Start Your Worm Farm Right

To find out more about worm farming, click here.

Thinking of starting a worm farm? Launch your worm farm successfully by avoiding these common mistakes made by the novice worm farmer:

1. Not paying attention to your worms
2. Over selling your worms
3. Under selling (not expanding your market)
4. Expanding too fast
5. Poor customer service
6. Poor marketing
7. Not delegating

Keep Your Worm Customers Happy

Worm Farming Mistake #5 is "Poor customer service".  It's a well know fact in the business world that getting customers is hard.  Keeping customers is harder.  And just as important.  Once someone decides to buy from you, you should treat that person like he or she was the most important person on the planet.  Within reason, of course.

Here are some common business tips on how to treat your customers.  We'll discuss aspects particular to worm farming and worm sales shortly:

• The customer pays your bills.
  Don't ever loose sight of the fact that your customer is your source of income.  I don't need to point out how important that little fact is. Treat them accordingly. Listen to your customers and they will appreciate it.
• Listen.
  Listening to your customers is the only way to know what they want and need.  Your understanding of your customer will let you know what you need to do in order to make them happy.
• Communicate
  Keep in touch with your customers so you establish a relationship and can anticipate their needs.  If you are the one keeping your customer happy and solving their problems, you'll be less likely to loose that customer to someone else.
• Make your customer feel important.
  When they call or when you speak with them in person, make them feel important by using their name, smiling (even on the phone, it comes through), and using their name.  Use body language that shows your respect for them.  People will appreciate it.  Don't you, when your paid attention to by folks you patronize?  The Golden Rule applies here, even in the worm farming business.
• Make sure your customers understand your business and what's expected of them.
  People are happy when they know what's going on and what your're procedures are for placing orders, taking payment, etc.
• Learn to say "Yes", within reason.  
  If you must say "No", find a way to make it not sound like a "No".  In other words, use more than one syllable, it will soften the blow.
• Say you're sorry.
  If you foul up, make a mistake, or can't give them what they want, remember to apologize.  People will forgive you and be more understanding if you show concern and that you are thinking of them.
• Always give more than is expected.
  When folks get more than they paid for or get a little something extra, you will score mucho points and outshine any competition.
• Ask for feedback.
  You can learn a lot from your customers, so get their input regularly.  They'll feel important and you'll learn invaluable ways to serve them better than ever.

Worm Farm Customer Service

As promised, let's look at customer service as it pertains to selling worms.  Once you start worm farming and the worm gets out, you'll find that a lot of people will want to bend your ear about raising worms and taking care of worms.  They'll keep you on the phone forever. 

You'll have customers who want to start worm farming themselves.  Don't be afraid to help them out, they'll be good customers for you as they stock their worm farm beds. There's such a demand for earthworms, you don't really have to worry about competition down the road.

You want to answer questions and help your customers learn how to care for their worms and keep them alive.  But, if you talk to everyone who calls like this, you'll never get anything done and will soon be out of business.

I know, you're supposed to listen, answer questions, and get feedback. But, as stated above  more than once, you have to do all this "within reason".

The way to handle inquisitive worm customers is prepare a "worm care" brochure that you can email them.  Make note of the most usual questions asked (there are common questions that most people ask).  Answer these questions in the brochure, spell out your policies, prices, pickup times, shipping dates, etc.  An information brochure is not only be an invaluable time-saver for you , it is a  great customer service tool as well.

When you start your worm farm business, you'll be pressed for time.  Don't be tempted to ignore calls, however.  Spend a little time talking and answer a few questions, especially if the caller is a customer or potential customer.  Then, suggest they give you their email so you can send them your information brochure that is just chocked full of advice that will answer almost any question they could possible have.  Tell them to call you back if they have any other questions or concerns that the brochure doesn't cover.

This aspect of worm farming needs more attention because you'll receive many of these calls and it's a somewhat delicate balance between helping people and not getting anything done.  We'll come back to this a little later.

Get Started Worm Farming

Avoid mistakes and learn how to worm farm.  This easy to follow, simple guide takes you through the steps of setting up your worm farm.  Tips, troubleshooting, how-to's.  Get started today with your own successful, profitable worm farm.