48 | Today on the Meat Success Podcast, Katie Olthoff shares a quick solo story about visiting two small businesses after her kids’ dentist appointments and the marketing lessons it revealed. Her child noted that the craft shop was more expensive than Hobby Lobby but worth it because the owners were friendly and helpful—paralleling why customers buy meat directly from farmers and butchers despite higher prices.

At the first shop, the owner verbally invited Katie to join a Square-based loyalty program by phone number, which immediately triggered texts showing points earned and prompting her to join the email list for bonus points. At a second treat shop using Square, a sign promoted loyalty but staff never asked, and Katie didn’t join despite being a repeat customer. Her takeaway: set up loyalty/text/email programs and verbally ask customers to join while explaining benefits.

00:27 Dentist Trip Backstory

01:03 Choosing Small Business

02:16 Yarn Shop Loyalty Win

03:13 Square Text and Email Flow

05:29 Why It Works

05:58 Treat Shop Missed Ask

07:30 Incentives and Lead Magnets

And learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/

47 | This week, Katie and Sierra hop on a live webinar to share updates, including a new Chop Local website header and improved zip-code entry, and Sierra’s upcoming road trip to photograph and film vendors in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. The main training covers building email lists for farmers markets and farm stands using lead magnets such as recipe or cooking guides, coupons, swag, and customer-only giveaways, with guidance to keep signup forms minimal, use Mailchimp landing pages, deliver PDFs made in Canva, and promote signups via social media and urgency.

They caution against adding past customer emails to Mailchimp without opt-in and suggest inviting customers via a one-time BCC email, plus enabling email opt-in on Shop Local checkout. For in-person collection, they recommend multiple QR-code signs and paper forms, and provide Canva QR-code template signage. They discuss connecting Square to Chop Local for synced inventory and share practical inventory management approaches, including leaving online inventory leeway and using paper-and-pen tracking. The group announces a North Central risk management grant offering webinars and four free coaching sessions, and launches a new Facebook group, “Farm to Consumer Meat Mastery,” for peer support.

00:32 Team Updates and Website Refresh

01:25 Sierra’s Vendor Road Trip Plans

03:49 Why Meeting Vendors Matters

04:24 Farmers Market Email Signups

04:48 Lead Magnets That Work

07:40 Giveaways and Targeting

11:10 Mailchimp Signup Pages Setup

14:18 Promoting Your List on Social

15:31 Inviting Past Customers Properly

19:46 In-Person Signup Best Practices

21:47 QR Codes and Canva Templates

24:29 Paper Forms and Booth Signage Tips

25:19 Cash and QR Options

26:36 Farmers Market Pickup Setup

27:52 Email Frequency Basics

28:14 Resend to Non Openers

29:59 Repurpose and Schedule Emails

31:42 Done For You Email Service

33:40 New Coaching Grant

37:08 Facebook Group Launch

39:08 Inventory Management Struggles

43:07 Paper Pen Tracking Tips

45:44 Freezer Reliability Talk

And learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/

46 | On the Meat Success Podcast, guest host Sierra Long, talks with Nola and Mikaela Schultz of Schultz Country Market, a family farm-to-direct meat business in Illinois, about growing their brick-and-mortar store and social media presence.

They describe researching Illinois requirements for retail meat sales, opening their on-farm market in September 2023, expanding through a freezer trailer and a busy local farmers market, and starting nationwide shipping in February 2026 after extensive testing of supplies and packaging (favoring ice blankets over dry ice). They explain how TikTok giveaways and support from a local influencer helped grow to nearly 50,000 followers, and how they use Facebook for local customers and TikTok to drive shipping sales. They emphasize consistency, authenticity, quick Facebook Lives, and being intentional with messaging to convert views into sales.

• 00:53 Schultz Market Origins
• 03:14 Launching Retail Store
• 07:11 Farmers Market Strategy
• 10:26 Farm Store Experience
• 13:22 Shipping Meat Logistics
• 18:55 TikTok Growth Giveaway
• 22:05 Influencer Events Boost
• 24:32 Family Farm Story
• 25:06 Influencer Event Boost
• 26:32 Getting Comfortable On Camera
• 30:11 Facebook Live Routine
• 32:21 Choosing Platforms
• 37:48 Turning Views Into Sales
• 39:26 Content Ideas That Convert

Learn more about ChopLocal and ChopLocal University Below!

• https://choplocal.com/
• https://www.choplocaluniversity.com/