|
I
assume you are reading this article because the title caught your
attention. The title and the information in this article are forms
of reverse logic to get a person thinking about various aspects to
consider prior to selling their animals. After all, the best genetics
and pedigrees can be totally ignored when appearance is substandard.
While product availability at a reasonable price is an important aspect
to marketing, buyer perception is more important. When quality is
compromised, a potential buyer can be disappointed, and the seller ends
up frustrated because their efforts resulted in a less-than-expected
offer or a no-sale. In other words, if the animal does not meet the
expectations of the buyer, they are less likely to consider a purchase.
I
hope this article helps you reevaluate your perception of marketing in a
way that commands more money for your animals and brings more revenue to
your farm.
Presentation
is probably the most important aspect to marketing. Therefore, avoid
cutting corners on nutrition and health care to the point it compromises
the appearance/quality of your animals. Being efficient is one thing,
but when it comes to presenting your animals, they need to appear
healthy and hardy. An animal that is underfed, poorly cared for and
appears malnourished or sickly will not have the same value as an animal
which has a healthy coat, is well-rounded and appears to be an easy
keeper. Regardless of the amount of money which could be saved during
the production phase, make sure your animals are well-conditioned and
appear hearty prior to putting them up for sale.
Money
spent up-front should allow a seller to expect more for their animal/s.
Appearance
is a part of presentation. Prior to a visit from a potential buyer, take
some time to groom your animal/s for sale. The hooves should be trimmed
so the animal is not walking on its hocks. And, take the time to brush
out the coat so the loose hair/wool, dirt and debris is removed. A buyer
who is hesitant to touch/handle the animal because of its grubby
appearance is less likely to consider purchasing the animal. Poor
appearance is a turn-off.
Equal
comparison is important to buyer perception. Keep the animals for sale
easily viewed, and the animals you plan to keep in a remote area. When
shopping for goats, it can get confusing trying to keep up with animals
for sale versus animals not for sale. Remove the animals you intend to
keep in another area where they cannot be viewed for comparison
purposes. Speaking of animals you plan to keep, always price them with a
value you are willing to live with. Sometimes a buyer is willing to pay
more for what you don’t intend to sell.
If
you have groups of animals at different ages for sale, then separate
them based on age groups. It is confusing trying to differentiate
between quality and size when animals of various age groups are kept in
the same pen. Keep the three to six-month-old animals for sale in one
area, the six month to one-year-olds in another pen, the yearlings in a
separate area, and the nannies and bucks in another pen. As my mother
used to say, "Comparing apples to apples is much easier when
oranges are not in the same bin." Then again, you had to know my
mother.
Housekeeping
is also important. If your farm is a mess, the potential buyer may be
overly concerned about tripping over something or avoiding obstacles
rather than looking at the animals for sale. Keep your barn and
surrounding area reasonably maintained and organized. Insure entry and
walkways are easy to maneuver. If a buyer perceives a farm is not
properly maintained, they may question the quality of the animals on
that farm. Circumvent making excuses for the appearance of your farm by
making a routine effort to keep it well-policed. Your operation is there
to make money, not incur a lawsuit because someone tripped and injured
themselves.
Perceived
value is what marketing is about. If a buyer perceives the value of a
product meets or exceeds expectations, they should be willing to pay
fair market price. If that same buyer perceives poor quality during a
farm visit, they are more inclined to negotiate price or just walk away.
Dissatisfaction works both ways when it comes to marketing; a
dissatisfied client will result in a disappointed seller. Finally,
word-of-mouth is free advertising and can be a double-edged sword. What
one person tells another person about your goats is an efficient and
effective form of promotion. However, while it can be beneficial when
comments are positive, it can be disastrous if they are negative.
Robert
Spencer is a contributing writer from Florence, Alabama. |
