supply storage facility usually denotes
a good grower who sells quality pro-
duce. The quality image can be impart-
ed here just as much as in the field or
orchard. Buildings do not have to be
large or fancy, but they should be neat
and well maintained. Expensive look-
ing buildings may impart a high pro-
duce price image to customers.
 Movable check-out stands on run-
ners or wheels that can be towed by a
tractor are often used. For strawber-
ries, snap beans, tomatoes or various
other crops, some operators prefer this
concept to the permanent central
check-in, check-out station. If parking
is at the picking area, movable check-
out stands are often preferred. Neat,
attractive, functional buildings that are
adequate for the volume of business are
all that is needed. Money spent beyond
this point on buildings will not be a
good investment.

COURTESY AND CONCERN
 A certain amount of bad luck a
flat tire to change, locked-in keys or a
stalled engine is likely to occur.
Some help and friendly advice at such
times will usually be greatly appreci-
ated and long remembered. It is good
business to be friendly and helpful. It
helps build the neighborly image that
will go a long way to bring people
back. You don't have to be an expert
mechanic or have a parts supply, but
knowing a reliable garage or service
station that can take care of the more
serious problems is very helpful. Often
a telephone where a woman can call
her husband or favorite service station,
will be the best answer to the problem.


ADVERTISING
 One point on which most pick-your-
own operators generally agree is that
word-of-mouth advertising is the best
and cheapest. When someone tells a
friend about the fine quality produce
they picked themselves and saved
money too-it is effective advertising.
Since this method of advertising does
not reach new areas very effectively
and usually needs supplementing, vari-
ous other methods are often used. Dis-
agreement is common on which is best
or most economical. Crops to be sold
and the area from which customers
come will influence the choice of
method.
 Many growers maintain a mailing
list of customers. Notices can then be
sent to customers when crops will be
ready for harvest. Often included in
the starting harvest notice, is a calen-
dar of when later items will be ready.


Printed postal card type handout ma-
terial with name, address and a road
map to the farm to pass along to cus-
tomers is low-cost and helpful. Or you
can mail a late winter or early spring
newsletter about happenings around
the farm and crops planned for the
coming summer and fall harvest. News-
letters tend to create a feeling that the
customer is not only part of the farm
but is the very reason why all the
activity and planning is going on. This
method is likely to be more effective
among people in urban areas who have
little other contact with rural people or
agriculture than for customers who
live in the country.


MASS MEDIA USE
 Newspapers and radio can both be
effective means of advertising. You
should recognize the advantages and
disadvantages of each. A classified
advertisement in a daily or weekly
paper covers a large area, usually at a
relatively low cost. It can alert people
to items approaching maturity, give
directions to the farm and state price
and days or hours open for business.
There is usually a time lag of a few
days for daily newspapers and a week
or more for weekly papers before read-
ers receive the message. A larger block
style advertisement (called display ad)
is more expensive but also more effec-
tive in newspapers.
 Radio can draw quick response when
30-second or one-minute spot an-
nouncements are repeated several
times each day for a few days. If rainy
weather has kept pickers away, short
spot radio announcements and a clean-
up price can often solve the problem.
 Handbills, like those used for auc-
tion sales, posted at campgrounds, in
restaurants and at filling stations will
attract added business.
 It is important to calculate increases
in sales in relation to amount of money
spent on advertising. You can reach a
point where it is not profitable to spend
more to sell more produce. Many busi-
nesses, other than agriculture, allocate
from 5 to 10 percent of gross sales for
advertising and promotion. During the
establishment period for a new busi-
ness or an expansion period a larger
budget can be justified. Look closely
at any promotion or advertising pro-
posals larger than the above guidelines
and be sure it can be justified. Many
successful pick-your-own operations
spend only one or two percent of gross
sales for advertising and promotion.


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