# What do you all think?



## beegee (Jun 3, 2003)

If you're selling and the ad is cheap or free, why not?


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

*go for free advertising*

Chef, The best advertising can often be gotten for free. Here are a couple of ways: 

1.Contact your local newspaper and see if they would be interested in running a short human interest story on your beekeeping operation. With honeybees in the news lately they might jump at the chance to interview a real live local beekeeper. We've gotten a full page and a half article with several pictures in the past,all free advertising.

2. Submit a guest column on beekeeping to your local paper, or letter to the editor. You can't really write that like you would an advertisement. I did one last year encouraging people to dig up a portion of their yard or just let a section grow wild to encourage bees, butterflies and other wildlife to benefit. I also encouraged them not to use pesticides or harmful chemicals. At the end, a mention of your name and contact information is all you need.

3. Give a free presentation at a local library or public event. Bring along an observation hive and some honey and other stuff that you sell and your cards.

If you only make a few sales from these techniques, I can almost guarantee that they will spread the word about the guy or girl that has great honey for sale. My biggest problem right now is trying to produce enough so that I won't run out around this time of year. Once I can do that, I'll look for more places to sell.


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## simplyhoney (Sep 14, 2004)

*Nice Berkshire*

Well done, Great Ideas. Nothing like using the media to your advantage. It is really hard for us beeks/marketers to put the money into advertising with questionable results.


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## Shapleigh's Bees (Mar 8, 2008)

*Honey by any other name?*

My brother has been at it for a few years. Sales were OK, until last year. Changed his label to read Hanover Honey, where Hanover is his town. Paid for a booth at the Hanover town fair and can't keep up with demand.

He already participated with his club at a very large fair in the neighboring town, had a full-page color photo and article that ran in two newspapers covering the area.

He says that naming the local honey after the location, instead of just calling local honey, then doing local events has done more for him than he could imagine.

And the only packaging that sells well for him is glass skep shaped jars and the plastic bears.


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