Marketing Locally:

 It takes a mere 1 to 5 new customers to sell 10 females…2 each minimum. 

25 Prospects - callers, e-mailers or visitors for each sale for a total of 125 new leads (interested & Qualified).

So then, how do you find them?

 

You need easy to find new potential owners.

Take the time to look for them…don’t wait for them to come to you.

 

Some basics before you begin are:

1. Market within 1.5 hours drive time of your property.
2. Avoid spending money to market halfway across the country.
3. Make you local presence known.
4. Sell you knowledge of the alpaca livestock business….not the commodity of a single alpaca:
   1. Don’t attempt to ‘sell a cute pet alpaca’…you will lose.
   2. Look for potential repeat business or referrals
      1. Be a business person and mentor…make it fun and financially rewarding.
   3. Sell the newbee with mentoring…make them successful…they are NOT your competitor. They are part of the cooperative fiber production for your area.

  Where to find them?

1. County clerk’s office
   1. Newly recorded deeds of  more than 2 acres
   2. Building permits for barns
2. Announcements in the newspaper of new owners.
3. Stay in touch with the local realtors…give the realtor a financial reward to sending you successful buyers. (Reward Program)
4. Stay in touch with the local service companies for leads:
   1. Fence builders
   2. Barn builders
   3. Well drillers
   4. Plumber
   5. Fix it people
   6. Concrete companies
   7. Feed stores
   8. Hardware stores
   9. Carpeting and flooring companies
   10. Painters
   11. Electricians
5. Be the 10 minute speaker for the local civic clubs.  Talk about the return of the North American Camalid (now in the form of an alpaca) to the plains…earth friendly…special fleece.
   1. Civitan
   2. Rotary
   3. Lions
   4. Kiwanis
   5. Garden club
   6. Card club
   7. Gelds
   8. Women’s clubs
   9. DAR
   10. Etc
6. Walk your alpacas with a blanket or saddle bag in parades with you logo down main street, at school functions (football, baseball games)
7. Farmers market pen sales. Also a great place to sell raw fleece and end products.
8. Grocery, building or farm store parking lots with permission.
9. Alpacas in the park.
10. Alpacas on main street events.

·  Advertise….

1. Craigslist (free)
2. Between movies
3. Feed stores
4. Cafe bulletin boards
5. Church bulletins
6. Walk you alpacas into the local TV/Radio station at 7:30 am
7. County fairs
8. 4H / FFA publications
9. County and city magazines and newspapers
10. Vets office
11. Pet stores
12. On fences along the highway with permission
13. On your vehicle

·  Let the professionals know you are there.

1. CPAs – tax benefits of alpacas
2. Realtors – Farm / Ranch property tax advantages with alpacas
3. Attorneys – probate issues with alpacas
4. Vets – Camelid advantages
5. MDs – alpacas as therapy animals
   1. Sell them alpacas…sell them to sell their clients!

·  Do something…don’t wait for someone else to look out for you!  National and regional advertising can generate interest…only you can generate a sale!