Social Media and Newsletters Social media can be a great, no or low cost way to reach your audience. When posting to any social media site, make sure your posts are clear and concise. Do not use jargon or acronyms; spell things out, and use terms that shoppers can relate to such as “SNAP Independence cards” when you are referring to SNAP or "Senior Coupons" when referring to Senior FMNP. Use the SNAP Independence card image on some of your posts so that customers can visually identify what you are posting about. Let customers know what they can purchase with their eWIC card by sharing images of vendors’ produce and their eWIC signs. This practice will help to create familiarity and comfort between the vendor, customer and market as a whole.
With free software for creating newsletters like Constant Contact and MailChimp widely available, writing a farmers market or farm stand newsletter is a viable marketing mechanism for many. A best practice is to send out weekly newsletters during the farmers market or peak season (and less frequently during the offseason for markets that are not year-round). Additionally, it is best to keep newsletters short and sweet. Include benefit acceptance, seasonal availability, events, and vendor spotlights. A sign- up sheet should be readily visible at market, and market managers and farmers should encourage shoppers to sign up.
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