[Alpacasite] Re: Marketing

Sharon,

I agree with you. I like to grab up something "Alpaca" when I've
got time to kill -- which isn't often. But what I'm looking at is
usually eyewash for entertainment. When I'm shopping, I'm at the
computer -- not looking at dated material. By the end of the year,
the FRG is probably 14-16 months old. If I'm taking a road trip, I
want to know who is in the area NOW!!! I value current information
and I get that on-line. Don't you imagine the end user of the FRG,
potential new breeders, shop in the same way???

I'm currently in the shopping mode. I've exhausted my first
resource, AlpacaNation, and am moving on to my second source -- the
AOBA membership directory. I don't even consider the AOBA on-line
listing, as it's a partial list. The membership directory is
complete. By skimming the pages (I'm really pretty good at this), I
can pick out farms that are in my area, that have huacayas, and that
have web listings other than AlpacaNation (because I've already been
through these). Is this time consuming -- absolutely, and it's also
probably insane to boot! But it's the best second resource
available -- and it's only available to members (big mistake!).
Imagine the funds that could be generated by offering a complete on-
line listing, and offering breeders the chance to buy those same
pricey ads that are sitting on the shelf getting dusty. Now that
would become my #1 resource tool!

In marketing terms, this whole issue is complex. Not like a selling
a hamburger where the customer is also the end user. The customer
of the FRG is actually those buying ads or listings - but the end
user is the person watching Dish TV and calling the toll free
number. You've got to meet the needs of both to make it a desired
product. Right now it seems we're losing customers -- they seem to
be going to AlpacaNation who offers what the end user wants.....or
it wouldn't be so popular. Take a look at some of the names it's
attracted lately -- it's not just for the small breeders anymore. I
stand by my original post that we ought to
consider..............it's getting late and I've got to feed - but
basically I stand by everything that I said before!

I do agree with you though, the FRG is great to pick up when you
have the time. ;)

Warmest Regards,
Lisa

Alpaca Atlantic of TN: Full-time Ranchers, Full-time Commitment,
Full-time Support!
Manchester, Tennessee
Phone: (931) 728-6945

Web Site: http://www.Alpaca-Atlantic.com
E-mail: AlpacaAtlantic@aol.com

--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, Sharon or Jim Dear
<sldear2001@y...> wrote:
>
> I have a one hour ride to work and the back again. My husband does
the driving. So the paper work goes a long way on these rides. Also
at work I do not get to the computer and so myself and co-workers
again need the paper work to read. When I get these magazines, ads,
auctions my co-workers see them and pick them up to read.
>
> Lisa Robin Olsen <AlpacaAtlantic@a...> wrote: Howdy,
>
> Sharon, about your comment, "The AOBA has charged a fair price for
a
> nationwide advertising program in the Farm and Ranch guide program
> that has no equal anywhere else."
>
> I'm not sure if that's true or not.
>
> Have you looked at AlpacaNation's "Alpaca Farm & Breeders" guide
> lately??? I can recall when AlpacaNation first hit the streets.
It
> always seemed to be nice alternative for average-sized farms that
> didn't want the hassle of maintaining their own web site. Man
have
> things changed!!! I like to be able to pass along recommendations
> to my customers so ran a few numbers, and was amazed at what I
> found. In some states, AlpacaNation's listings exceed those on
> AOBA's Farm and Ranch Locator (web site). I only checked a
handful,
> but in the state of Ohio alone, there are 230 listings with
> AlpacaNation, and only 83 listed with AOBA (Farm & Ranch
Locator)!!!
>
> I'm not endorsing AlpacaNation, I'm not a member, and my web site
is
> as old-fashioned and cheap as they come (self-done in HTML on free
> AOL server space) – it's just that I hate to see AOBA bypassed as
> the primary marketing venue.
>
> What if we stepped back and took a look at things in a different
> light.
>
> Have any of you ever sold an alpaca to a customer that wasn't
> computer-savvy??? I haven't. Every single person I've made a
sale
> to has "met" me first through my web site. How they got there
> doesn't matter right now – the point being that I think most would
> agree that the majority have access to computers and know how to
use
> them.
>
> I can't help but to wonder if we even need to be sending out a
paper
> FRG. Sure, we may miss out on 5% of our possible market – but
seems
> a huge expense to reach such a small group.
>
> Why not use AlpacaNation as a model. Might be embarrassing to us
> die-hard AOBA types – but they've got something going on that's
> working. They're capturing our target market: computer-savvy
folks
> that want information, want it NOW, and want complete information
> without having to hunt and search. The AOBA on-line Farm & Ranch
> Locator gives you contact information with links. AlpacaNation
> gives you everything you could ever want to know about the farm,
> with………..I don't have to go on – I'll bet good money everyone on
> this group knows exactly what they give you, as most already
belong.
>
> The point is, that for $495 I can get a listing in the FRG that
may
> or may not be sent out to callers, along with contact information
on
> the AOBA web site – or for $500, on AlpacaNation I can get a full
> life story, along with ads, photos, bells and whistles.
Hmmmmmmmmm.
>
> I'm currently working with two of our customers in developing
their
> marketing strategy – and I honestly can't sell either of them on
> AOBA! You can guess where they're going.
>
> We may not be losing our membership, but I think we're losing
> marketing dollars as many new breeders are investing elsewhere.
> Oregon is another state: 88 on AlpacaNation, and only 51 on
AOBA's
> on-line listing. If we can't capture our own members, how can we
> sell ourselves effectively to potential customers???
>
> I'm just thinking here, and it's late (or early) so cut me a bit
of
> slack – but if you were a potential newbie and saw a copy of the
FRG
> (spiffy ads and contact info), and noticed that it had less
listings
> than you could find on AlpacaNation (spiffy ads and complete
info) –
> would you ever pick it up again??? And if you had a limited
> marketing budget and knew that AlpacaNation was attracting a
larger
> audience than AOBA – where would you spend your money???
>
> It may sound like I'm trying to sell AlpacaNation – I'm not. I'm
> just brainstorming……………
>
> Warmest Regards,
> Lisa Olsen
>
> Alpaca Atlantic of TN: Full-time Ranchers, Full-time Commitment,
> Full-time Support!
> Manchester, Tennessee
> Phone: (931) 728-6945
>
> Web Site: http://www.Alpaca-Atlantic.com
> E-mail: AlpacaAtlantic@a...
>
>

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