How a City Man Revolutionized the Selling of Farm Products 



New 

 fork 



By G. F. Brown, Jr., £ 



BUSINESS PRINCIPLES AND MODERN SELLING METHODS ON A SUMMER FARM 



V^7HEN we as cityites settled on Pleas- 

 * * ant View Farm in the Adirondacks 

 to begin the business of truck gardening, it 

 was our purpose to establish the business 

 with as little delay as possible; for, having 

 resorted thither to recuperate after too 

 strenuous work in the city, our stay was 

 to be limited to the time required to enable 

 us to get such a hold on good health as 

 would warrant our returning to the city. 



In keeping with this purpose it was 

 necessary to introduce such methods as 

 would commend our products to pros- 

 pective buyers and reduce to a minimum 

 the competition of our neighbors. For 

 competition there is, among farmers as 

 well as among merchants and manu- 

 facturers. As the patronage we sought 

 was that of the summer visitors in the 

 numerous cottages in that locality, perhaps 

 it was our good fortune to cater to a class of 

 people who are used to, and have a just ap- 

 preciation of, progressive business methods. 



Farming is a business, and if one is to 

 be successful as a farmer he must conduct 

 his business on strictly business lines. 

 The great quest in the commercial world 

 is to "find the buyer," and having found 

 him to retain him as a permanent customer 

 by furnishing reliable goods, by fair treat- 

 ment, and by enterprising methods. Yearly 

 tens of millions are spent to make known 

 the merits of what is produced in the 

 manifold industries that support the race. 

 An army of trained men, keen, foresighted, 

 aggressive, yet suave and diplomatic, 

 is engaged in introducing to the public 

 the products of mills and factories and 

 mines and every conceivable sort of busi- 

 ness that engages the effort of mankind. 

 Examine into the workings of any long 

 established and successful business enter- 

 prise, and it will be found that the utmost 

 pains is taken to attract people, even to 

 cater to their whims, and to win confidence 

 in the various wares for sale. That concern 

 in any business line honestly using the 

 greatest ingenuity to draw trade will, other 

 things being equal, forge to the front. 



The farm nestled in a valley of the Adirondacks. 

 with summer residents nearby 



Now, of course, no farmer or truck 

 gardener would even dream of ever spend- 

 ing money on such a scale as the merchant 

 or manufacturer to build up his business. 

 But of the principle here involved, getting 

 trade and retaining it, he must have an 

 understanding if he would make steady 

 progress. That is, he must strive to have 

 the most reliable produce, to prepare it 

 most attractively for market, to win trade 

 by just treatment and a courteous and 

 persuasive manner, to employ such methods 

 of taking orders, delivering goods, and keep- 

 ing accounts as shall best serve the conven- 

 ience of customers and enable them to 

 know at all times what they owe, and to 

 be prompt and dependable in meeting 

 all engagements. 



For us as newcomers to succeed in secur- 

 ing a large volume of trade in a short time, 

 it was necessary to adhere closely to the 

 principle enlarged upon above. 



Plans were made during the winter, 

 long before the opening of the season. It 

 was necessary first to make up a trade list, 

 that we might be assured of patronage 

 from the start. To do this, inquiries were 

 made of the postmaster, at the village 

 stores, and in casual conversation, for the 

 names of all persons who might be desir- 

 able customers, with the out-of-town 

 addresses of all who were non-residents. 

 These names were arranged alphabetically. 

 To each of the prospective customers was 

 then sent an announcement, stating the 

 nature of the business to be carried on 

 and soliciting his patronage. This an- 

 nouncement was of the following form: 



Pleasant View Farm, 



Jonestown, N. Y. 

 Mr. John Doe, March 10, 19 — 



Boston, Mass. 

 Dear Sir: 



From Pleasant View Farm during the coming 

 season will be furnished vegetables, small fruits, 

 berries, poultry, cream, and specialties for the table. 

 There will be regular deliveries, and the service 

 will be prompt and efficient. 

 Your patronage is respectfully solicited. 

 An acknowledgment in the stamped, addressed 

 envelope enclosed will be appreciated. 



Yours very truly, 



Richaed Roe. 



As replies were received the names were 

 checked on the list, a tentative customers' 

 list thus being made ready for future use. 

 Knowing now that there positively 

 would be a demand for the products of 

 Pleasant View Farm, time and energy 

 could be expended in planning and working 

 with the encouraging assurance of favor- 

 able results for all our efforts. Seed boxes 

 and hotbed were of course assiduously 

 attended to, and timely preparations made 

 for a successful start with the garden. 

 The next step in the selling campaign 

 was the issuing of weekly bulletins. This 

 was begun as soon as the earliest vege- 



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tables were ready, and was continued 

 throughout the season. The bulletin 

 would be issued every Saturday afternoon, 

 and on it would be listed everything that 

 was to be ready for delivery the following 

 week, and any special announcement was 

 included. The bulletins were mailed at 

 such time that they would be in the hands 

 of customers early Monday morning. Here 

 is an illustration of part of one sent out 

 after the season was well advanced and 

 there was a long list from which to choose. 



PLEASANT VIEW FARM 



During the week of September 6th we shall be 

 prepared to deliver the following: 



VEGETABLES 



Tomatoes .... 

 New cabbage 

 Summer squash . 

 Striogless green beans 

 Yellow wax beans. 

 New beets .... 

 Young carrots 

 Turnips .... 

 Spinach .... 



45c pk. Celery 5c bh. 



ioc ea. Young green peas . 65c pk. 



5c " Green peppers. . . 3c ea. 



6c qt. Sweet corn. . . . 20c dz. 



6c ' Beet greens . . . 30c pk. 



5c bh. Lettuce iochd. 



5c " Cucumbers. . . . 3c ea. 



5c " " (pickling). 35c pk. 



30c pk. Parsley .... 5c bh. 



Special prices on tomatoes for canning. 



Other offerings include poultry, jellies, and 

 canned fruits, flowers, etc., a total of 31 items. 



Deliveries will be made in the afternoons of 

 Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Orders for poultry 

 can be accepted as late as 9 a. m. of the day de- 

 sired, but it will be much more convenient to 

 receive them the day before. 



Local Phone. Richard Roe. 



These bulletins were a great convenience 

 to our customers. In many cases the last 

 bulletin was tacked up in the kitchen for 

 ready reference. The housekeeper or cook 

 could plan ahead for a whole week, know- 

 ing what was to be had, and telephone 

 or mail the orders before the first delivery 

 day. With not only the family to provide 

 for, but a house full of guests as well, this 

 meant no small item in the household 

 economy. The bulletins were quickly 

 and cheaply made with a duplicating ap- 

 paratus. One-cent stamped envelopes were 

 ordered in quantities from the post-office 

 with the card printed in the corner, and 



System was introduced into all the operations of 

 the farm and the fancies of customers respected 



