My Digital Farmer Podcast - Episode 304 Summary
Title: How to Document Your Farm Promotions So You Can Recycle Them Easily
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Host: Corinna Bench

Introduction

In Episode 304 of the My Digital Farmer Podcast, host Corinna Bench delves into the crucial strategy of documenting farm promotions to streamline future marketing efforts. As a CSA farmer and marketing specialist, Corinna emphasizes that successful farming today isn't solely about cultivating quality products but also about effectively marketing and selling them. This episode provides farmers with actionable insights to save time, enhance promotional consistency, and boost sales by creating a repository of past promotional materials.

Identifying the Problem

Corinna begins by addressing a common challenge faced by many farmers: the repetitive cycle of creating promotional content annually. She paints a relatable scenario where farmers find themselves "scrambling to write an email or social media post for a promotion only to realize you already did it last year" (00:00). This often leads to frustration, wasted time searching through past materials, and the inefficiency of recreating successful promotions from scratch each year.

Notable Quote:
"Have you ever found yourself scrambling to write an email or social media post for a promotion only to realize you already did it last year?"
— Corinna Bench (00:00)

The Solution: Documenting Promotions

Corinna proposes a straightforward yet effective solution: documenting promotions as they occur. By maintaining a structured record, farmers can eliminate guesswork, reduce the time spent on planning future promotions, and ensure consistency in their marketing efforts.

Key Benefits Highlighted:

• Time Savings: Minimizes the need to search for past emails or social media posts.
• Consistency: Ensures that successful promotional strategies are retained and replicated.
• Efficiency: Streamlines the promotion planning process, allowing for quick adjustments and iterations.

Notable Quote:
"Today I'm sharing how documenting your promotions as you go can eliminate the guesswork and make next year's marketing 10 times easier."
— Corinna Bench (00:00)

Implementing the Documentation Process

Corinna outlines a practical approach to documenting promotions using simple tools like Google Docs or spreadsheets. She breaks down the process into clear, actionable steps:

1. Create a Centralized Folder:

   • Google Folder Name: "Farm Promotions" or include the year, e.g., "2025 Farm Promotions".
   • Sub-Folders/Documents: Each major promotion should have its own Google Doc or spreadsheet.

2. Populate Each Promotion Document with Key Elements:

   • Email Copy: Include all past emails related to the promotion along with their subject lines and sending schedules.
   • Social Media Posts: Document posts from platforms like Facebook and Instagram, including images and links to Canva folders where graphics are stored.
   • Promotion Results: Track metrics such as sales generated, what worked, and what didn’t.
   • Discount Codes and Offers: Detail pricing strategies, incentives, and special offers used.
   • Brainstorm Notes: Include ideas generated with tools like ChatGPT for future enhancements.
   • Customer Testimonials: Collect and store social proof and feedback from customers.
   • Customer Responses: Document frequently asked questions and customer objections to refine future promotions.
   • Launch Timeline: Outline the scheduling of teasers, emails, and social media posts.

Notable Quote:
"The tool that I use is very simple. It's just a Google Doc or sometimes a spreadsheet if that's easier for you."
— Corinna Bench (06:15)

Tools and Resources Recommended

1. Google Docs/Sheets:

   • Serves as the primary platform for documenting all aspects of each promotion.
   • Allows for easy organization and future reference.

2. Canva:

   • A recommended graphic design tool for creating promotional images.
   • Corinna provides a free workshop on Canva available at mydigitalfarmer.com/canva.

3. ChatGPT:

   • Utilized for brainstorming additional promotional ideas and enhancing existing strategies.
   • Corinna advises including ChatGPT-derived notes in the promotion documents for future inspiration.

Notable Quote:
"If you want a very basic kind of training course on how to use Canva and you want to see what's possible, you can go to mydigitalfarmer.com/canva and watch the free workshop."
— Corinna Bench (09:30)

Real-Life Applications and Success Stories

Corinna shares her personal experience of implementing this documentation process. Two years ago, while running her CSA early promotion campaign—which generates approximately 70% of her annual revenue—she recognized the inefficiency of recreating promotional content each year. By documenting the process, she significantly reduced the time spent on planning and execution, leading to more refined and effective promotions.

Examples Shared:

• CSA Early Promotion Campaign: Documented to streamline annual renewals.
• Spring Plant Sale: Successfully implemented the documentation process, leading to a quick sell-out and ease in planning for the next year.
• Holiday Sampler Fish Promotion: Collaborated with Citizen Salmon Alaska using documented strategies for seamless future promotions.

Notable Quote:
"The result of taking this time is that you get faster execution and it's just a better, more refined promotion."
— Corinna Bench (24:10)

Overcoming Common Objections

Corinna anticipates and addresses three primary objections farmers might have regarding documenting promotions:

1. "I don't have time to document things like this."
   Reframe:
   Investing 15 minutes now saves hours in the future by eliminating the need to hunt for past materials.

   • Notable Quote:
     "Fifteen minutes today is going to mean hours of saved time next year."
     — Corinna Bench (29:45)

2. "I'll remember it next year."
   Reframe:
   Relying on memory leads to inconsistencies and inefficiencies. Documenting ensures nothing is forgotten and optimizes the promotion process.

   • Notable Quote:
     "You're not going to remember, or you're only going to remember parts of it, and it's not going to be as efficient as it could be."
     — Corinna Bench (31:20)

3. "I like to change things up every year."
   Reframe:
   Documentation provides a strong foundation that allows for meaningful adjustments without starting from scratch.

   • Notable Quote:
     "Starting with a strong foundation is going to make iteration so much easier for you."
     — Corinna Bench (34:00)

Actionable Steps: Corinna's Four-Step Process

Corinna distills her advice into a four-step process to help farmers document their promotions efficiently:

1. Create a Centralized Folder:

   • Name it appropriately (e.g., "Farm Promotions 2025").
   • Include individual documents for each major promotion.

2. Document as You Go:

   • At the end of each promotion, or during its progression, spend a few minutes adding all relevant materials to the document.

3. Review and Replicate:

   • When planning the next year's promotion, refer to the documented materials to replicate and refine strategies.

4. Continuous Improvement:

   • Each cycle allows for adjustments and enhancements based on past performance data and new ideas.

Notable Quote:
"This is going to take you less than five minutes."
— Corinna Bench (26:50)

Additional Resources and Freebies

Corinna offers a free Farm Promotion Playbook template, a sample Google Doc format, to help listeners get started with documenting their promotions. This template can be accessed at mydigitalfarmer.com/promo-log and is also available within the Farm Marketing School's Build a Promotion Calendar Workshop.

Notable Quote:
"So this is a sample Google Doc format that you can use to track your marketing success with each of your promotions."
— Corinna Bench (19:45)

Promotion and Support: Farm Marketing School

Throughout the episode, Corinna promotes her Farm Marketing School, an online membership designed to help farmers build a simple, repeatable marketing system. Members receive step-by-step projects, monthly live Zoom meetups, coaching, and access to various templates to enhance their marketing efforts.

Call to Action:
"If you need help creating marketing systems or even building a promotion to begin with, then I want to invite you to come join me inside Farm Marketing School."
— Corinna Bench (22:30)

Homework Assignments

To encourage practical application, Corinna assigns listeners the following tasks:

1. Download the Farm Promotion Playbook Template:

   • Access the template at mydigitalfarmer.com/promo-log.

2. Create Documentation for an Upcoming Promotion:

   • Identify an upcoming promotion and begin populating the Google Doc with relevant materials.

3. Commit to the Process:

   • Corinna urges listeners to "pinky swear" to maintain organized documentation, ensuring ease in future promotional planning.

Notable Quote:
"I want you to actually build one of these Google Docs for an upcoming promotion. Will you pinky swear that to me?"
— Corinna Bench (38:15)

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Corinna wraps up the episode by reiterating the long-term benefits of documenting promotions, emphasizing that the initial time investment leads to significant time savings and enhanced promotional effectiveness in the future. She encourages farmers to adopt this systematic approach to marketing, promising that it will make the process less burdensome and more productive.

Final Quote:
"You're going to be really glad that you put everything into one source of truth."
— Corinna Bench (40:00)

Connecting with Corinna and Further Engagement

Listeners are invited to:

• Subscribe to the Podcast: Stay updated with all episodes.
• Join the Email List: Receive regular marketing tips and resources at mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe.
• Follow on Instagram: Connect via @ydigitalfarmer for daily marketing tips and mindset coaching.
• Become a Podcast Guest: Share your farm marketing story by reaching out through mydigitalfarmers@mail.

Notable Quote:
"Remember, I believe in you."
— Corinna Bench (42:30)

Key Takeaways

• Systematize Promotion Documentation: Use Google Docs or spreadsheets to maintain a centralized record of all promotional activities.
• Leverage Tools: Utilize platforms like Canva for design and ChatGPT for brainstorming to enhance promotional content.
• Commit to Consistency: Regular documentation leads to time savings, better organization, and more effective marketing strategies.
• Embrace Continuous Improvement: Review past promotions to refine and improve future campaigns, ensuring growth and increased sales.

By implementing the strategies discussed in this episode, farmers can transform their marketing approach, making it more efficient and impactful. Corinna Bench's insights provide a valuable roadmap for creating sustainable and scalable marketing systems that support the growth and success of retail farm businesses.