#302: Why Your Farm Emails Aren't Selling – and How to Fix It

#302: Why Your Farm Emails Aren't Selling – and How to Fix It

FREE Two Day Event: Farm Marketing Week - June 2026 Sign Up HERE [https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] Does Email Marketing Actually Work for Farms — and Why Are My Emails Going to the Promotions Folder? Email marketing is the most powerful tool a farm has — when it's done right. This episode covers why email outperforms every other platform, why your emails might be sitting unread in the promotions folder, and exactly what to send your list once you have one. Why is email marketing more effective than social media for farms? Email marketing is estimated to be thousands of times more effective than other marketing platforms because subscribers have given explicit permission to be contacted, there's no algorithm filtering your message, and you own the list. Social media is where people scroll. Email is where people buy. When someone is ready to make a purchasing decision, they go to their inbox, because that's where trust lives. Why are my farm emails going to the promotions folder? Emails go to the promotions folder for two main reasons: deliverability problems (account setup, sending patterns, list hygiene) and weak subject lines that don't earn the open. Both are skill gaps, not signs that email marketing doesn't work. Subject lines are the single most fixable variable. They need to feel personal, specific, curious, or directly tied to a problem your reader has right now. Generic subject lines like "Farm Update" get ignored every time. How do you write farm email subject lines that actually get opened? Write subject lines that sound like a friend texting you, not a marketer broadcasting an announcement. Think about your own inbox: you open emails that feel personal, that hit on something you care about, or that promise to solve a real problem. Subject lines like "The 5:30 freezer moment" outperform "Farm Update" because they're specific to a real situation your customer experiences. How do you build a farm email list from scratch? Build your list through three channels: a lead magnet on your website, social media posts that funnel people to your list, and in-person opportunities like library workshops, garden clubs, and partnerships with local wellness businesses. A great example: Charlotte's student Cassie built "5 High-Protein Dinners to Simplify Your Life." Five recipes featuring her ground beef, with a meal plan and her phone number on the last page. Made in Canva in an afternoon. Other farmers asked her for the file before she finished showing it. What should farmers email their customers about? Email about things your customers actually care about: their lives, problems, and goals. Not just what's available this week. Pure transactional emails ("Eggs available, $6/dozen") feel like a stranger asking for money. Story-based emails build relationship. Charlotte once sold out of London broil she didn't know what to do with by sending one email with a recipe and the story of how she figured it out. Relationship comes first; the sale follows naturally. How often should farmers email their customers? More often than you think. At least weekly during selling seasons, and consistently year-round to stay top of mind. A cold list is hard to sell to. The goal is for customers to see your name in their inbox and feel something positive. Not every email is a pitch. Some are stories, some are tips, some are farm updates, and the rhythm matters more than the perfection. Can someone write farm marketing emails for me? Short answer: yes. For the June 2026 cohort of the Profitable Farmer Marketing program, full-pay students get a private 2.5-hour session with Charlotte's operations lead, Rebecca, who builds an entire year of marketing assets specifically for their farm. This includes the lead magnet, welcome sequence, weekly emails laid out across the year, seasonal launch emails, and matching social posts (all customized to your customer interview language). The first farmer who tested this cried when she saw it. This bonus is only available for full-pay June 2026 enrollment; the next opportunity is October. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Free email marketing course for farmers - charlottemsmith.com/free-email-course [https://courses.3cowmarketing.com/email-challenge] * Profitable Farmer Marketing program — June 2026 cohort opens with 'The Power of One' welcome workshop on Tuesday, June 23rd. Full-pay enrollment includes the done-for-you year-of-marketing-assets bonus. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [http://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] FAQ Q: What email platform should farmers use? Kit (formerly ConvertKit) and MailerLite both have free tiers under 1,000 subscribers and work well for farms. Pick one and learn it well rather than switching tools. Q: How long should a farm marketing email be? Long enough to tell the story, short enough that nothing extra survives. Most strong farm emails land between 200 and 500 words. Q: Will my customers unsubscribe if I email weekly? Some will, and that's fine — those weren't your customers anyway. The right people will look forward to your emails. Q: Do I need to write a year of emails before I start? No. Start with one email a week. The discipline matters more than the inventory. Q: How do I avoid sounding salesy in my emails? Read every email out loud before sending. If you wouldn't say it to a friend at your kitchen table, rewrite it. Connect with Charlotte Sign up for Farm Marketing Week at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [http://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. Subscribe and Review Subscribe to The Profitable Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And consider leaving a review. Your reviews help other farmers find this work. Click HERE and Let's Meet! [https://charlottemsmith.com/strategy] Chat with us to see if The Profitable Farmer can break you out of marketing misery.

#301: How Do I Stand Out From Other Farmers When Everyone Is Selling the Same Thing (Even Cheaper)?

FREE Two Day Event: The Farm Marketing Fix - June 2026 Sign Up HERE [https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] Branding is the single most important thing you'll ever do for your farm business. And it's not what most farmers think it is. This episode breaks down what branding actually is, why it eliminates competition, and how to find your brand even if you have zero customers. What is farm branding, really? Farm branding is two things: who you help, and how you help them. It is not your logo, colors, packaging, or font. A weak version sounds like "We sell fresh eggs from happy chickens" - that's a product description. A real brand sounds like "We help busy families who want their kids to eat real food access the cleanest eggs outside of raising your own chickens." The difference is specificity about the customer and the problem. Why does branding eliminate competition for farmers? When your brand is clear, you attract a specific group of customers who are not price-shopping you against other farms — they're choosing you because of the relationship. Two farms can sell the same raw honey. One brand might connect with health-conscious urban professionals; another with traditional homesteaders. Same product, different audiences, no competition between them. Charlotte has hundreds of farmers in her program, and some are neighbors selling the same thing. But they don't compete with each other. How do farmers stop competing on price with cheaper farms? Stop competing on price by getting clearer about your brand. The customers who buy purely on price will never be loyal - they leave the moment someone undercuts you. Customers who choose you because of your brand will drive past cheaper options to get to you. Lowering prices to match competitors is the commodity trap, and it leads to burnout and bankruptcy. How do you find your farm's brand? Your customers tell you what your brand is, you don't decide it. Interview them about why they buy from you, what problem you solve, and what their life looked like before and after finding your farm. Inside the Profitable Farmer Marketing program, Charlotte gives students 35 customer interview questions. You ask each customer a few questions. Over time, the same words and phrases repeat, and that language is your brand. How do you brand a farm if you don't have customers yet? Interview people who already buy the type of product you sell, even if they're not your customer yet - friends, family, or neighbors who already buy fresh flowers or care about pasture-raised meat. Their answers tell you the same things actual customers would: why they buy, what matters to them, what they wish was different. As real customers come in, you keep interviewing and refining. You can absolutely start branding work from zero. Why is mindset part of farm branding? Branding requires you to charge prices that reflect your real value, and most farmers have beliefs ("people around here can't afford it," "who am I to charge that?") that block them from doing it. Charlotte's student Valerie 10X'd her sales - same farm, same products. The first thing that shifted wasn't tactics; it was belief. That's why mindset coaching runs alongside marketing work in the Profitable Farmer Marketing program. What changes when your farm brand is clear? Your website speaks directly to your dream customer, your emails get opened and acted on, your customers come back season after season, and price stops being the main conversation. Other nearby farms selling similar products stop registering as competition. You charge what you need to charge. Customers refer their friends. The whole experience of running the farm shifts from chasing sales to receiving them. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Farm Marketing Week - opens June 2026. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [https://portal.propodcastsolutions.com/projects/charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. * Profitable Farmer Marketing program — This June, get a done-for-you year of marketing assets built privately by our team. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/mastery [https://portal.propodcastsolutions.com/projects/charlottemsmith.com/mastery] FAQ Q: How many customer interviews do I need to do to find my brand? One is a huge success!!! Then, do a second one in a month or two if you'd like. They're so eye-opening. I still interview a new customer at least quarterly. Q: Should I have multiple brands if I sell multiple products? No. Pick one anchor product and brand around the customer who buys it. Trying to brand for everyone leaves you connecting with no one. Q: What if my farm products are basically a commodity (eggs, milk, vegetables)? The product isn't what's branded - the relationship and the customer transformation are. Two farms selling identical eggs can have completely different brands. Q: How long does it take to develop a clear brand? The customer interview phase usually takes a couple weeks to connect with and sit down with a customer. Refining your brand language across your website and emails can happen in a couple hour focus time. Connect with Charlotte Sign up for Farm Marketing Week at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [https://portal.propodcastsolutions.com/projects/charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. Subscribe and Review Subscribe to The Profitable Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And consider leaving a review. Your reviews help other farmers find this work. Click HERE and Let's Meet! [https://charlottemsmith.com/strategy] Chat with us to see if The Profitable Farmer can break you out of marketing misery.

#300: The 4 Things Every Profitable Farm Did First

FREE Two Day Event: The Farm Marketing Fix - June 2026 Sign Up HERE [https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] Where Do I Start With Farm Marketing When I Have No Customers and No Idea What I'm Doing? If you're a new farmer wondering where to begin with marketing, this episode walks through the exact starting point Charlotte has used with thousands of farmers across the U.S. and 15 countries. No theory — just the four foundational steps in the order they actually work. Where should a new farmer start with marketing? Start by writing down every person you know who might be interested in what you sell. That list is the seed of your email list, and your email list is what builds a profitable farm. Most new farmers think they need a logo, a brand, a Facebook page, or a fancy website before they can start. They don't. The first move is identifying the people in your existing life who eat eggs, buy flowers, or care about pasture-raised meat — and that almost always starts with mom, sister, neighbor, cousin. Every farmer starts from zero. That list is your starting point. Should farmers build a website before using social media? Yes — your website should come before social media because Facebook and Instagram are designed to keep people scrolling, not to help you make money. Social media algorithms show your posts to a small fraction of your followers (often less than 5%), and you don't own that audience. A website works for you 24/7 and gets found by new customers searching Google. Social media should funnel people to your website, not replace it. Why is email marketing better than social media for farms? Email marketing outperforms social media by thousands of times because subscribers have given you permission to reach them directly, with no algorithm in the way. When someone is on your email list, they've said yes to hearing from you. There's no platform deciding whether your message gets seen. Email is also where people make purchasing decisions — social media is where they scroll. You also own your email list; you don't own your Facebook following. What is the correct order to set up farm marketing? The four foundational steps, in order: (1) write your list of people who might be interested, (2) identify your brand by interviewing customers, (3) build a website designed to sell, (4) email your list consistently. Skipping ahead to social media or paid ads before this foundation is in place is the most common reason farm marketing doesn't work. Build the foundation; everything else feeds into it. What are the stages of farm business growth? Charlotte teaches eight stages every farm moves through: Seed, Sprout, Roots, Bloom, Harvest, Orchard, Estate, and Legacy. Where you are determines what work matters most. Seed-stage farmers ($0 in sales) need to decide it's a business and pick one focus product. Sprout farmers ($1K–$10K) need consistency — one weekly email, one sales channel, one anchor product for 90 days. The most expensive mistake is a Sprout-stage farmer trying to solve a Harvest-stage problem. How can farmers learn marketing without making expensive mistakes? The fastest way is to follow a proven, sequenced path rather than piecing things together from free YouTube videos and conflicting advice. Charlotte's Profitable Farmer Marketing program enrolls twice a year, in June and October, and teaches the exact sequence in this episode with weekly coaching, a private community, and (new for June 2026) a done-for-you marketing plan built privately for full-pay students. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Farmer website template (Squarespace): charlottemsmith.com/website [https://courses.3cowmarketing.com/website-template] * Free email marketing course for farmers: charlottemsmith.com/free-email-course [https://courses.3cowmarketing.com/email-challenge] * The Profitable Farmer Marketing program — opens June 2026. Welcome workshop is Tuesday, June 23rd. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/mastery [http://charlottemsmith.com/mastery] FAQ: Q: How many people should be on my starting list? Ten people is fine. Two hundred is fine. The number doesn't matter — what matters is that you start one and add to it consistently. Q: Do I need a logo before I launch my farm business? No. A logo is not a brand, and you can launch without one. Your brand is who you help and how you help them — that comes from customer interviews, not a designer. Q: How long does it take to build a profitable farm using this approach? Most students inside the Profitable Farmer Marketing program make their investment back within 90 days. Some do it in two weeks. The timeline depends on how consistently you do the foundational work. Q: Can I just use Facebook instead of a website? No. Facebook controls who sees your posts, you don't own your following, and the platform isn't designed to convert visitors into buyers. A website does all three. Q: What if I'm too rural for online marketing to work? Distance isn't the obstacle — relationship is the opportunity. Charlotte's clients regularly have customers drive 60–90 minutes past cheaper options to buy from them, because their brand is clear. Connect with Charlotte Sign up for Farm Marketing Week at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [http://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. Subscribe and Review Subscribe to The Profitable Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And consider leaving a review. Your reviews help other farmers find this work. Click HERE and Let's Meet! [https://charlottemsmith.com/strategy] Chat with us to see if The Profitable Farmer can break you out of marketing misery.

#299: How Julie Tripled Her Meat Sales While Raising 19 Kids and Grieving Her Husband

FREE Two Day Event: The Farm Marketing Fix - June 2026 Sign Up HERE [https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] Episode Summary Julie Hackman raises sheep on Belmont Springs Ranch in Lavina, Montana. She's a mother of 19 children, 8 still at home and homeschooled. And a few years ago, after 30 years of marriage, she lost her husband. For three decades, her husband led the vision for their farm. Julie supported. Then suddenly, she was alone at her kitchen table with a farm to run, little hearts to soothe, and no idea where to begin. In this conversation, Julie shares how joining The Profitable Farmer program helped her triple her meat sales in one year, build the confidence to lead her own business, and rediscover who she is as a farmer, a mother, and a woman. This is one of the most meaningful conversations I've recorded; a story of grief, resilience, and what becomes possible when a woman finally invests in herself. What You'll Learn in This Episode * How Julie went from $460 in meat sales to over $1,400 in her first year applying The Profitable Farmer marketing system * The specific strategy that helped her triple her email signups at a single homesteaders conference * Why "waiting for customers to come to you" is killing your farm sales, and what to do instead * How to shift your mindset from passive housewife to confident business leader * The exact phrase that helped Julie stop being intimidated by inspectors, vendors, and gatekeepers * Why pricing your products at the real cost is an act of service, not greed * How to build a family schedule that supports your business instead of derailing it * What changes when you start seeing marketing as serving your customers instead of selling to them Key Moments from the Conversation Sitting at the Kitchen Table, Lost Julie shares what was happening in her life when she first encountered Charlotte's free farm marketing workshop — homeschooling her children, grieving the loss of her husband, and feeling completely lost about the direction of her business. The Conference That Changed Everything Julie describes walking into the Modern Homesteaders Conference and going from 14 email signups the previous year to 44 in a single day. Her kids looked at her and said, "Who are you, mom? You're acting like dad." Becoming the Squeaky Wheel The coaching call that changed everything. Julie shares how Charlotte helped her stop being passive with the meat inspector and become "the squeaky wheel" — leading to her wholesale meat license arriving in two weeks instead of months. Tripling Sales in One Year Julie breaks down the actual numbers: from $98 in total sales the year before joining the program to $15,600 in her first year, with meat sales tripling specifically. The Pricing Conversation How Julie sat down with the math, faced the discomfort of charging $17 a pound for lamb, and discovered she was actually charging less than competitors when averaged across all cuts. Marketing as Service The mindset that transformed Julie's selling: "How can I serve one person today?" and how this turned everyday conversations, including with her hairstylist, into customer relationships. Time Management with 8 Kids at Home Julie's brilliant adaptation of the time management system: building one master schedule that includes her entire family, not just herself. Notable Quotes from Julie Hackman "I had not really a clear idea of what I wanted to do or how to do it, and I had no confidence at all." "Are you okay, mom? What happened to you? You're acting like dad." "Now I feel like we're a team. I understand that other people have problems too. It's not so much being the squeaky wheel as just reminding them you're there." "It's a lot more rewarding than just 'I need to go sell meat.' Now it's 'I can go help somebody today.'" "What you're going to get out of it is probably going to be a lot more than what you're going to put into it financially." About Julie Hackman Julie Hackman is the owner of Belmont Springs Ranch in Lavina, Montana, where she raises pasture-based lamb and direct-sells meat to families across the region. She is the mother of 19 children, grandmother of 7, and continues to homeschool the children still at home while running her farm business. After the loss of her husband, Julie joined The Profitable Farmer program in April 2025 and has tripled her meat sales while building the confidence and skills to lead her family business forward. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Farm Marketing Week — Seven Days of Free Marketing Expertise: charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [http://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] * The Profitable Farmer — Charlotte's signature marketing and mindset mastery program for farmers: charlottemsmith.com/mastery [http://charlottemsmith.com/mastery] * The Power of One — the marketing principle that first caught Julie's attention in Charlotte's free workshop - taught during Farm Marketing Week Who This Episode Is For This episode is for you if you're a woman farmer who has been the supporter and now finds yourself needing to lead. If you've experienced loss, grief, or major life transition and wonder if you can still build something meaningful. If you're a mother trying to balance farming, family, and your own dreams. If you've been hesitant to invest in yourself and your business. If you're tired of waiting passively for customers and ready to learn how to actively build a profitable farm. If you're a homeschooling parent looking for proof that you can build a business alongside teaching your children. If you've ever felt like you're "not the leader type" and need to hear from someone who became one anyway. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Who is Julie Hackman? A: Julie Hackman is a sheep farmer in Lavina, Montana, who owns Belmont Springs Ranch. She is a mother of 19 children and joined Charlotte Smith's Profitable Farmer program after losing her husband of 30 years. In her first year in the program, she tripled her meat sales and built the confidence to lead her family farm business forward. Q: How did Julie Hackman triple her meat sales? A: Julie tripled her meat sales by applying the marketing strategies taught in The Profitable Farmer program. Specifically, building her email list at events by initiating conversations with customers, learning to price her lamb at sustainable rates, taking action to obtain her meat licenses, and shifting her mindset from passive selling to actively serving her customers. Q: What is Belmont Springs Ranch? A: Belmont Springs Ranch is a family-run sheep farm in Lavina, Montana, owned by Julie Hackman. The ranch raises pasture-based lamb and direct-sells meat to families across the region. Q: What is The Profitable Farmer program? A: The Profitable Farmer is Charlotte Smith's signature marketing and mindset coaching program for women farmers. It teaches farm marketing, time management, and mindset coaching to help women build profitable, sustainable farm businesses. Q: What is Farm Marketing Week? A: Farm Marketing Week is a free annual masterclass hosted by Charlotte Smith. It's an opportunity to learn the core marketing strategies that have helped farmers like Julie triple their sales and to meet the community of farmers in The Profitable Farmer program. Sign up at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [https://portal.propodcastsolutions.com/projects/charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. Q: How can I keep going on my farm after losing my spouse? A: This episode of The Profitable Mindset Podcast features Julie Hackman, a widow and mother of 19 who continued building her farm business after the loss of her husband of 30 years. She shares the practical mindset shifts, business skills, and community support that helped her keep going, and growing, through grief. Connect with Charlotte Sign up for Farm Marketing Week at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass [http://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass]. Subscribe and Review If this episode moved you, please share it with a woman in your life who needs to hear it. Subscribe to The Profitable Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And consider leaving a review. Your reviews help other farmers find this work.

#298: The Trap That's Keeping Your Farm Scattered, Exhausted, and Broke

FREE Two Day Event: The Farm Marketing Fix - June 2026 Sign Up HERE [https://charlottemsmith.com/masterclass] Picture this. You're selling beef and pork and chicken and eggs and vegetables and flowers. You're at three farmers markets, running a farm stand, trying to sell online, posting on every platform you've ever heard of, and somehow also squeezing in a farm stay and a few consulting calls. Your head is spinning. Your chest gets tight just thinking about the week ahead. And despite doing ALL the things, you still aren't paying yourself. Here's what I finally had to admit after 17 years in this industry: more products, more channels, and more hustle are not the answer. They're the problem. I call it the complexity trap. And it's the third root cause of farm burnout nobody warns you about, because everyone's too busy telling you to add another revenue stream. But here's what nobody tells you: the most profitable farms I've worked with over the last 13 years didn't get profitable because they did everything. They got exceptionally good at ONE signature product, ONE dream customer, and ONE strong marketing channel, and they built depth before they built breadth. Simple scales. Complex fails. Simplifying isn't shrinking. It's the most strategic move you can make. This episode is the final part of the From Burnout to Balance series, and it's the one that ties everything together. I'm breaking down the Four Pillars framework that turns an overwhelming farm into a business that actually serves your life. Plus, there's a full 90-day plan you can start THIS week. I include how to identify your signature product and dream customer, how to build the email marketing foundation that's 3,600 times more profitable than social media, how to price for profit instead of chasing volume, and how to finally build the boundaries that protect your weekends, your family, and your sanity. If you're the farmer selling 13 things across seven channels and still not making a paycheck, this is for you. If you've started to dread the farm you built with your own two hands, this is for you. Walk away from this episode with a clear 90-day roadmap to simplify, systematize, and finally step off the hamster wheel. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * Price for Profit — Free 6-Day Pricing Course — If you've never actually run the math to see whether your prices are paying you a real salary AND covering every expense, start here. Includes the exact spreadsheets that show you the truth in minutes. Grab it at charlottemsmith.com/priceforprofit. * Farm Marketing Week + The Profitable Farmer Masterclass — One week of free live trainings in June covering The Power of One, branding, and the marketing foundation that gets farmers finally paid. This is also the only time The Profitable Farmer coaching program opens this summer. Save your seat at charlottemsmith.com/masterclass. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Simple Scales, Complex Fails — Adding more products and more sales channels feels like growth, but it's diluting your energy, your marketing, and your margins. The profitable path is depth before breadth: one signature product, one dream customer, one marketing channel done exceptionally well. You can always add more later from a place of profit instead of desperation. Your Email List Is the Only Audience You Actually Own — Social media algorithms decide who sees you. Platforms change, accounts get flagged, and suddenly your audience is gone. Email is 3,600 times more profitable because every person on that list said yes to hearing from you. Build the relationship first, make the offer later. That's the difference between marketing that feels pushy and marketing that feels like service. Boundaries Are the Fourth Pillar, Not the Reward — You can build a perfectly structured farm business and still wreck your life with it if you skip this one. Delegation, hiring help (even a house cleaner counts), and protecting your weekends aren't luxuries you earn someday after the work is "done." They're the foundation that makes sustainable success possible in the first place. MORE FROM ME Follow along at charlottemsmith.com and on Instagram @charlottemsmith Click HERE and Let's Meet! [https://charlottemsmith.com/strategy] Chat with us to see if The Profitable Farmer can break you out of marketing misery.