Business Management Practices Selling Tips
State Fairs are underway, farrowing is in full swing – you’re busy, no doubt. But one thing you don’t want to push to the back burner is booking your fall pig sale dates. Rather than waiting until you know when others are selling or waiting until you think they are ‘ready’ to sell, we recommend booking early and allowing those dates to drive your marketing efforts.
There are many advantages to getting your sale booked early.
PLANNING FOR SUCCESS. A longer timeline allows you to set personal and farm goals for the sale, and ensure that you have the proper plan in place to meet those goals. Having a plan with a realistic timeline will ultimately cause your family less stress! Important factors to consider when setting your timeline are:
- Pig Management – while we understand that things happen, sale dates give you hard deadlines to move pigs out of the nursery and on chips in enough time to settle in and get them accustomed to people and picture-taking props!
- Sale Preparation – this always takes longer than you are expecting and is one of the most important parts of getting ready for your online sale. This includes selecting animals for the sale, compiling pedigree information and descriptions, taking pictures, and setting delivery routes that work in your schedule.
MARKETING IS KEY. One of the most important factors, but an often overlooked part of the sale, is proper marketing. Booking your sale early allows you the opportunity to not only take advantage of all of the marketing tools available to you, but to get the most out of those tools.
- Online Advertising – this includes banner ads and email blasts. Start advertising that you will be offering a set online as soon as the date is booked.
- Print Advertising – this includes any flyers, magazines and catalogs. Usually print advertising has to be submitted the month prior to when it will actually be seen. Having your sale booked early ensures you can include your date in these advertisements.
- Showpig.com Free Advertising – as part of your sale package with showpig.com, you will receive your name and sale date listed on the online calendar immediately after booking the sale, a slider advertising your sale a week or two prior to your sale, inclusion in the weekly sales email blast on Sunday and Facebook advertising for the day your sale information is posted. The earlier your sale is booked, the more free advertising you will receive!!