year doing custom hay work. Each year I have picked up a few more jobs, hopefully this continues in 2016


I go buy $20 gift cards to a local very popular convenience store. Put them in Christmas cards I buy for my best customers. I get a lot of "love" later from those customers.
Little thanks goes a long way....


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## haygrl59

A different spin on the sign idea is have some magnetic signs made up and stick on the sides of your truck or whatever vehicle you mostly drive around in. I did it on my own for the boss' hay business. He wasn't sure I would get many sales from it but I can't tell you how many times I've had people stop and ask me about the hay just from seeing the signs on the side of the truck. Now the boss is a believer. I always have business cards with me so its easy to hand them the info. Parking in a feed store or farm store always gets some interest. I also set up a website for the guys and that is listed on my signs. Of course, this is for selling hay but I think it would also work with custom baling work too. I see a lot of requests for custom work listed on CraigsList as well.


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## PaCustomBaler

Road signs, vehicle lettering, equipment lettering, posters/business cards in local stores, craigslist, clothing, etc. Use them all and they work well....for custom work and hay/straw sales.


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## JD3430

PaCustomBaler said:


> Road signs, vehicle lettering, equipment lettering, posters/business cards in local stores, craigslist, clothing, etc. Use them all and they work well....for custom work and hay/straw sales.


And get a website like Ricks!

Best I've ever seen!!


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## swmnhay

Most of my advertising is for Netwrap,etc.but it overlaps with my hay sales.This is what I do.

Farm Shows.They are expensive and time consuming but work for my business.There are some shows geared to horses and maybe good for horse hay sales.There could be people there that need custom work done also.

Hand outs with your name on them.Pens,Pocket Knifes,Caps,Magnetic clips.Magnetic business cards.

Face Book business site.https://www.facebook.com/swmnhay/

Website.http://swmnhay.com/

Print advertising in local farm type papers.

Craigslist.


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## CaseIH

Maybe its just my area but I sure haven't had much luck with either Face Book or craigslist. I'm a small time operator that works away from the farm full time. The first year I had any additional hay available to sell I did really well, sold like hot cakes and wished I had more... Every year since there seems to be people out here under cutting prices to the point it would make better sense for me to roll my hay into the cattle and make extra manure for fertilizer. I just don't understand how or why somebody would want too, not only work for free but take a loss on there product to under cut prices so bad for everyone else... Sure does make it tough and makes me wonder...


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## JD3430

CaseIH said:


> Maybe its just my area but I sure haven't had much luck with either Face Book or craigslist. I'm a small time operator that works away from the farm full time. The first year I had any additional hay available to sell I did really well, sold like hot cakes and wished I had more... Every year since there seems to be people out here under cutting prices to the point it would make better sense for me to roll my hay into the cattle and make extra manure for fertilizer. I just don't understand how or why somebody would want too, not only work for free but take a loss on there product to under cut prices so bad for everyone else... Sure does make it tough and makes me wonder...


Used to think that, too. 
Then I discovered that making hay is actually done as a "hobby" by some. They do it for "relaxation". They don't care if they're making hay for a little "beer money". 
There's a guy a few miles from me who bush hogs fields to "relax". He's a multi millionaire and has underbid me on more than one job. 
You may find you're up against that, too.


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## CaseIH

JD3430,

That's an interesting point, I hadn't really thought about. May be on too something though, I guess I just don't have that much deposable income to be able to give my stuff away!


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## Tater Salad

azmike said:


> Sign won't work for us...we know the 12 guys that drive our road!
> 
> I did have oldest son set us up a Facebook page, don't really know how to drive it yet. I am hoping someone will "like" me.


Hahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO !!!!!!!!!!!! Priceless Man !!!


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## Tater Salad

I had little squishable green tractors with my # and ad made up.....put them in farm mailboxes......then stupid case/ih owners started putting pictures of my little JD's in manure , patches of weeds etc in my mailbox.....Case/ih guys are mean people !!


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## glasswrongsize

Tater Salad said:


> then stupid case/ih owners started putting pictures of my little JD's in manure , patches of weeds etc in my mailbox.....Case/ih guys are mean people !!


mean...but funny!!!   

On the bright side, think of all the added advertising you got from that...you know they all posted pics of their falderal on the inner web and laughed at the coffee shop....all the while,YOUR message was getting out farther and farther to more and more.

73, Mark


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## Tater Salad

Oh yeah , all in fun.....Trust me I had it coming from my coffee crew !!


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## Hayjosh

JD3430 said:


> Used to think that, too.
> Then I discovered that making hay is actually done as a "hobby" by some. They do it for "relaxation". They don't care if they're making hay for a little "beer money".
> There's a guy a few miles from me who bush hogs fields to "relax". He's a multi millionaire and has underbid me on more than one job.
> You may find you're up against that, too.


 *Raises hand*

More for the hobby for me, I just love doing it. As much as I aspire to be like you big guys, I'm just a little guy already gainfully employed. But I sell for what the going rate is, I don't undercut anybody. I still need to be in the good graces of the big hay guys around me because I still need their help. I also don't need to be competitive with my hay prices to sell it.


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## JD3430

Hayjosh said:


> *Raises hand*
> 
> More for the hobby for me, I just love doing it. As much as I aspire to be like you big guys, I'm just a little guy already gainfully employed. But I sell for what the going rate is, I don't undercut anybody. I still need to be in the good graces of the big hay guys around me because I still need their help. I also don't need to be competitive with my hay prices to sell it.


Atta boy.


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## haygrl59

We are probably a small-to-medium-sized hay operation with an average 55,000 small squares a year. The boss uses spreadsheets and knows pretty darn close how much it costs to make a bale of hay. We try to keep our prices competitive but still make a little profit too. I know what you mean about those who undercut their prices. They are usually not big producers and/or they have no clue how much it cost to drive around the fields to produce a bale of hay. I think you'll find those type in all sorts of sellers and it's not limited to just hay. Find your niche and work to give your customers the best product and the best service and they'll keep coming back.


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## coloradohay

I haven't seen this idea mentioned yet, but I called the department of agriculture for my state. They always have people calling on for random things and are great at networking for you. Two of our largest customers came from them.


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## azmike

Coozies are cool but how about lab reports verifying hay quality?

My lab's $40 test includes crude protein, ADF, NDF, crude fiber, TDN, RVF


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