2005 Kansas Agritourism Workshops:
Agritourism: How to Attract More Customers, More Often!

Jane Eckert, of Eckert AgriMarketing, has designed the 2005 workshop to build on last year’s AgriTourism Conference in Great Bend. This year, we are concentrating on attracting more customers, more often, resulting in more farm revenue.

(Each presentation listed below will be followed by hands-0n Breakout sessions or discussion groups, allowing you to apply what you've learned.)

Registration date has been extended, so Register Now! Only $10 for Registered Agritourism Operators. (We are still accepting registrations beyond the date printed on this application form.)

NOTE: It is not too late to attend. The date on the application has been extended, and registration will be accepted until the date of the workshop. Walk-ins may or may not be admitted depending on the availability of space and workshop materials, so please register immediately and reserve your space.) Register Now!

Session Topics Include:

Weaving Your Website
Your website is often your only chance to make a good impression. In this session, we’ll look at numerous sample websites to talk about the basic components, and the special components, that comprise a successful website:

• What’s the first thing you want them to see?
• How should they feel when they look at your website?
• Are you giving them what they are looking for?
• How can you use your website to build an ongoing bond with your return visitors?

April 19 Workshop in Dodge City was well attended!

Attracting Publicity
It is vital to your business to build an ongoing relationship with radio, television, and newspapers in your area. In this
session, we’ll look at dozens of things you can do to attract the media coverage you want without spending scarce advertising
dollars.

• Learn who to contact.
• How and when to contact them.
• What you should send/provide to them.

Jane Eckert will lead the full day workshop

It’s All About the “Wow!” Experience
Using photographs and illustrations from the best agritourism farms in North America, we’ll explore the total experience of
your farm:

• Does the farm look like your visitor expects?
• Can your visitor see lots of fun options and interesting things to do?
• Are products and foods attractive, well-placed, and appealing?
• Have you taken advantage of value added family fun, such as quaint signs, activity classes, petting corrals, and
  photo opportunity stations?

Find out why visitors are willing to pay to play on the farm, and how you can attract more visitors, more times a year, and
for more profit. It’s all about having your customers say, “Wow!”

Creating and Maintaining Customer Loyalty with Newsletters
Customer loyalty requires building a relationship with your farm visitors. In this session, we look at how to build your
farm family using newsletters and electronic newsletters.

• Identifying customers.
• What are the advantages?
• What should it cost?
• How much time will it require?
• What do our customers want to know about?
• How will it make more money for our farm?

Colby participants on April 21 during Jane's presentation

Putting More Tourism into Agritourism
As farmers, we do a little of everything: fix the trucks, build the fences, lay out the pumpkin patch, build the hunting lodge,
and level the road. But we also know that sometimes there is a time and a place to go “co-op”.
In our closing session, we’ll look at several farm communities that partner with state, local, and regional tourism professionals,
as well as other farms and local attractions. These partnerships and ag-clusters are sharing marketing and acquisition
expenses as well as valuable expertise; working together, they bring more revenue to everyone. In our final breakout session, we’ll have the opportunity to develop specific tourism strategies for you and your region.

Registration

Registration Fee is $10 per person for Agritourism Operators registered with the Kansas Department of Commerce.
(Cost for non-registered operators $15) Payment must be sent with registration. No credit cards accepted.

Registration will be accepted until the date of the workshop. Walk ins may or may not be admitted depending on the availability of space, so please register immediately and reserve your space.

Click here to download and print the registration form.

Click here to read Department of Commerce press release.

These workshops are sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Resource Conservation & Development Councils, and the El Dorado CVB/Chamber, City of El Dorado.