One of the biggest challenge when you start to sell honey at first is how to go about doing it? Many people are not experienced in this sort of stuff.
The key thing is to start small. Small steps will eventually get you where you want to go and you will definitely learn tonnes while at it. This will keep the cost low and flexibility to change any time.
There are a few things that you have to consider, namely the target market, how you will distribute to them, i.e. your marketing channel, the packaging of your product and how you will promote it.
Most people when starting will not have many hives. Typically you can start with one or two just to get a hang of how to do beekeeping. So to test the water in marketing honey, first off and easiest to promote it amongst close friends or relatives. It could be that when you start just invite them for tea with a spread of honey and let them taste it! You can get their feedback and take it from there.
Essentially for a start, the target would be market locally within your circle of friends or neighbours and you can also set up a road side store or if your place is the near the road, to have a clear sign board informing them that they can get fresh honey from you!
It is worthwhile to take time and come up with a simple yet attractive sign board and something that is big enough for drivers to notice and want to drop by. Graphics and visuals attract. Put on your creative cap to come up with ideas and get feedback…gosh there are many ways, maybe even create a variety of design as ask people to vote which is best. Nowadays you can do it online even – ask your Facebook friends:)
Besides your signage, the product packaging is also crucial. Even though there’s a saying “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, you know for a fact that in the real world most of us DO judge by how someone or something looks! How many times have you pick up that “cute” little box in the supermarket because it looks great (even though you didn’t initially plan to buy it)?
Creativity does play an important role. You don’t have to have a million dollar research to do that, but the packaging should be decent enough that someone will want to buy it. That means that the labels should be stick properly and it’s clean. Usually the winning strategy in honey is to put it in clear glass or plastic bottles so that people can see what’s the color.
You may want to also do some branding, by including your company name and type of honey and probably contact no. or website if you have. Well, you knows what opportunity this will bring.
Yes, there will be some cost. Take this as part and parcel of business. Nowadays you can source for cheaper solutions like getting the containers for eBay or Walmart.
