In the last few years, (Pre Covid!) i've found that 2 of my best sources of marketing have actually started to pay me money, making them minus cost marketing!

They are Open days, and talks, and i’m planning lots more of them in 2022.

Although they do need promotion in themselves, the prospects we get from both these types of events are really engaged and far more likely to buy quickly.

When we started the flower farm, we held an opening event at the end of May.

Via my local village google group, and my social media, I invited people to an evening soiree. We then sent out personal printed invitations to those who replied stating the time, and that refreshments would be provided, and asked for an rsvp. We had well over a hundred people rsvp, and although the weather was awful that evening, about 80 people turned up at some point during the evening. They drank bubbly, ate nibbles, and wandered round the field. I was delighted, I got lovely feedback about the wonderful thing i was doing, and hoped we'd get lots of orders from these people. Of course i didn't straight away, it takes a while for them to work through the customer journey and we were completely unorganised on the marketing funnel front, so all that effort only got them one step through.

Now, when we host open days, we're a lot more organised. First we let people know well in advance of when the event is on, so they can book their diaries. We encourage them to share dates with friends, and get them to invite people. We put up a sign at the end of the road, and we make sure our Open days coincide with dates when we can get additional marketing without paying for it - British Flowers Week, The Flower farmers big weekend (5th -7th August in 2022) and The Heritage open days in September.

We make sure we have a team available for the open days, so no-one gets ignored even if lots of people turn up at once, and everyone has contact with several members of the Plantpassion team.

We have someone serving refreshments (very important, and a job that Teenagers or volunteers are very willing to help with) , Several people doing tours of the field - usually Mum and Dad. (we've made them crib cards of what to say), Someone welcoming people and getting them to sign themselves in*. Then i'm in charge of selling.

*very important for feedback, and future marketing, although you have to give them an option not to receive information - I use a "yes please" or "we're just here for the tea and cake" humour tick box, which means that about 95% of people tick yes please.

Even paying staff, and making sure the refreshments are of a good standard, I now usually make several hundred pounds in flower and plant sales, and several times that in bookings for Weddings, Bouquet sales, Workshops and subscriptions.