Tips and Guidelines for
Writing Buyer Letters
Premier Exhibitor
Introduction
You have worked very hard and have spent countless hours working with your animal preparing for
the Sumter County Fair. You are almost ready but now you need to write your buyer’s letters. Not
your most favorite part of your livestock project! Like the hundreds of other livestock exhibitors you
want to get the best price possible for your animal and a big part of that is getting buyers to come to
the fair and bid on your animal. Good buyer’s letters help not only you but all the entrants at the
fair because the buyer you invite may not only bid on your animal, but they might bid on other
exhibitor’s animals as well.
A General Time Line
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A Pre-Introduction Visit and/or Note to the Buyer: [November-December]
o Introduce yourself
o Grade level and school
o FFA or 4-H
o Your project animal
o Where your animal was purchase
o About your animal
o Why you choose to show
Letters to your Buyers and Add-On Persons: [Mid-January/Early February]
o It is good to go see several prospective buyers. More than one will get them bidding
against each other. Dress nicely and be positive when you visit the buyers. You are not
only representing your parents, but the organization you are showing under.
o Again, list all of the above, if you wrote a pre-introduction note you may state that you
are following up on your first introduction.
o List the beginning weight of your animal and the current weight.
o Tell them as much about your project as you can, but don’t make it too long as to bore
the reader.
o Type of feed being fed/standard required treatments/grooming skills learned/medical
problems and how you corrected them/Etc.
o Add a photo on your letterhead or print some and add in the letter, buyers like to see
the animal, even the add-on person.
Follow Up: [March]
o It is important to keep your buyers informed of you and your project animal’s
progress. It is okay to contact them before the Buyer’s Dinner and Sale to give them a
friendly reminder.
**Look at the records you have been keeping, make a list of all-important things in the months you have had your
animal. Add something personal too.
Questions and Answers about Buyer’s Letter
Q. What is a Buyer’s Letter?
A. A buyer’s letter is a letter that a 4-H member sends out to potential buyers before their County
Fair to tell them a little about themselves and their animal, and to invite them to the fair and
livestock auction.
Remember the Sumter County Fair requires each youth to write letters to three NEW buyers and
invite them to the livestock show and sale. Copies of your three buyer’s letters must be attached to
your record book. Copies of your three buyer’s letters must also be turned into the Sumter County
Fair office no later than January 30th, 2015 by 4:00pm.
Q. Why Should You Write Buyers Letters?
A. It is your responsibility to help get new and returning buyers to come to the livestock sale. Some
people come to the fair every year and buy one or more animals but without new buyers a time may
come where there aren’t enough buyers to purchase all the animals. New buyers or returning
buyers that are happy with the letters they have received are more likely to come to the fair and pay
the premium prices we all enjoy receiving for our animals. Buyers pay far more than the market
value of the animals we sell and it is up to the individual exhibitor to encourage as many potential
buyers as possible to come to the fair and bid on their animals. Buyers like a personal letter from
exhibitors, particularly children. It lets them know that you have raised an animal, are exhibiting it
at the county fair, and trying to sell it at the market sale.
Q. Who Should I Send Buyers Letters To?
A. EVERYONE! This might include your family doctor, dentist, eye doctor, orthodontist, insurance
agent, and banker. It could include places where your family does business like the grocery store,
restaurants, hair stylists, mechanics, contractors, your animal’s veterinarian, feed store, equipment
and/or car dealers. Don’t forget to send letters to people who have previously bought your project
animals, as well as relatives, neighbors, and family friends.
Keep in mind the buyer is interested in what you have learned throughout your livestock project.
Make you’re your buyers letters reflect your learning experiences. Invite them to the Sumter County
Fair Buyers Dinner and Livestock Sale, tell them the education and knowledge you have gained,
problems you have encountered, workshops you have attended and what fun experiences you have
had.
Your goal is to get as many buyers as possible to the fair during the livestock sale. The more buyers
you have the higher the price you will receive for your animal. Remember, it takes at least two
buyers to make an auction! You will need to work harder than ever this year. Set the goal of sending
out more than the required three letters. You should really try to send at least 5 buyer’s letters.
Items to Include in Your Buyer’s Letter:
1. Know who you are writing to
a. Owner of a business, family members, friend, etc. Important when addressing the
buyer’s letter.
2. Information about yourself
a. Tell them your name, age, and introduce yourself. This helps the buyer know whose
letter they are reading. When they get to the fair it will help them make a connection
with you. Some buyers are more likely to bid on animals raised by people they know.
3. Information about your project and club
a. Some buyers like to hear about your animal, how you raised it, and what 4-H club or
FFA chapter you belong to. They may choose to bid on your animal based on your
club/chapter affiliation if they recognize your club/chapter from your activities that
they have heard about.
4. The Sumter County Fair Dates
a. This helps the buyer because they will know when the fair is and that way they can
attend the fair. If they have fun and enjoy themselves they would be more likely to
come back. If they don’t know the dates of the fair then they won’t know when to come
and look at your animals.
5. The Livestock Sale date, time AND location
a. In order for the buyer to bid on your animal they will need to know when the auction
is and where it is. If you can’t get them to the auction then they can’t bid on your
animal and you won’t sell it as easily.
6. Tell them how they can participate as a buyer
a. They can come to the buyer’s dinner the night of the show.
b. They will receive a Sumter County Fair Buyer’s Guide and Dinner Invitation if they
have purchased in the past.
c. If your buyer has not purchased in the past please notify the Fair Office and they can
mail your buyer a Buyer’s Guide and Dinner Invitation.
7. Inform them where they can get more information
a. Buyers can always contact the Sumter County Fair Office to learn more information
about the fair and the livestock sale.
b. Mrs. Barbara Kane 352-569-6851
8. Thank them for previous participation if they have purchased from you before
a. If you do this, it may motivate the buyer to come back and bid again. It lets
them know you appreciated them purchasing your animal last year.
9. Personalize the letters
a. This is good because most buyers like letters that are signed by a real person
and not photocopied letter, and also they like their names on the letter not just
Dear Buyer. The more individualized a letter is, the more likely a person is to
read it.
10.
Consider adding a picture or yourself and/or your animal
a. This can help people see what your animal looks like. Some people think that
pictures of animals are cute and this may help them decide to bid on your
animal instead of somebody else’s or not bidding at all.
Do’s and Do Not’s of a Buyer’s Letter
Do’s
 Write a rough draft and get someone
to proof read it for you.
 Get the name, position title, and
proper address of the contact.
 Be personal, warm and inviting.
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 Use a proper greeting – “Dear Mr.
Jones”
 Check your spelling AND grammar
 Be gracious. “Please” and “Thank You”
go a long way!
 Use sincerely to close the letter.
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 Sign your letter and include your
contact information, the livestock sale
dates, and the address to the fair.
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Do Not’s
Send your rough draft without
someone proof reading it for you.
Never send a letter “To Whom it May
Concern” or “Dear Buyer”.
Use a cold short form letter. Be a
Negative Nancy!
Never address the person by their first
name – “Dear Bob”
Forget to use spell check.
Never make demands or state a
specific price for animal.
Do not use ‘Fondly” or “Regards”. Keep
the letter professional.
Forget to sign your letter and include
contact information.
Sample Letter Number 1
July 11, 2006
Dear J. J. Kind,
This is my seventh year in 4-H. I am a member of the Big Clovers 4-H Club. I would like to
invite you to the Trinity County Fair and Livestock Auction. There is one day of sales at the
Trinity County Fairgrounds.
The first sale is the sheep sale on Saturday, August 26 at 12:00 pm at the lamb
showmanship arena. The steer suction is at 1:00 pm at the steer showmanship arena. The
swine sale is at 2:00 pm at the swine showmanship arena. I am planning to sell my market
hog at this sale. Small animals sell on Friday August 27 starting at 8:00 AM in the swine
arena.
I have spent a lot of hours on feeding, watering, walking, and grooming Butch, my
Hampshire market hog, for show and sale at the Trinity County Fair. I hope you will be able
to attend one or more of this year’s sale to support 4-H project animals.
Come enjoy a day at the Fair, see all the 4-H animals and spend some time in the auction
barn. Your bids will make a difference whether you buy “Butch” or some other member’s 4H animal.
If you need a buyer’s packet, please contact the Trinity County Fair Livestock Auction
Committee at 555-1111.
Sincerely,
Bill Hub
Bill Hub
Sample Letter Number 2
June 9, 2006
Hayfork Construction
900 Hayfork Road
Hayfork, CA 9409
Dear Mr. Bill:
My name is Cory Hack and this is my second year in 4-H. I am taking a market lamb
project to the fair. My lamb is a whether and his name is Duke. I have spent a lot of time
with Duke this summer. I have walked him, fed him, and even given him a bath.
I will be showing and selling Duke at the 2006 Trinity County Fair. I would like to invite
you to the Trinity County Fair Market Lamb Sale on Wednesday, August 27 at 9:00 AM, at
the Lamb Showmanship Arena.
I hope you will be able to come to the Fair to see all the 4-H sheep at the Auction. I don’t
know what time Duke will sell in the sale. But please come to the Market Lamb Auction
and bid if you find a lamb you’d like try to buy.
My 4-H club adviser told me you can request a Buyer’s Packet by calling the Livestock Sale
Committee at 555-1111. I hope you have a chance to come to the Fair and see my entire 4H club’s sheep.
Sincerely,
Cory Hack
Cory Hack