Sunday Solopreneur
Read on my website – Read Time: 5 Minutes
I’ve been diving into Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller, and if you haven’t read it (or listened to it), I highly recommend it.
Miller is a bestselling author and marketing expert who has helped thousands of businesses clarify their message so they actually connect with customers (instead of just talking about themselves). His StoryBrand framework is based on a simple but powerful idea: your customer should be the hero of your story—not your business.
As farmers, we love talking about what we do. We’re passionate about our land, our livestock, and our practices. But sometimes, without realizing it, we make ourselves the hero of the story when our customers should be the ones in the spotlight.
Miller shares a great example of an aquarium store that was struggling to attract customers. At first, they marketed themselves by talking about their products:
We sell high-quality aquariums with the best filters and exotic fish. Sounds fine, right? But it wasn’t landing.
Then, they reframed their message to: “Kids love aquariums.”
Why? Because parents don’t buy aquariums for themselves—they buy them because their kids love them. The parents become the hero of the story by giving their children something that sparks curiosity, joy, and a sense of responsibility.
Now, let’s apply that to farming. How often do we say things like:
✅ Grass-fed & finished
✅ Rotationally grazed
✅ Antibiotic-free
These are great features, but they don’t tell the customer what’s in it for them.
They don’t make them the hero.
Instead, what if we focused on what these features do for them?
✅ Grass-fed & finished means they are choosing the healthiest food for their family and best for the planet.
✅ Rotationally grazed means they are supporting ethical, sustainable farming.
✅ Antibiotic-free means they are reducing unhealthy / harmful additives to their diet.
THEY are part of something bigger—neighbors supporting neighbors.
If you’re writing an email, blog, or social media post, challenge yourself to shift the focus. Instead of just explaining what you do, show your customers why it matters for them.
Acknowledge them as the ones fueling the local food movement, the ones providing their kids with real, nourishing food, and the ones making a difference.
At the end of the day, customers don’t just buy products—they buy a story they want to be part of.
When you make them the hero, they don’t just support your farm, they belong to the mission behind it. That’s the kind of marketing that creates lasting loyalty and real impact.
That’s a message that connects.
Thanks for reading and keep growing!
with my appreciation,
Jason
Aka: The Part-Time Farmer
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