Twitter trebled Suzanna Crampton’s farm income, and she will show others how to do the same at an upcoming meeting.
Crampton is the proof in the pudding that it is possible to make a living from a small sheep farm. Nine years ago she changed her flock from a small commercial flock of Suffolk x Texel sheep to the Zwartbles breed.
These distinctive black sheep, coupled with Crampton’s photography skills, and her use of social media, have led to her becoming known as the ‘blanket designing shepherd” worldwide.
Her farm enterprise has evolved into an flourishing business that sells Zwartbles wether lambs and breeding stock to smallholders and other farmers, and fulfils pre-orders for meat.
Three different blankets including one for cats, as well as yarn, calendars and greeting cards, are posted to destinations all over the world from her 14ac farm in Co. Kilkenny.
Social media is not about growing followers or telling people your products are for sale. It’s about story telling, conversations and building relationships. By doing this successfully, social media has the power to transform your business.
Although Crampton uses various social media platforms, she has found Twitter to be the most successful one for her. Her @ZwartblesIE account now has over 14,000 followers, and she said that Twitter is the reason her farm income has more than trebled in recent years.
Anyone wishing to gain insights into how to use social media to grow their business is welcome to attend the South East Women in Farming’s September meeting. It takes place on September 5 at 7:30pm in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow. Admission: €5. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served in the interval.