Success StoryMarketing For All Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Training



Marketing For All Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Training

Author: Brett Wolff

Planning Unit: Agr Economics

Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Marketing for All Curriculum Development

 

Funded by a $48,200 Specialty Crop Block Grant, the Marketing for All curriculum was designed  to meet the highly diverse marketing education needs of scale-variable Kentucky specialty crop farms and businesses by developing new trainings and resources, while extending several existing programs. New materials included a 10 module beginning farmer-friendly curriculum spanning online and social media marketing, best practices for direct market vendors, self-evaluation, and basic market research skills. This project also supported the continuation of MarketReady advanced marketing trainings. Our project team held 57 independent workshops, covering one of the following topics:

 

  • Marketing Basics
  • Elements of Professional Web Design
  • Social Media Basics
  • Visual Merchandizing, Display, and Design
  • Principles of Effective Market Signage
  • Identifying and Exploring New Markets
  • Understanding and Using Analytics
  • Using Price Data to Make More Money
  • Overview of Value Added Product Development
  • How to Get Paid: Accepting More Than Just Cash

 

We administer point-of-training surveys as well as post-training follow up surveys. Response to post-surveys was very low due to survey fatigue and COVID disruptions. Data are then aggregated in Microsoft Excel.

 We have measured a handful of other metrics beyond those listed above for the Marketing for All program. Of the 392 participants surveyed:

99% indicated that they would probably (26%) or definitely (73%) recommend this program to others.

98% said the content was probably (24%) or definitely (74%) useful to their business.

Attendees rated the content 3.73 out of 4 and the presenters 3.85 out of 4, on average.  


The program won the 2022 Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals Outstanding Program Award.