Since moving into my current position one phrase has been repeated more often than not by the people who volunteer and participate in our programs "The extension office is one of the best kept secrets in town." From a program standpoint it may seem like a completement but that is not what we are looking for from a marketing front. Marketing and promoting programs in an urban environment can sometimes prove more difficult. When compared to rural areas there are more people able to participate in programs but there are also more organization vying for their time. Due to this our office decided to create a promotional event in our office featuring programs from each area of focus represented by our office staff. 

The Fayette County Extension Expo was held on Saturday May 7th from 9:00 - 12:00. Our office saw heavy foot traffic during this program. We were able to promote and offer marketing materials to over 300 people many of which were being introduced to our office for the first time. The demographics for this promotional event pulled in many minority groups previously unreached.

Not only were we able to promote our programs to many new audiences we also gained new club members and 4-H Camp campers. While talking with visitors I had two people sign up for our summer cooking program on the spot. Many others took club and camp applications and sent them into our office at a later date. After the success of this program our office now plans to have another expo in the fall.