How small farms can stand out from big food using good marketing with Jakub Kosmowski of Farma Wola in Poland

Jakub Kosmowski left a career in marketing to start the vegetable CSA farm Farma Wola in Poland. In this interview, he tells us how he adapted the marketing principles he used with Fortune 500 companies to develop a market for and sell CSA shares for his farm. Jakub tells us how any type of farm can use the four Ps of marketing- “product, place, price and promotion” to think about the big picture before putting effort into marketing. Then we compare the merits of the different marketing channels- email vs social media vs paid advertising- to decide which channels make sense for your farm and how to repurpose the same content across multiple channels. In the process we talk about how to avoid some of the mistakes that even big companies make with things like Super Bowl ads, and how to set realistic objectives for marketing campaigns. He has suggestions for how to fix campaigns that are getting good reach but not generating sales. Jakub tells us how he uses affiliate marketing with local businesses to drive CSA signups. We also discuss how and why it’s important to think like your customer, and lots of other tips that will help you raise your marketing game this season! Connect With Guest: Website: jakubkosmowski.com farmawola.pl Instagram: @farmawola Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that’s tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm. Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last.  Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day.Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. Farming is hard. Running it shouldn’t be. Tend helps you plan your season, map your farm, and track every task from seed to sale. No spreadsheets, no guesswork, just seamless workflows. Tend is the all-in-one farm management platform that brings together planning, field mapping, fulfillment, real-time inventory, sales, labor, traceability, and accounting in one easy platform. Built for small market gardens, CSAs, and large diversified farms. Get started with a free account at Tend.com. No credit card required. If you grow for market, you know performance is everything. That’s why so many farmers are turning to Burpee’s Farmers Market. Dedicated to professional growers, Burpee is now offering non-GMO seeds in larger quantities – bred and selected for standout flavor, strong yields, and the kind of visual appeal your customers crave. Burpee’s been doing this for 150 years, and they’re still creating new varieties with growers like you in mind. You can check out the full lineup at Burpee.com/FarmersMarket. Subscribe to our magazine- all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-day trial!