What works for niche local marketing like honey farms who sell honey and byproducts?

It's important to reach the customers locally, even if and when they get the honey into grocery stores. They should spend time at farmer's markets, fairs, and on the roadside, selling their products (including addons).

Internet-wise, they could try to get local bloggers, small town newspapers, and online versions of TV stations to talk about them. Use Youtube. Create a channel answering questions about honey. Show the processes. Do a search for 'homesteading' on Youtube, you'll see what I mean. There are a number of homesteaders with huge followings that are doing well locally. They could do tours, including a video tour.

One source of inspiration for me when entering new markets is to study what works in similar markets.

Can you name a local business, food related, that relies on the Internet (and social media in particular) to generate foot traffic?

Maybe food trucks?

How about pick-your-own farms and orchards?

If you want to augment or expand beyond local markets, look at food businesses that have expanded into the ecommerce side of things. One of the really cool things about honey in particular is that it simply does not spoil. This makes shipping easy and relatively cheap.

Heck, there's a business out there (can't recall the name, but I'll bet Google does) that sells subscriptions to lobster traps. For a fee, you get the entire catch from that trap for a season. Might work with beehives, too...

TL;DR version: Look at what similar businesses are doing and ask yourself how you could do that.

Diettry,

The way I see it . . . a local niche business like a honey farm ought to have both a local and an Internet presence. The reasons to be local are obvious and the reasons to be online are many; but the greatest is "reach." I'm guessing that honey and byproducts can be shipped anywhere without spoiling.

Take advantage of "reach" online to put your product in front of consumers nationally and even globally. There are lots of examples of businesses that have done this. Collect web site subscribers and nurture them over time so you can offer them great deals year after year after year via email.

Think about offering a free sample of your product when someone joins your list (they pay the postage). Maybe start a monthly or bi-monthly product service that ships automatically. There are lots of ways to take advantage of a great product - but you have to get it into the hands of consumers so they can experience what you offer.

Here is just one successful "food" business model: Graze

Brainstorm ways you could "adapt" what they're doing to your own situation. I think the sky's the limit on such a ubiquitous product as honey.

The best to you,

Steve

SUMO JERKY was a big impulse for many online businesses related to subscription based services.
As JohnMcCabe said, there are also models like "rent your own beehive" - it works this way - a beekeeper takes care of the bees and is paid to take care of the bee family by particular "donor".

The costs of the care are covered by subscribing customers. The costs are high but good organic honey is pricey.

Fact is that one family can yield much more honey than you can probably consume, if treated well (And I do not endorse the behavior to feed them with corn syrup).

Honey is sweet business! One of the possible ways on how to sell a LOT of honey is to offer branded honey jars to local businesses as gifts for employees, customers and business partners.

The chances are, you are not going to drive a lot of demand from the Internet. Whilst people do of course search for local services online, having a lot of consistent traffic is not likely. To that end, I wouldn't bother putting too much effort into online marketing. Just make sure you have a Google My Business page, and if you can get local newspapers and bee enthusiast-bloggers to talk a bit about you. If you are only one of a few that are offering such a service in your area, this shouldn't be too taxing.

You can also always piggy back off the news - the UK minister for the environment just announced a planned ban on a range of pesticides, including neonicotinoids; which is an obvious angle to promoting bee hives and local honey. Just an idea!

That being said, i think your model should be focussed on getting known physically in your locality - go to markets, sell in the town centre. Or even approach local shops and see if they will sell your product. Even cafe's are good for such items normally - then you can work quantities and payment on a case by case basis.

They might want to consider using geo-fencing advertising and setting up geo-fences around any farmer's markets or organic food type retailers in the area.

Probably would be the most effective way to reach people outside of traditional media advertising like TV and radio.

I actually have a friend who is just getting ready to sell their first batch of locally made honey. So far they have started a Facebook and Twitter page and made a really cute logo and label. Spreading the word that way seems to be working because their first batch is already pre-sold and about half of what they expect to get out of their next batch.

Here's what some others are up to:



Brent

Speak to local farmers markets, and restaurants owners. Also create content on FB. info about honey, but make sure your targeting local and regional people and business owners - invite locals to like your page . also add your web site to google business. good luck

Send exotic organic honey

Commands and premium

Buy low from local providers and sell high via FB ads