Farm Marketing on a Shoestring

Melissa Schweisguth (melissa.schweisguth@gmail.com)

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?]

Logos

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

Hoot Suite

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