🤝Finding buyers and talking to businesses

The NCJLC advertises the sale and brings in buyers, but the kids who bring their own buyers do best, and every buyer in the seats raises prices for everyone. Inviting buyers is also one of the most grown-up skills 4-H teaches. The kid does the asking. Parents drive and stand nearby.

Who to ask

Start with people who already know your family:

• Businesses your family spends money with: the feed store, the mechanic, your dentist, the tire shop, the pizza place, the bank, your insurance agent, the realtor who sold your house.
• Family friends and relatives, especially ones who own businesses or ranches.
• Your parents’ employers and coworkers.
• Ag-related businesses: feed and seed, equipment dealers, veterinarians, trucking companies, well drillers.
• Professionals who like community goodwill: law offices, accountants, car dealers, propane companies, contractors.
• Last year’s buyer. If someone bought from you before, they’re your first call this year.

Make a list of 15–20 names. Expect maybe a third to show up or add on. That’s a great result.

Timeline

When	Do
Early August (5–6 weeks out)	Deliver letters in person with a photo. Ask for the owner or manager.
Late August	Second visit or phone call to anyone you didn’t reach the first time.
Week before fair	Reminder text or call: “Sale is Friday, September 17 at 1 PM. Buyer lunch at 11. Hope to see you!”
Sale day	Look for your buyers in the stands. Thank everyone who came, whether they bought or not.
Within two weeks after	Hand-written thank-you notes to buyers and add-on donors, with a photo.

How to talk to a business (a script for kids)

Dress neat (your show shirt works). Bring your letter, a photo of you with your animal, and a pen. Go inside with a parent, but you walk up to the counter.

1. Ask for the right person. “Hi, is the owner or manager available? I have something for them about the county fair.”
2. Introduce yourself in 20 seconds. “My name is Jordan, I’m 11, and I’m in the Spring Valley Heaters 4-H club. This year I’m raising a market lamb for the Navajo County Fair.”
3. Say what you’ve learned. One sentence. “I’ve learned how to feed her to gain half a pound a day and how to keep my own expense records.”
4. Make the ask, clearly. “The Junior Livestock Sale is Friday, September 17 at 1 PM at the fairgrounds in Holbrook. I’d love for you to come bid on my lamb, or add on to my sale if you can’t stay.”
5. Leave the letter. “Here’s a letter with all the details and my photo. The buyer lunch is free at 11.”
6. Thank them and leave. “Thank you for your time. I hope to see you there!” Shake hands. Don’t linger.

If they say no, smile and thank them anyway. Businesses get a lot of asks. A polite kid is remembered next year.

Tip: Practice the script at a club meeting on another family. Then practice on Grandma. Then go do it for real. It gets easy by the third business.

The buyer letter

Keep it to one page. Print it on nice paper, sign it in pen, and attach a photo. Here’s a template to fill in:

[Date]

Dear [Business name / Mr. or Ms. Last name],

My name is [Name] and I am [age] years old. I am a member of the
Spring Valley Heaters 4-H club in Navajo County. This year I am
raising a [market pig / lamb / goat / steer] for the Navajo County
Fair Junior Livestock Show and Sale.

I bought [animal's name] in [month] and have been feeding, training,
and caring for [him/her] every day since. I have learned [one or two
specific things: how to balance a ration, how to keep records, how to
show in the ring]. My goal is to [make weight / place in the top half /
earn money for college or next year's project].

I would be honored if you would come to the sale and consider bidding
on my [animal]. If you can't stay for the sale, you can also "add on"
any amount to my sale through the sale office.

  Navajo County Fair Junior Livestock Sale
  Friday, September 17, 2027 at 1:00 PM
  Sale Ring, Navajo County Fairgrounds, Holbrook
  Buyer luncheon (free for buyers): 11:00 AM, under the grandstands

Buyers register at the sale office before the sale. Thank you for
supporting 4-H kids in our community.

Sincerely,

[Signature]
[Name]
[Parent phone / email]

Attach a 4×6 photo of you with your animal. People buy from a face they recognize.

Explaining add-ons

Some businesses can’t come Friday or don’t want a whole animal. Tell them: “You can add on any amount to my sale. It goes straight to my project, and the sale office can give you a receipt.” Many buyers add on $50–$200 to several kids. Ask the club leader for the current add-on form and how the NCJLC wants them turned in.

Do and don’t

Do

• Go in person. A letter left on a counter by a parent gets far less attention than a kid asking.
• Bring a photo. Always.
• Know your sale date and time cold: Friday, September 17, 1 PM.
• Follow up once. Then stop.
• Thank everyone, including people who say no.

Don’t

• Don’t promise what happens to the meat. That’s the buyer’s decision and the NCJLC’s process.
• Don’t ask the same business for three kids in the same visit. Spread the club’s asks around.
• Don’t have Mom or Dad do the talking.
• Don’t forget the thank-you note. It’s the single best thing you can do for next year.

Track it in your record book

List every business you visited, who you talked to, and what happened. That’s leadership and citizenship in your record book, and it’s your buyer list for next year.