Junior Fair Livestock Sale Promotion and Writing Thank You Notes
Dear Volunteers,
We would like you to have conversations with your club members about the appropriate way to approach the junior fair livestock sales. We understand the sales are a large part of the junior fair experience and everyone wants what is best for their child and club members.
Please note that contacting and soliciting buyers is not required, but we know it is a practice many junior fair exhibitors chose to follow. Without buyers, our junior fair sales would not be successful and so we want to make sure we are not offending our supporters.
The sale committee is asking that if exhibitors are going to solicit buyers, that members contact potential buyers prior to the fair and not solicit buyers the week of the fair. It is against the Brown County Fair rules to solicit buyers during the Friday and Saturday sales.
Visiting businesses and/or a handwritten letter is the preferred method for contacting buyers before the fair. Linked below under resources are some tips and guidelines for contacting buyers. Additionally, there are two sample letters you can provide your members with. There is also a resource developed by a 4-H'er in California that can be used.
Please remind your members of the importance of sending thank you notes! Thank you notes should be sent to all donors and buyers. A handwritten thank you note goes a long way in showing appreciation and gaining continued support for next year. There is a guide for writing 4-H thank you notes that was developed by Oregon State University Extension linked below also. A great option for a club is to have an after fair meeting and everyone write thank you notes together!
Please have these conversations with your members as the fair is rapidly approaching! Writing these letters, especially the thank you notes is an important life lesson and by starting now we are helping the amazing young people we work with to develop a great habit.
Thank you for your help and support in teaching our young people these skills!
Christy
Resources:
Livestock Sales Promotion Guide: https://brown.osu.edu/sites/brown/files/imce/Program_Pages/4H/Junior_Fair/Junior%20Fair%20Sale%20Promo%20Guide_0.pdf
Oregon State University Extension "Guide to writing thank-you notes for 4-H awards and animals sold at auction": http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/sites/default/files/documents/4h/How_to_Write_TY.pdf
How to Address an Envelope: https://brown.osu.edu/sites/brown/files/imce/Program_Pages/4H/Club_Resources/addressing%20an%20envelope_0.pdf
A Guide to Writing Better Buyers Letters (developed California 4-H'er): http://cemendocino.ucanr.edu/files/29441.pdf