The owners’ assessment of their typical customer differs, depending on the products sold. The typical customer for food and produce would be middle to older age and lower to middle income. For the experiences, the typical customer is a bit younger and “middle level of income,” including families.
Environmental consciousness and waste reduction is important to SF. As funds allow, the farm tries to promote responsible practices by using compostable materials or reduce packaging and avoid plastic bags. This connects the business with a special type of customer showing an awareness of and effort for environmental issues.
Therefore, both identified customer groups are environmentally responsible, or at least have an interest to choose environmentally conscious products and services. This makes them appreciate SF’s low-waste approach and options. Paula classifies them as “lovers of nature and outdoors.” They are also respectful of the Indigenous culture and their lands.
To reach those customers, the business would go through local interest groups, finding out where these types of people spend time and what hobbies, lifestyles, and experiences they are interested in. For example, they might be frequenting the Friendship Centre or the local museum. Spapium Farm could also work with one of the local providers of Indigenous tours and ask to be included as a stop on a trail or farm tour. This would access markets including visitors from other provinces and countries.
On social media, most potential customers follow SF on Facebook, but the farm also uses Instagram. Facebook seems to be the best way to reach their target market online.
SF’s approach to their customers also clearly focuses on education. For example, some in the Indigenous community worry that exposing special sites, such as pictographs, opens the door for mistreatment and vandalism, even just touching sacred sites. Paula believes that the customers are interested and open to learn from the knowledge keepers to be respectful to the land and to teach them the values, which they then share with others.
