Podcast Summary: My Digital Farmer Podcast - Episode 292: "My End of Year Housekeeping Tasks for Farm Marketing"

Host: Corinna Bench
Release Date: December 18, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 292 of the My Digital Farmer Podcast, Corinna Bench, a CSA farmer and marketing specialist from MyDigitalFarmer.com and Shared Legacy Farms in Elmore, Ohio, dives deep into her end-of-year housekeeping tasks essential for maintaining and growing a successful farm marketing strategy. This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for farmers looking to tidy up their business operations, reflect on the past year, and set a robust foundation for the upcoming season.

1. End of Year Evaluation

Timestamp: [04:30]

Corinna emphasizes the importance of conducting a thorough end-of-year evaluation. She dedicates an entire day to this process, utilizing tools like her journal, whiteboard, or large sheets of newsprint to debrief the year. Her evaluation primarily focuses on marketing metrics, though she also touches upon production aspects.

“This helps me keep my finger on the pulse of the business and evaluate how we're doing.” — Corinna Bench

She plans to teach a workshop titled Marketing Metrics Dashboard as part of her Farm Marketing School, aiming to help farmers track and analyze their key metrics throughout the year.

Key Points:

• Review annual sales data and metrics.
• Identify which products and promotions performed well.
• Assess revenue sources, including CSA, wholesale, and online stores.
• Analyze cash flow patterns and stress points.
• Reflect on energy, excitement, and opportunities for the next year.

2. Review Budget for the Remaining Fiscal Year

Timestamp: [15:45]

Corinna and her partner, Kurt, spend several hours reviewing their 2024 budget, ensuring they are on track to meet their financial goals. They consider strategies to lower tax liability by investing in current year expenses and explore potential reinvestment opportunities for any surplus.

“We were always okay, and we could always pay it off in the end.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Assess current fiscal year spending versus budget.
• Identify opportunities to reduce tax liability.
• Decide on reinvestment strategies or owner draws.
• Plan for infrastructure upgrades and personal growth investments.

3. Set Goals for the Next Year

Timestamp: [24:10]

Setting specific, measurable goals is crucial for Corinna and Kurt. They typically conduct this task during a full-day retreat in a state park lodge, combining work with activities like hiking to foster productive discussions.

“We just kind of set some very specific goals that are measurable, that have some teeth to them.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Define personal and business goals.
• Identify areas of excitement and energy.
• Outline projects and initiatives for the coming year.
• Use insights from the annual evaluation to inform goal-setting.

4. Set Budget for the New Fiscal Year

Timestamp: [30:20]

Following goal-setting, Corinna and Kurt establish their budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This involves aligning their financial plans with their newly set goals and ensuring that each objective is adequately funded.

“From the goals and your values that your budget should spring.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Allocate funds based on prioritized goals.
• Adjust budget categories as needed.
• Seek advice from seasoned farmers or accountants if unfamiliar with budgeting processes.

5. Build Promotional Calendar for Next Year

Timestamp: [36:50]

Corinna outlines the creation of a promotional calendar, which schedules marketing activities and product launches throughout the year. This task typically occurs in early January but may necessitate earlier attention if major promotions are planned.

“The more advanced you get and the more like awesome you get at generating revenue, you will develop a more, much more detailed promotion calendar.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Schedule key promotions and product launches.
• Align marketing efforts with seasonal sales cycles.
• Utilize resources like her Farm Marketing School for guidance on building effective promotional calendars.

6. Clean Email List

Timestamp: [42:30]

Maintaining a clean email list is essential for effective communication and high open rates. Corinna dedicates about an hour in December to purge inactive subscribers, which significantly improves email engagement statistics.

“If they're not going to see your emails, then you might as well just get rid of them.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Identify and remove subscribers inactive for three months or more.
• Spot-check to ensure accurate identification of inactive emails.
• Enhance email open rates by maintaining a focused and engaged subscriber list.

7. Organize Files

Timestamp: [48:00]

Corinna emphasizes the importance of organizing both physical and digital files to streamline business operations for the next year. She primarily uses Google Docs for digital organization and spends time tidying up her documents and photos.

Key Points:

• Sort and categorize digital documents into appropriate folders.
• Delete unnecessary files to reduce clutter.
• Organize Google Photos into specific folders for testimonials, marketing ideas, user-generated content, and product-specific images.
• Ensure easy access to essential resources for future marketing efforts.

8. Review Email Nurture Sequence and Sales Sequences

Timestamp: [52:15]

Reviewing and updating the email nurture sequence is a critical task that Corinna tackles during the off-season. She evaluates past emails to identify effective content and integrates successful messages into evergreen sequences.

“I want all new people to read that email at some point.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Assess performance of past email campaigns.
• Incorporate high-performing emails into ongoing nurture sequences.
• Develop new email strands, such as personal health journeys, to engage different segments of the audience.
• Align email strategies with overall marketing goals to attract and retain customers.

9. Update Copyright Language on Website

Timestamp: [58:40]

A seemingly minor task, updating the copyright year on the website and email subscribe forms ensures that the farm's online presence remains current and professional.

“Make sure you do that. You want your customers to see that you're staying on top of your marketing assets.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Update the copyright year on all digital platforms.
• Verify that website content reflects the current year.
• Maintain a polished and up-to-date online presence.

10. Send Appreciation Notes to Vendors and Customers

Timestamp: [1:03:15]

Expressing gratitude to vendors and customers through appreciation notes or Christmas cards is a staple in Corinna’s end-of-year routine. This practice fosters strong relationships and conveys genuine appreciation.

“My customers appreciate getting that card from us every year.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Send personalized notes or cards to key stakeholders.
• Utilize assistance (e.g., delegating to a team member) to manage large mailing lists.
• Maintain a family-like, thoughtful touch in customer interactions despite scaling up.

Additional Tasks

LLC Annual Meeting

Corinna mentions the necessity of conducting an LLC annual meeting, a legal requirement to maintain the farm’s operational standing. This involves a brief 30-minute meeting to review and document business matters.

Innovation Project: Adding a Value-Added Line

Beyond routine tasks, Corinna and Kurt focus on innovating their business by exploring new ventures, such as adding a value-added food line inspired by an interview with Kendall from Marketing for Farmers.

“I'm excited to explore it. So big shout out to Kendall from Marketing for Farmers for inspiring us to try that out.” — Corinna Bench

Key Points:

• Continuously seek new opportunities to expand product offerings.
• Collaborate with experts and professionals to develop new products.
• Test and evaluate the viability and impact of new initiatives on the business.

Conclusion

Corinna Bench wraps up the episode by reiterating the significance of these end-of-year tasks in ensuring a well-organized, financially sound, and growth-oriented farm business. She encourages farmers to adopt similar practices, tailoring them to fit their unique operations and goals.

“I encourage you to always be innovating, always be looking for something new that you can add on or change in your business.” — Corinna Bench

Listeners are invited to access the detailed task list in the show notes and explore additional resources through her Farm Marketing School. Corinna also promotes engagement through her email list and Instagram account, fostering a community of confident and capable farm marketers.

Key Takeaways:

• Conduct a comprehensive annual evaluation focusing on marketing metrics.
• Review and adjust your budget to align with financial goals and tax strategies.
• Set clear, measurable goals and build a promotional calendar to guide marketing activities.
• Maintain an organized digital and physical file system to enhance efficiency.
• Regularly clean and update your email list to ensure high engagement.
• Innovate and explore new business opportunities to keep the farm thriving.

For a more detailed list of tasks and additional insights, visit MyDigitalFarmer.com Episode 292.