ASSESSING A MARKET

Major concerns when starting any new business:​

• Is there a demand for this product in my area?​
• Who do I sell to?​
• How do I go about finding customers?​
• How stiff is my competition?  ​
• Is there any competition?​
• Are there enough customers near me to make this venture viable?​
• A big portion of answering the above question gets back to Diego's segment on assessing your current and future financial needs.

Understanding the existing market already near your farm:​

• The first thing to do is to follow the existing trails of sales streams blazed by similar businesses in your “area”.​
• Understand that if there is any local food scene happening in your area, you simply need to 'hack' the work of those who have gone before you.​
• Begin by researching the competitors in your area.​
• Your “area” is defined as a 1.5-2 hour radius around any areas (urban or rural) you intend to market into.​
• Typically you'll need to focus on urban areas only.​
• This is NOT a 1.5-2 hour radius around your farm.