Welcome to the Maine Winter Farmers’ Market Marketing Guide
Grow Your Market. Strengthen Your Community.
‘This free toolkit is built just for Maine farmers’ market marketers, whether youโre launching your first winter market or managing a long-running one.
Winter markets face unique challenges, but they also offer powerful opportunities: to keep farmers earning, keep communities connected, and keep fresh local food flowing year-round.
Authentic marketing strategies for
Maine’s farmers’ markets
Maine’s 130+ farmers’ markets strengthen our communities by supporting local farms, building food security, and keeping agricultural dollars in Maine – but thriving markets require authentic marketing that resonates with our values.
This resource serves anyone marketing Maine farmers’ markets: market managers, volunteers, vendors handling social media, board members planning winter strategies. We understand your reality – budgets from zero to professional, varying tech skills, and precious little time during market season.
Every strategy here is practical and proven, designed for Maine’s diverse markets from volunteer-run summer operations to year-round staffed venues. We prioritize authentic community connections over corporate marketing tactics, because supporting local agriculture means more than just transactions – it’s about sustaining Maine’s farming future.
A Growing Resource
This website will evolve based on your feedback and changes in the marketing landscape. As new tools emerge, regulations change, or successful strategies develop, we’ll add and update content to keep this resource current and useful.
We want to hear from you: What’s working at your market? What challenges are you facing? What topics would be most helpful? Your real-world experience makes this guide better for everyone.
What You’ll Find Here
These four categories cover everything you need to market your farmers’ market effectively, from setting up basic online tools to building lasting community relationships. Each section includes strategies that can be adapted for any budget or experience level, with step-by-step guidance designed specifically for Maine’s market landscape and community values.
๐ Digital Marketing Tools
Get your online presence set up right, from Facebook Business pages to Google Business profiles to online market directories. We’ll cover essential social media platforms, event listing strategies, business directories, and simple website creation that help customers find you when they’re searching for local markets.
๐ธ Creating Content
Learn to create compelling social media posts, photos, videos, and Instagram Reels using just your smartphone and free tools. We’ll also cover blog content and newsletter ideas that tell your markets’ stories authentically. We will guide you through budget-friendly, practical tips for creating content that builds genuine community connections.
๐ฃ Reaching Your Community
Strategies for getting the word out through email, social media, local media, press releases, and community partnerships. We’ll show you how to build relationships that last beyond individual market days and create newsworthy stories that local outlets want to cover.
๐ค Building Support
Develop sustainable systems for volunteer help, vendor collaboration, community partnerships, fundraising, and sponsorships. Learn how to leverage your digital presence to create motivating perks for sponsors and supporters. Because the best marketing happens when the whole community is invested in your market’s success.
What This Guide Covers: Core Tenets of Marketing a Farmers Market
This guide is built to support markets of all sizes, budgets, and experience levels. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to sharpen your current efforts, youโll find flexible tools and tips to help your market thrive.
Here are the key marketing pillars weโll explore:
Social Media: What, when, and how to post across platforms like Facebook and Instagram
Directory Profiles: Getting listed and standing out on local event sites and search directories
Website: Basics for building and maintaining a simple, effective site
Event Listings: Where and how to submit events for maximum reach (like the guide youโre reading now!)
Photography & Video Tips: DIY visuals that stop the scroll and tell your marketโs story
Press Releases: Writing and distributing news to local media outlets
Ads & Boosting: Running low-budget ads and boosting posts to increase engagement
Local Ads: Leveraging community papers, newsletters, and town sites
Printed Materials: Flyers, posters, and rack cards that make an impact
Posters & Graphics: Tools and templates for consistent, eye-catching design
Time & Money Saving Hacks: Work smarter with reusable templates, batch content, and AI tools
Marketing Perks for Sponsors: Offer exposure opportunities in exchange for funding
Volunteer Support: Finding and organizing help for your marketing tasks
Prioritizing & Growing: Start with the essentials, then build on your success over time
Improve SEO: Strategies to help your website rank higher on search engines and attract more traffic
What is AEO?: Learn how Answer Engine Optimization helps your market appear in voice and AI-generated search responses
Blog Posts: How to write helpful, seasonal, or community-focused posts that build trust and boost visibility
Use this guide at your own pace. Each section is standalone, so you can jump to what matters most and revisit as your needs grow.
๐ฑ Share Your Feedback
Do you have suggestions, questions, or requests for this growing marketing source? Weโd love to hear from you, your input helps us make this guide more useful for markets like yours.
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Maine Federation of Farmers Markets
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Contact
mffmmarketingguide@gmail.com