Marketing

Marketing your agricultural products and services is a necessary part of your overall business success.

Marketing plans

For your farm business to thrive, it is crucial that you understand buyer needs. Develop your marketing plan to target the unique needs of your customers. A general marketing plan identifies market trends, competitors, customer feedback, sales targets, pricing and cost of production.

Marketing guides

These marketing how-to guides provide tips and best practices for B.C. agrifood and seafood businesses to expand marketing knowledge. Learn how to use market research, improve your sales pitch, sell your product to retailers and develop an e-commerce plan.

• See the collection of marketing guides

Agri-tourism

Agri-tourism creates an authentic experience of rural areas for visitors, with an opportunity to market the farm and products and generate extra income for farmers. Visitors are attracted to experiences including a variety of activities within farm settings. Examples include farm tours, educational activities & demonstrations, festivals, petting zoos, hay rides, corn mazes, cattle drives and many other ideas.

The publication 'Farm Diversification Through Agri-Tourism Manual' provides step-by-step guidance for farmers interested in engaging in agri-tourism. It presents a number of tools and strategies to design and create memorable farm-based experiences that can attract and satisfy visitors with a high quality experience.

• Farm Diversification Through Agri-Tourism Manual (PDF, 3.8MB)

Direct marketing

Direct marketing is popular with small and medium sized farms that are able to capture the full value of their product by selling to the end customer. Direct marketing can also include farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) schemes, on-line, phone or road side sales, as well as selling wholesale.

The Lower Mainland Horticultural Improvement Association's ((LMHIA) annual Growers' Short Course offers seminars on agricultural marketing. Watch these video recordings of the 2017 seminar speakers.

• Watch more videos about successful farm business management
• Watch more videos about starting a farm

Marketing programs and services

B.C. agriculture, food and seafood products are sold in domestic and international markets. Services are available to inform and prepare farmers, fishers and food processors to take advantage of existing and emerging market opportunities, from local farmers markets to the growing markets of Asia, Europe and other parts of the world.

• Learn more about available programs