I’m a huge believer in having signs on your vehicle to market your alpaca business. While you are driving around town people see you. They stop at red lights. They get bored. They look around.

Most people have never heard of an alpaca. They’ve never seen one. If your sign is good, if it intrigues them,…maybe they will look up your website later. They might give you a call. (Be sure to have a call to action on your sign.) They might even buy an alpaca from you. Stranger things have happened.

Signs just make good common sense so I’m not going to beat you over the head with this one. If people don’t know about you they can’t do business with you. So let them know you are there with SIGNS!

As a practical matter, you should at least have signs on your farm truck and your trailer. Consider having signs on the vehicle you drive the most frequently as well. Because I’m a mother of four children, I drive a van everywhere so I had signs made for my van. I started out with magnetic signs on the sides of the van. My oldest child complained that people at stoplights stared at us (“So embarrassing MOM!“), so instead I had signage put on the back of the van (above). This helped because the people behind us at lights read the sign and people in parking lots read it.

But how well does it really work? Let me share this story with you.

A man was driving home from work. He was frustrated with his job, sick of the rat race. Just the night before he had joked to his lady friend, “I’m thinking about chucking it all and raising alpacas.”  He had seen a commercial about the cute little creatures and thought they seemed like a lot more fun than his stressful job. He looked up at the next stoplight.

My van was in front of him.

“You are kidding me,” he thought. “Alpacas in Fairhope?” He called me the next day to make an appointment to visit the farm. And within a couple of months he had purchased two female alpacas from me. True story of serious business from a sign that had cost me less than $150.

So, what are you waiting for? Go put those signs on your car!

Read the Other Secrets The Sell Alpacas:

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.

Secrets That Sell Alpacas #5 Be Enthusiastic!

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

]]> http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/farmbusiness/2010/04/25/secrets-that-sell-alpacas-6/feed/ 0 http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/farmbusiness/2009/12/04/its-a-green-christmas-for-alpacas/ http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/farmbusiness/2009/12/04/its-a-green-christmas-for-alpacas/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:45:45 +0000 Katy http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/farmbusiness/?p=1114

Photo and Artwork by Valerie Newell of The Green Alpaca

The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) is giving alpaca breeders something to celebrate this holiday season!

Through AOBA’s public relations efforts, a press release was distributed to the media highlighting alpacas as a green business. As a result, Alpacas are being featured as the perfect green livestock on a syndicated television special called “It’s a Green Christmas.” This is one of the largest exposures of alpacas to the general public to date.  Being shown in over 120 television markets, this segment is worth over $200,000 in television air time.

The one hour show features a variety of ecologically beneficial businesses and products.  Alpacas are highlighted for over 3 minutes as an all around environmentally friendly livestock.  Alpacas are discussed as being easy on the land and efficient users of food with highly desired manure.

Showcasing the alpaca industry is video footage from AOBA’s National Conferences including models wearing beautiful alpaca fashions on the runway, fleece competition judging, individuals spinning alpaca fiber and consumers shopping for alpaca garments.  The show also includes a visit to Alpacas at Windy Hill in Somis, California where Cindy Harris was interviewed while holding a 3-day old cria.  Cindy did a terrific job of educating viewers about alpacas in general as well as the different types of alpaca fiber and the variety of end products.

“It’s a Green Christmas” is airing from November 21, 2009 through January 4, 2010 across the United States. For a list of airing times and stations, visit http://itsagreenchristmas.com.  More markets continue to be added to the schedule.

Note from Alpaca Farmgirl: Is AOBA back? Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come! Alpaca Farmgirl encourages you to sign up or renew your AOBA membership, and to participate in the AOBA Farm & Ranch Guide. AOBA works for us. Let’s support our organization and we will all benefit!

Santa Claus and Coca-Cola: Experts on Branding

Santa Claus Inc. is well and profitable, right through recessions, depressions and just about any economic scenario. The reason why his marketing strategies work better than yours, is because he uses solid, dyed-in-the-wool psychology. He knows he doesn’t have to use new fangled techniques, when his simple marketing has stood the test of time.

If you don’t believe in Santa, you’d better change your mind, because the fat man from the north pole rocks on and you too can do the same if you stick to the basics. Find out if your product or service matches up by reading the article below.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way…
If you go to the heart of Santa’s marketing, the one word you come away with is ‘consistency’. Generation after generation have been exposed to one brand, one message, and the same powerful imagery.

Just like Mercedes own the term ‘luxury’ and Volvo owns the term ’safety’, Santa owns the word ‘hope’. Every kid worth his Nintendo, hopes he’s got enough points on the goodness scale to justify a mountain of gifts.

Yet, most companies get tired of their own brand. They chop, change and pour thousands (if not millions) of dollars into a bottomless pit of mindless change. Take a look at McDonald’s advertising, for instance. McDonald’s own the word family outing yet their ads have been straying down the teenager path.

Does It Make Sense To Consistently Occupy One Niche?

You bet it does! Families go out with their kids to McDonalds. These kids sprout into budget-conscious teenagers that hang out at McDonalds. They have kids and grandkids and guess where they all end up. At the big yellow ‘M’, that’s where!

Santa doesn’t waver. His customers are kids. Like several marketers, he might have been sorely tempted to enter the gift market. With bad advice, he would have tried to get to teenagers, adults and everyone. Can you see the magic still working? Even the tiniest of niches is huge and niches have a way of expanding by themselves.

At the end of the day, it’s the consistency that takes the jingle all the way to the bank. Too many companies lose focus and give you seven reasons why you should buy from them. Santa sticks to one: Be a ‘good’ kid or you can keep hoping!

You Can Spot Him in the Middle of a Crowded Sky
Do you know anyone who comes to visit on a sleigh in the middle of the night? With reindeer and gifts? The reason why Santa stands out so vividly in our memories is because he’s different. The postman does the same thing, but leaves without the flourish.

It’s Really Important To Work Out How Your Marketing Message Differs
Santa’s core marketing term is not built solely on consistent branding but also on a very hard-nosed differentiation. Too much communication out there fits in with what’s safe. Customers have just one slot in their mind. You have to enter that slot at such an obtuse angle that they remember you for life.

Rose Richards runs Office Doctor. What sets her apart from all the rest of the administration crowd is the term, Small business pain relief. Can you imagine your reaction when you hear something like that?

The human mind is intensely curious and a marketing statement like that is pure bait. You want to know what pain relief she brings and how she goes about it-specially if you’re the one in pain. That’s only half the story. The construction of the message elevates her from simple number crunching to brain surgery and makes her unique.

If you want differentiation you need look no further than the guiding light of Santa’s sleigh– Rudolph, with his shiny nose. Can you even remember the names of the rest of the eight reindeer?

One very important point, however, is that the marketing message isn’t just different, but also customer-oriented. Rose takes the clutter out of administration and Rudolph provides a beacon for clearer navigation.

If you don’t have a benefit for the customer, just being different is going to get you nowhere.

Give and You Shall Receive
How many of you are out there networking like crazy? Trying desperately to fill in your steadily depleting bank reserves? You want, want, want! Take a look at Santa’s style.

He’s into giving first. If you probe deep into your mind, you’ll find the people you like best are those who have given you their time, their money or their knowledge. You trust them, and it’s very hard to say no when they ask you for a favour in return.

The deepest core of human emotions is fear. Every single product or service, without exception, is sold on the basis of a problem. The only known antidote to fear is TRUST. When trusts struts upwards, fear banishes itself to penguin land. The more you pile up the trust, the more you can do business.

Wouldn’t Santa be able to sell you just about anything? Would he be able to cross-sell and up-sell product? Santa could knock on your door next summer and you’d be more than happy to have him join your barbeque.

It’s up to you to build up the trust one Lego block at a time. Identify your clients and see what you can give them. It could be information, time or even a chocolate covered scrumptious cookie. It’s the old ‘What’s in it for me?’ theory. If you can’t find something calorie-ridden for their minds or bodies, they won’t want to see you.

Play Santa. It works.
He Knows if You’ve Been Bad or Good…

Heck Santa knows his customers. He even knows when you are sleeping, or awake.

Then, there’s you. Look at your biggest customer. What’s her name? When is her birthday? Does she like Indian curries or sushi? In curries can she handle hot or medium? What does she think about you? What doesn’t she like?

You’re guessing for sure. You can’t be dead certain because you’ve been so busy looking at dollar signs that you’ve missed the plot completely.

The reason why Santa’s marketing works is because he intimately knows your individual needs. If you want a drum kit, you get one. If you want a Barbie, you don’t up sulking with a xylophone.

Santa knows because he’s interested in giving. To give, you have to know exactly what the receiver wants or your gift is not worth the packaging it’s wrapped in.

Some people worry about invading personal privacy. Hogwash! When was the last time you got upset because a supplier turned up with a big chocolate cake (your favourite) for your birthday? or with rare stamps for your son (because he loves collecting stamps)?

Santa’s invades our privacy gently and uses it to give, not to take. That’s why we don’t mind it. The tax department on the other hand, uses our information to take and therein lies the principal difference.

Once a Customer, Always a Customer.

Santa Doesn’t Lose Customers. Period.
One of the primary reasons why he’s able to achieve this amazing feat is because he thinks of his customer’s customer. His customer is the kid, who in a few years gets a little wiser about Santa and his customer’s customer is the parent who has the amazing power to get their children to be nice not naughty, if only for a short while.

Since the concept works in their favour, they do all the advertising. Without TV, radio or the internet, Santa’s message gets a grip on millions of kids around the planet. These kids grow up and the marvel of Santa is handed down through the generations.

While It’s OK For Santa, How Would This Work In The Real World? Say, If You Sold Jeans.

Jeans West, a jean retailer, has several of the answers. I needed one pair, but Stephanie (the sales girl) sold me two–not by hassling me, but by gently reminding me I would get $20 off the second pair.

Then, with my purchase, she gave me a gift voucher of $10, for my use or to pass on. They, also signed me up for a loyalty program that offered to give me a 10% discount if I purchased over $250 worth of product in the next 6 months.

This Is Effectively What Jeans West Did to Make Me a Permanent Customer.
Step 1: The sales person asked the right questions to find out my need.
Step 2: She up-sold the product giving me good value for money.
Step 3: A gift voucher with a validity date, ensured an additional purchase. Or even better, the chance for me to pass it on to another person thus ‘creating a customer’ for Jeans West.
Step 4: Tying my fickle consumer head into a loyalty scheme. They wanted me to stay with them forever.

Santa’s steps may vary, but in essence he ties you into a solid loyalty program that is near impossible to get off. It’s ‘customer get customer’, rather than ‘advertising get customer.’ It’s cheaper and it works!

In conclusion here are the main points why Santa’s customers keeps coming back. These concepts may sound old, even trite, but have been proven time after time to work well. Test them against your company and brand to see where you can learn from the man from the North Pole.

1) Solid branding: We’re not talking lease here. Consistency is the key. This applies everywhere from networking meetings, advertising to any sort of communication that goes out. Keep hammering home the same unique message and put it up front. The weather changes all the time which is why we can’t trust it.

If you must change, it’s because your old message isn’t doing a complete job. I changed our first baseline from ‘Recession proof business principles’ to ‘Reactivating dormant business clients.’
The proposition was the same but the second line got 10 times the response.

2) Differentiation: Santa knows he can be a courier with a difference. You, too, can create your own legend. Nike used Just Do It. Coke threw in the concept, Rum and Coke, indelibly burning the word classic into our consciousness. Sameness is in your mind. No matter how many brands exist on the market, your product has a fingerprint of its own. You just have to dig deep to find out.

3) Build trust by giving first. Life is all about sowing, then reaping-but sowing comes first. If you don’t give first, you will only get limited results. The more you stop thinking of yourself and focus on what the customer needs instead, the more you are trusted. Business is all about trust. If you don’t have it, you’re yesterday’s soup.

4) Know your customer… Like you know the hair on your head. Data collection and its optimum usage will get you right into their minds and keep you permanently rooted in. Every time they see you, they should think you are Santa coming to town.

5) Reactivate dormant clients.  They are all volcanoes. Sitting there with the power to erupt mightily. Figure out who they are and how you can work in tandem with them. Forget your product or service. That’s a given– It has to be good. Find out the ‘everything else’ factor and you will keep them for life.

Like Santa does…

Next Step: If you haven’t already done so, collect your FREE Santas. There are lots of this lovable man from the North Pole. Click here to get Free Fun Santas

———————–

Product Offers: Links you should visit

1)  Is your next website or business card going to be a huge waste of money? Do you know precise psychological branding triggers to ensure that it never happens?
Read what others say and judge for yourself. Click here Brain Audit Testimonials.

2) 5000bc Community: How can you get reliable answers to your complex marketing problems? (And how on earth do you find answers to these questions at 3:25 in the morning?). Find out how at
http://www.psychotactics.com/5000bc

3) How hard can it be to structure a testimonial? Why pay $39 to learn how to put a customer quote on your website? Find out ‘WHY’ at
http://www.psychotactics.com/testimonialsecrets

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If you like this article
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©Psychotactics Ltd. All rights reserved.
Article By: Sean D’Souza
Wouldn’t you love to stumble upon a sec’ret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on copywriting, public speaking, marketing strategies, sa’les conversion, psychological tactics and branding.
Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.

Each day there are more and more places for alpaca breeders to list their sales animals. Alpaca Nation and Alpaca Street come to mind immediately. There are new, up and coming alpaca sites as well. Alpaca Market and Alpaca Classified (both Yahoo groups) are good place to post animals and other things for sale. Many AOBA regional affiliate sites also have Sales Lists on their web sites.

Occasionally a Buyer picks out an alpaca over the internet and buys him or her. But this is rare. How often does this happen to you? In this economy?

People may shop around on the internet, and we do need to have our animals on some sales lists. Don’t get me wrong. But what sells people is the relationship they will have with you. This is actually good news. Why? Because sales lists are targeted to a mass audience. The costs can add up. The scope too broad and too impersonal.

What really matters is the relationship – and it doesn’t cost you a dime. You can develop relationships with a few people and sell alpacas to them. Unless you are a large farm (and most alpaca breeders do not have large farms), you will probably not need to sell that many alpacas each year. You don’t need a mass audience. Only a few people who are a good fit for you and your farm.

Focusing on grass roots marketing and word of mouth will be more effective than a simple sales list. Having an Open House, passing out your business cards, and following up with your qualified leads can all lead to sales.

Many times I have heard from customers, “You are the only one who called me back.” Be the one who calls back your farm visitors, the people who sign your guest book. Get to know your prospects. They will need to know and trust you to hand over the kind of money alpacas command.

Sales Lists are necessary, but not sufficient. Pick up the phone and call a prospective alpaca breeder today. Build the relationship and the sales will follow.

This is a great video clip from Kelly Olexa. She’s a smart cookie with lots of great info to share. She really nails it when she talks about people talking AT you rather than connecting WITH you. When you are participating in Social Media, Listen first. Then Engage. Sales and Marketing is more and more about relationships, less and less about in your face advertising.

Leave a comment with your reactions and thoughts.

Next Step: Don’t forget to look at the recommended Psychotactics Sequence Of Marketing Products and Services.

©2001-2009 Psychotactics Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Article written by Sean D’Souza.
Wouldn’t you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on copywriting, public speaking, marketing strategies, sales conversion, psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.

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!

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.

People who are successful selling alpacas work long hours. It takes time and energy to make sales. Often they don’t notice that they are working so hard because they enjoy what they are doing.

3 things that successful alpaca breeders have in common:

• They are Passionate about Alpacas,
• Deeply connected with the Alpaca Industry
• They Think outside the box

To succeed:  Be passionate, connected, and innovative!

• Expect to Succeed. What you expect is what you get. Set high goals, and meet them. A positive attitude is essential.
• Be Creative. Take some risks. Pull out all the stops. Find new ways of finding leads and following through with them.
• Root for yourself. Find ways to encourage yourself to meet your goals. Read at least one inspirational quote or helpful blog post a day.
• No excuses. Forget the excuses. They are a crutch. If it doesn’t work, throw it out and move onto the next idea or contact the next lead.