How to Organize Subscribers with Categories on Farmzz

Not every subscriber cares about the same things. Pick-your-own customers want to know when berries are ripe, while weekly market regulars care about what is in your basket this Saturday. Farmzz subscriber categories let you group your audience and send notifications that are relevant to each group, leading to higher engagement and fewer unsubscribes.

Step 1 — Create a category

In your Farmzz dashboard, go to Subscribers and look for the category management section. Click "Add category" and give it a clear, descriptive name. Good category names reflect who the subscribers are or how they interact with your farm — for example, "Pick-your-own customers," "Market regulars," "CSA members," or "Restaurant partners." Keep names simple so you can quickly identify each group when sending notifications.

Step 2 — Assign subscribers to categories

You can assign categories in several ways. From your subscriber list, select one or more subscribers and use the bulk action to assign them to a category. You can also assign categories during CSV import, which is especially useful when migrating contacts from another tool. New subscribers who sign up through your QR code or profile page can be auto-assigned to a default category if you set one up.

A single subscriber can belong to multiple categories. For example, a customer might be both a "Pick-your-own customer" and a "VIP client." This flexibility lets you create overlapping groups without duplicating contacts.

Step 3 — Send targeted notifications

When creating a notification, you will see the option to choose recipients. Instead of sending to everyone, select one or more categories. Only subscribers in those categories will receive the message. This is powerful because a targeted notification about "Berry picking opens Saturday" sent only to pick-your-own customers will feel personal and relevant, while your market regulars receive a different message about weekly basket availability.

Category strategies for farms

By customer type. The most common approach: group subscribers by how they buy from you. "Pick-your-own," "Market shoppers," "CSA members," and "Wholesale/restaurants" each have different needs and respond to different messages.

By location. If you sell at multiple markets or locations, create categories for each. "Saint-Jean market" and "Sherbrooke market" subscribers get notifications specific to when you are at their market.

By interest. Some farms create categories based on product interest: "Berry lovers," "Vegetable box fans," or "Honey and preserves." This works well when you have a diverse product range and want to avoid sending irrelevant messages.

By engagement level. Create a "VIP" or "Most active" category for your best customers. Send them early access to limited products, special offers, or exclusive updates to reward their loyalty.

Tips for effective categories

Start simple. Two or three categories is enough for most farms. You can always add more as your subscriber list grows and you identify distinct groups. Over-segmenting a small list leads to tiny audiences that are not worth targeting separately.

Name categories clearly. Use descriptive names that any team member can understand. "Cat 1" and "Cat 2" mean nothing six months later. "Autocueillette clients" and "Marché Ste-Foy" are immediately clear.

Review and clean up. Once a season, review your categories. Merge similar ones, remove empty categories, and reassign subscribers who no longer fit. A clean category structure makes sending notifications faster and more effective.

Frequently asked questions

Can a subscriber be in multiple categories?

Yes. A subscriber can belong to as many categories as you need. They will not receive duplicate notifications — Farmzz ensures each person only gets one copy of each message even if they are in multiple selected categories.

What happens if I send to a category with no subscribers?

Farmzz will show you the recipient count before sending. If a category is empty, it will show zero recipients and warn you before you send. No messages will be wasted.

Can subscribers choose their own category when signing up?

Currently, category assignment is managed by the farm owner. Subscribers sign up to your farm, and you organize them into categories. This gives you full control over how your audience is segmented.