# contacts



## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

hey,
this is my 6th yr in 4-H and 1st doing market...how do you 4-Her's do contacts..tips? we need to do at least 4.


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## Just Kiddin' (Nov 18, 2008)

Do you mean to contact potential buyers? 
We usually get a list of people who registered as a buyer at the fair the previous year. Our buyers like to buy from the kids from their own area so we pick out the buyers closest to us usually. Then my sons send them letters all year long just keeping in touch and updating them on how the animals are doing ( how much they've gained since your last contact, that sort of thing ). They usually introduce themselves, age, what year in 4-H, where they live etc. in the first letter. This is when they also introduce their animals. Then we send the final letter about 2 weeks before auction day inviting them to the auction and give them all the info ( date, time etc. ) We send out 3-4 letters to each buyer all year long just to keep in touch. In the final letter when we tell them about the auction we make sure and word it so that they don't think they HAVE to purchase an animal. Something like.. "I would like to invite you, your family and friends to the junior livestock auction to help support our local youth by bidding on or purchasing a 4-H or F.F.A. project animal. Just one simple bid on our animals helps tremendously!". That way they know that they can help support the kids without having to actually purchase anything. If they think they HAVE to buy then a lot of them won't even go. When they think they can go and just help bid the animals up most of them will end up buying. 

My kids are the 4th generation in 4-H so we've had lots of practice with buyers letters LOL. It seems to work the way we do it because my son ended up getting $1200.00 for 3 ugly little meat chickens this year :ROFL:


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

thanks, that helps.

I get two contacts of my own..two construction companies. I think letters sound good.


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