The Myth I Believed (And Why It Cost Me Sales)
My first farm website was built through one of those “we’ll help you get online” services.
They did most of the setup, handed it over… and said, “Let us know if you run into issues.”
Well, I ran into issues.
If I wanted to change a photo? That was on me.
If I wanted to update prices? Me again.
Colors, store, product descriptions? You get the idea.
I was on my own — and completely lost.
So I did what most stubborn farmers do: I learned.
I took courses. Watched tutorials. Broke the site more than once. But I knew if I could figure this out, I’d get more sales.
That was sort of true.
But here’s the myth I believed:
A good-looking website = more customers.
And here’s the truth:
Pretty Doesn’t Sell. Strategy Does.
What actually made the difference?
✅ Growing an email list.
✅ Writing often about our farm — the ups, the downs, the muddy days.
✅ Making people feel like they knew us before they bought from us.
I also learned what actually matters on a website:
- Clear buttons that guide people
- Simple navigation
- Strong CTAs placed where people actually click
It wasn’t about being flashy — it was about being easy (while still looking good of course).
Because online attention spans are short. If people have to jump through hoops to buy your stuff, most won’t bother.
What This Means for Your Farm
If you’re building a website (or already have one), don’t obsess over the fancy stuff.
Focus on:
- Telling your story
- Building your email list
- Making it simple to order
That’s the marketing plan I use now — not just for my farm, but for Homegrown Hosting too:
🎯 Helpful content that builds trust
📬 Email list that grows over time (now included in ALL website builds)
🧭 A clear path to buy, no distractions
And it works.
Closing Thought
I still build good-looking websites (don’t get me wrong).
But I don’t build them to impress people — I build them to convert.
Because the goal isn’t to get compliments (That’s what social media is for). It’s to get customers.
If you're tired of winging it, or want help building something that actually works…
Until next time,
– Jason
