“I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.”

~ Oscar Wilde

May 30th, 2009 | Tags: Oscar Wilde, Quotes | Category: Quotes | Comments Off

Anyone else notice how much times are changing? Now that we have unfathomable amounts of information just a click away, the power in business has shifted significantly to the consumer.

Consumers have access to billions of vendors, why should they choose you? The answer lies in the relationship. Your customers have to trust you. They have to know that you are willing work with them, and that you have their best interest at heart.

J.P. Rangaswami encourages businesses to develop new business models for the 21st Century.

• Take a stance on values and ethics. Make these known and stand behind them.
• Rather than controlling relationships, allow your relationships to grow through collaboration.
• Channeling your prospect towards lock-in feels too forced. Instead, intermediate to enable trust and fulfillment.
• Understand that customers want to be involved in the creation of value rather than just to receive it.

Rangaswami writes “Use what you stand for to attract the customer. Use what you do to retain the customer’s trust. Ensure that the customer is always free to leave, and paradoxically he or she will stay.” Hold them loosely and allow for the free exchange of ideas. Your relationship will develop, and a stronger customer alliance will form.

February 21st, 2009 | Tags: 21st Century, alliance, alpaca, alpacas, business, business model, changing times, collaboration, consumer, customer, fulfillment, J.P. Rangaswami, relationship, trust | Category: Business Matters, Quotes | Comments (1)

BE ENTHUSIASTIC!

Selling is a process where you transfer your enthusiasm for a product to your Buyer. If you aren’t enthusiastic about it, no one else will be either. Nobody wants to buy anything from Eeyore.

When you meet with visitors to your farm, when you tell people in your community about alpacas, bring a positive attitude with you. Remember how excited you were when you first got your alpacas? Tap into that.

When Enthusiasm is

Inspired by reason,

Controlled by caution,

Sound in theory,

Practical in application,

Reflects confidence,

Spreads good cheer,

Raises moral,

Inspires associates,

Arouses loyalty and

Laughs at adversity -

It is beyond price.

~ Coleman Cox

Other Marketing Tips:

Secrets That Sell Alpacas #1 Participate in the FRG

Secrets That Sell Alpacas #2 Have an Internet Presence

Secrets That Sell Alpacas #3 Get your business card OUT there.

Secrets That Sell Alpacas #4 Don’t forget your Veterinarian!

Do you have a marketing tip to share? Leave a comment. We’d love to hear it!

January 31st, 2009 | Tags: alpacas, Coleman Cox, Eeyore, Maya Angelou, sales, selling, selling alpacas, Zig Zigler | Category: Business Matters, Marketing/Sales, Quotes | Comments Off

In times of change, the learner shall inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.

~ Eric Hoffer

In light of today’s inauguration, the citizens of our country are looking for, clamoring for, change. Economic change, among other types of change.

How will we, as farmers, as alpaca breeders, deal with change?

We need to go back to basics. Admit auctions are not the answer to selling our animals. Introduce more people to alpacas, and help grow our industry. We need to educate ourselves on social media marketingand how it can work to help us grow our businesses. And we need to work on our sales techniques. Alpaca breeders aren’t usually sales people by nature. So we must educate ourselves on the business of selling.

Below is one of the best audio books on sales that I have listened to. It’s by Tom Hopkins. Not all “sales” books work for alpaca breeders. This one is inexpensive and it has lots of tips that are easy to apply to the alpaca/livestock biz. Leave a comment and let us know what other sales training materials have worked for you.

January 20th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, alpaca breeders, Barack Obama, economic change, Eric Hoffer, farmers, inauguration, Tom Hopkins | Category: Business Matters, Marketing/Sales, Quotes | Comments Off

As an alpaca farmer, it is great to hear the perspective of the traditional farmer. While there is not much overlap today in the alpaca industry and traditional farming, that will be changing in the years to come. People have been farming since the beginning of time, and any of us who love the farm lifestyle can learn from others who share that love.

Check out the social networking group, Farmers for the Future. It’s a great place to interact with Farmers of all kinds.

View my page on Farmers for the Future

January 17th, 2009 | Tags: alpacas, cattle, Farmers for the Future, row crops, social networking, traditional farming | Category: Farm Business, Fiber Arts, Quotes, Weekly Web Finds | Comments Off

December 31st, 2008 | Tags: alpaca farmgirl, alpacas, Angela's Ashes, Irish, Irish wish, New Year | Category: Quotes | Comments Off