This can be a tough one to navigate.  Should you charge for the 85-year-old grandmother that is just there to watch her grandchild open presents at a birthday party?  Should you charge for parents that are there to help with the field trip?  What about someone that is physically handicapped and won’t be participating in any activities?  These are all tough scenarios to navigate while keeping your customers happy but let’s talk through some of the options you have.

Insurance
First and foremost, check with your insurance carrier to see what their requirements are around this.  I have never personally run into a provider that...

Long lines are one of those things we consider a “good problem to have”.  Unfortunately, long lines can be a frustration for your guests and not a good way to start their fun day at the farm.  Here are some tips to keep those lines moving.

1. Good Signage

Be sure you have easy-to-read signs at your check-in area.  Not just at the cash register but in several places that can be easily seen from the lines so customers can be more prepared when it is their turn to pay. 

2. Limited Options

Keep it Simple.  Don’t have too many combo packages or options.  Studies have shown that limiting options to 3 or less is the sweet spot in situati...

This week we are highlighting a great article written by Carol Miller over at the American Farm Marketer.  Figuring out what to charge for things can be a daunting task.  Carol shares some research that can help us understand some of the human psychology behind how our guests will view our prices.

Pricing Tricks Proven By Research
by: Carol Miller of American Farm Marketer

Although there have been very few studies conducted about plant pricing, pricing in general has been studied in just every imaginable way possible.

We’ve sifted through some of the most important studies for you. Most of these you’re already using, but some of the o...

As Agritourism owners we find ourselves in a wide variety of stores for a wide variety of reasons. Even though price is a big determining factor for whether or not I frequent a store, there are other factors that are equally important. If you were to ask me my opinion about the 3 local hardware stores that I visit the most, I would most likely evaluate them based on price, inventory and customer service. And based on those things there is one store that stands out and one I will go out of my way to support.

There are few things more important to a customer than personal service. I believe they will even pay a little bit more if they thin...

1.  Clean & Plentiful Bathrooms

The reality is that most Agritourism venues with heavy seasonal crowds don’t have enough indoor bathroom facilities to keep up with the demand.  That means we have to resort to the dreaded Porta-Potty.  This is the worst nightmare of germaphobes’.  Your guests may be on their way to having an outstanding customer experience (see our blog post from last week) and a dirty bathroom or Porta-Potty may be the lasting memory that sticks longer that all the great experiences they had that day.  Or if their 5-year-old decides they have to go NOW and there are long lines for all the bathrooms.

With ev...