How to Organize an Emu Farm Tour

As an emu farmer, you not only have to take care of your flock's every need, you must also promote your farm and the emu industry as a whole. As with any alternative venture, you should plan events to not only let locals know about what you have to offer, but also to educate the general public about what the industry can offer them. By allowing tours of your farm you can fulfill both of these obligations.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Determine if you want a small tour that could be requested by appointment only or if you want a large affair that will take a little more planning. Small affairs can be arranged with very little planning by finding out what day and time the group would like to visit your farm and just preparing for the visit, which is common for school tours. Larger affairs, however, require more planning and advertising for the event.
2. Decide what day or even week you want to promote your farm tour. National Emu Week is a good time to provide farm tours to the public. This week is promoted by the American Emu Association, which allows you to take advantage of promotions the group already does to promote the emu industry.
3. Join the American Emu Association. This national organization supplies standardized press releases to use during National Emu Week and can potentially offer tips from others who have previously organized successful farm tours during this week long promotion. The group also has state chapters, which might provide more localized assistance.
4. Talk to other emu farmers who have already organized similar events. Whether they do simple school tours or elaborate, week-long events, by discussing your ideas with those who have already undertaken various types of farm tours, you can learn whether your ideas have worked well in the past or if you should reshape your plans to fit what has been successful.
5. Subscribe to "Emu Today & Tomorrow." This publication is dedicated to the emu industry and can provide information for promotions that have been previously successful, especially those during National Emu Week. Past issues can also be purchased from the publisher, which may provide further insight into farm tours that have been particularly successful.
6. Sign up for the Emu Farming Information Group on Yahoo!. This group, which is free to join, may allow you to connect with other emu farmers who have organized successful farm tours. You can post questions about the event you would like to plan and read past postings relating to these types of events once you have been approved by the group owner.
7. Advertise your farm tour. Whether it's a one-time event, a week-long event or an ongoing event, you must advertise the availability of the tour. For one-time events, advertise with the local newspaper or utilize website opportunities with the Chamber of Commerce or Department of Tourism. On a larger scale, you can pursue the same avenues of advertisement, but you might also want to consider billboard advertisements for ongoing or annual events, which not only permanently promotes the farm tours, but also the emu industry overall.
8. Prepare your farm for the event. Clearly mark the areas where visitors are allowed and the areas where they are restricted. Set up booths for further information or added entertainment in the case of elaborate tours, or simply be present to answer any questions your visitors might have for simple tours.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are planning an annual event, stick to the same day or weekend to be consistent. This allows the general public to plan for the event each year and will cut down on confusion as to timing and could possibly save a little on advertising.

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