Farm Marketing on a Shoestring - Oregon State...
Transcript of Farm Marketing on a Shoestring - Oregon State...
Farm Marketing on a Shoestring
Melissa Schweisguth ([email protected])
for OSU Extension Small Farms Program
Agenda • Introductions • What’s marketing (in this class) • Branding & Identity • Marketing Planning [breakout] • [break] • Messaging • Real-time communication & materials • Media and free promotion • Online communication tools
So, What’s Marketing? • Goal: Build awareness, customers & revenue • Show how you meet customer needs/wants
Key activities • Image/Look • Developing Messaging • External Communications • Promotional Activities, Advertising
How does it differ from “sales?”
Marketing Processes • Market assessment • Branding & positioning • Product innovation & launches • Planning & budgeting • Implementation • Evaluation • Repeat…
Branding & Identity • Name, logo, tagline • Clear, eye-catching, compelling, unique • Express who you are, what you do, values • Consider high-value keywords • See what peers are using, don't overlap
(TM search, USTPO) • Ask friends and family for input
Names & Keywords • Blue Fox Organics • Siskiyou Sustainable Co-op • Meadowlark Family Farm • Rise Up Artisan Breads
• [If you have a business name, why did you choose it?]
Taglines • Farming like there’s a tomorrow • Small farmers, big change • people dedicated to sustainability, and the art
and tradition of making worlds finest handmade cheese.
• [Share any taglines you use, or that grab your attention]
Marketing Plan • Why?
– Optimize time and resource allocation
– Identify needs and �ways to improve
– Maximize emerging opportunities
– Keep thinking ahead
Marketing Plan • Elements
– Define product – Situation assessment – Placement (target markets) – Pricing – Promotional activities – Objectives: SMART – Strategies and tactics – Budget – Timeline – Assessment
Marketing Plan • Product: Offering/s, attributes and market/s
– Organic produce, consumers – Organic, free-range eggs, consumer &wholesale – Organic, open pollinated seed for farmers – Other offerings (workshops) – How can you add value? (delivery, etc.) – How can you be unique? – What do buyers want? – [What do you offer and why?]
Photo: Fry Family Farm
Marketing Plan • Situation Assessment
– Market potential – Relevant Industry trends (organic, local) – Customer needs and wants (fresh, healthy) – Competition (peers), strengths and weaknesses – Your strengths and weaknesses – Competitive advantages vs peers – Population data, market location data, websites,
markets, USDA, State Ag Dept, Extension
Marketing Plan • Placement
– Market niche/s – Target customers and venues – How you'll get it there – Food for thought: Partnerships, – food access
• Pricing – Equitable yet competitive – Promotional pricing [what challenges have you faced?]
Photos: Fry Family Farm
Marketing Plan • Promotion: How, where, when
– Sales activities – Communications methods – Earned media, submitted articles – Tastings, demos, education, talks – Events, donations – Partners, organizations, word of mouth, referrals – Advertising...costly – pursue above first – Guerilla marketing – [Other ideas? What's worked best? What hasn’t?]
Free/low cost marketing • Car magnet • T-shirts • Stickers • Flyers • Sampling • Online and print classifieds • Product donations • Promotion by customers: retail, restaurant
Evaluating Advertising • Create a spreadsheet to compare easily • Target audience match • Audience size: Circulation or unique web
visitors • Peer experience • Rate of repeat advertisers • Free ad-ins: classified, online ad, etc • Save money: collaborative advertising
Advertising Assessment Spreadsheet • Venue • Audience size (print/web separate) • Target audience • Geographic Reach • Frequency of publication • Rates for target ad sizes (1/6 pg, ¼ pg, etc) • (Note size – 1/6 pg differs across pub’s) • Incentives: multi-ad discount, free classified
or online ad with display ad
Marketing Plan • Objectives
– SMART: Specific, Measureable, Achievable (yet Ambitious), Realistic, Time bound
– Prioritize – Short and long term – Sell $2,000 worth of eggs this market season – Obtain 25 CSA members by 5/31/12
• Strategies and tactics – How you'll achieve your objectives [share your objectives]
Marketing Plan • Budget
– Expenses and desired returns – Allowance for local, sustainable inputs?
• Timeline – When you'll implement strategies and tactics
• Assessment: How and how often – Monthly or quarterly – By product, by sales venue – Promotional codes on ads to track source
Marketing Timeline Spreadsheet • Date/Due Date • Activity • Who is responsible – lead, support • Cost
Breakout • Breakout 20 minutes • Report back 15 minutes: • Three marketing objectives for 2011-2012 • Three current and three new promotional
activities/venues • Three competitive strengths and three
weaknesses Then…10 minute break!
Messaging • Key messages to develop
– Three to five key messages about your business and offerings
– Three key motivations – 50/100/200 word descriptions of your business
• Avoid triteness, don’t overwhelm • Adhere to regulations (organic, FTC Green
Guide) and common-sense honesty • Remember: communicate how you meet
needs and wants
Real Time Communications • You! • Flyers • Brochures • Business Card • Signage, shelf talkers • Packaging • [Materials review: what features are
compelling/good examples? Anything you'd change?]
Real Time Communications • Flyer/Brochure
– Name and logo – Who you are – What you offer – Why you’re unique – How to get your products – How to contact you – Website, social media, etc. links – Use photos (color) or illustrations (b/w)
Earned Media, Promotional Venues • How to pitch the media
– Target to appropriate media/reporters – Include a personal intro with your pitch stating
how how your story is relevant and timely – Be complete: who, what, where, why when, how – Be concise: Use proper spelling, grammar, form – Be aware of lead times
Earned Media, Promotional Venues • Media contacts
– Identify writers covering relevant topics in media in target market/s
– Read local media, magazines (also online) – Do a google news search for relevant topics – Keep in a spreadsheet, track contacts – Build a relationship
Media Contact Spreadsheet • Publication • Type (print, online, blog) • Deadline/lead time • Focus (general, food, etc) • Audience type (business, consumer) • Geographic reach • Contact name • Email, phone, etc • Topics pitched/response
Earned Media, Promotional Venues • Event calendars
– Create simple events: tasting, farm tour, etc. – Online: media, relevant organizations, community – Print: Newspapers, magazines, trade publications – Tidings, Tribune iJPR, free papers
• Be the media – Write articles in media (Mail Tribune Magazines,
In Good Tilth) (see “submission guidelines”) and blogs; Submit Letters to the Editor
– Write your own blog
Online Communication Tools • Website
– Key pages: About, Products, How to Buy, Contact – Additional pages: Recipes, News – Platforms: Wordpress, Content Management
System (CMS) – Be engaging, personal, clear and concise – Start small and build up
Website Examples • ATGCSA http://ashlandvillagefarmers.wordpress.com/ • Village Farm http://atgcsa.wordpress.com/
• Siskiyou Co-op http://www.siskiyoucoop.com/
• Fry Family Farm http://reggaj.posterous.com/
• Full Circle Bison http://www.fullcirclebisonranch.com/
• La Mera Gardens http://www.lemeragardens.com/
• Family Famer Seed Co-op http://www.organicseedcoop.com
Online Communication Tools • E-newsletter/E-mail list
– Formatted E-news (Mail Chimp, Constant Contact)
– Text-only email – PDF for e-mail, website – Blog people subscribe to – Be informative, not just self-promoting – Determine content areas: updates, products
available, product information, sales, recipes – Be consistent, don’t spam
E-Newsletter Examples • Village Farm (blog) http://ashlandvillagefarmers.wordpress.com/
• ATGCSA (blog) http://atgcsa.wordpress.com/
• Siskiyou Co-op (ask Maud for a copy) • Blue Fox (blog) http://reggaj.posterous.com/
• Thrive (sign up) • RVF2S (sign up/ask Tracy for a copy) • Your e-newsletters?
Online Communication Tools • Blog
– Ongoing updates/news – Categories: Content focus areas – Tags: keywords – Be engaging, informative, concise – Mix up format: photo blogs, Q&A, etc. – Be consistent – monthly, etc. – Sketch out a plan – Share via social media – Platforms: Wordpress, posterous
Blog Examples • Village Farm http://ashlandvillagefarmers.wordpress.com/
• Blue Fox http://reggaj.posterous.com/
• Your blogs…
Online Communication Tools • Social media
– Facebook: social networking platform – Twitter: short messages – 4 Square: check into places, share with friends – Rapidly growing, especially Facebook – Not a replacement for website, direct marketing
communications – Build 2-way engagement – [how many use these?]
Online Communication Tools • Facebook
– Audience skews toward consumers – Many businesses, media, nonprofits – Business: Set up a page, not a group – Wall – Photos – Video – Blog link – Twitter integration – Smart phone apps to upload content
Facebook examples • http://www.facebook.com/bluefoxfarm • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fry-Family-Farm/256529914156 • Rogue Valley Farms, Rogue Valley Farm to School • Ashland Food Co-op, Farm to Fork (http://www.facebook.com/farmtoforkevents)
Online Communication Tools • Twitter
– 140 character messages – Also useful as a news reader – Link to facebook & website for easy updates – Text message from phone to twitter – Functions: Tweet, RT, MT, @reply, @message,
DM, post photos – Audience skews toward professionals – Hoot Suite: useful management tool – User stats: quantcast.com/twitter.com
Online Communication Tools • Photo sharing sites (flikr, picasa) • Posterous (blog, sharing, team collaboration) • Google+ • Others you use?
Homework
• Marketing plan draft - especially target market, promotion methods, market assessment, competition. Identify three strengths, weaknesses/needs and advantages
• 50/100/200 word description of business • Three to five key messages about business • Three motivations for launching business • Website plan, or plan to expand such as blog • Look at competitor FB, twitter, websites • Set up Wordpress account for WP site • Bring laptop if you want to use yours next week
Resources • Marketing Planning & Implementation Guidance
– OSU extension: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/marketing – ODA: http://oregon.gov/ODA/ADMD/farmers_markets.shtml – UC Davis: http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/marketing/ – U of Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy597 – ATTRA: https://attra.ncat.org/marketing.html – NA Farmers Direct Marketing Assoc: http://www.nafdma.com/ – Sample marketing plan (leafy greens):
http://www.mplans.com/agriculture_produce_farm_marketing_plan/executive_summary_fc.php • Market Research
– USDA: http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/marketsize/ • Marketing tips
– http://www.nwpub.net/Selling-Produce-Hot-50-Small-Farm-Marketing-Tips.html • Magazines & websites
– Growing for Market: http://www.growingformarket.com/ – BeginningFarmers.org
• Funding for beginning farmers, rural enterprise, sustainable agriculture – http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php
?info_center=2&tax_level=2&tax_subject=301&topic_id=1445