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Marketing Caravan - Customers first, profits will follow Join us Wednesday, March 10 at the Norsemen Inn, 6505 48 Avenue, Camrose, AB for a one-day (8:30 am-4:15 pm) workshop that is all about understanding the needs of today's consumers and how to reach out to them by building positive relationships with your local media. Your registration fee of $50 includes all sessions and lunch.
You have a great product, a valuable service or a timely agri-business idea. Now, what do the paying customers want and how do you let them know what you have to offer? The Canadian Farm Business Management Council (CFBMC), Bridges to Success, Inc and Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association will help farmers answer that question. The first step is to identify what potential customers are looking for. Once that is completed, then they need to communicate with those customers. The Marketing Caravan one-day workshop will provide all the resources necessary to identify a target market and reach customers, as well as an opportunity for participants to network and share the successes and challenges of agri-business. "Every year we ask what rural entrepreneurs want to know and learn about. The program is always evolving in response to the feedback of past participants," says Arlene Kennedy, Project Manager, CFBMC. The Caravan will be hosted in 10 cities and towns across the country, from November 2009-March 2010. "We are excited to have the CFBMC Marketing Caravan in Camrose on March 10, 2010 and are looking forward to having local business people experience the session," says Heather Broughton, Bridges to Success Inc. The Marketing Caravan will provide plenty of opportunities for workshop participants to network with other rural entrepreneurs throughout the day, and a chance to "Show and Tell: their agri-business to the group. This year, the workshop will cover two topics in detail: consumer behaviour and media relations. Jolene Brown, a well known expert on family farm business, delves into the consumer mind and discusses what consumers are thinking about and how they make their food buying decisions. In her presentation When Pigs Fly she will discuss changes in agriculture today and how they are impacting buying decisions of the consumer. Media relations can be an intimidating thought when not armed with the right tools. In Get the Media Talking about your Agribusiness, Annemarie Pedersen will share the basics of creating key messages, pitching a story and working with the media to get the message out. Participants will also take home a tool kit to walk them through the process when they are ready to start their own media relations campaign. Read more about Joleen Brown and Annemarie Pederson below. All registrants for the Marketing Caravan workshop will be entered to win a day of mentorship - a chance to have a one-day on-farm consultation with a business consultant. This is a great opportunity to get valuable feedback and ideas. Register early as space is limited. A registration form is available above, click to download. For further information check farmcentre.com for all the details and contact AFFPA at 1-800-661-2642 to register. The Agenda
During this eye opening presentation we will: - examine changes in Agriculture today andd review five factors that influence today's purchasing decisions. - take a close look at our behaviours - people must 'buy you' before they 'buy ffrrom you' - gain new ideas to provide greater value tto your deserving customers.
This is your turn to bring your business or industry to fellow attendees. You have TWO minutes to share one item of interest from your business (value added product, something that has you excited); a fact about your industry or business (current market focus, innovative change); or a concern in your industry. Come prepared!
-Annemarie Pedersen In this informative, hands-on segment you will: - learn the basics of working with the meddiia and discover ways to enhance your message to build interest - learn how to identify and work with repoorrters to tell your story and improve awareness of your agri-business - learn how to build your key messages andd pitch it to local, agricultural and other media outlets - learn the do's and don'ts for all aspecttss of media relations - leave with a guide to build your own meddiia relations plan
- Annemarie Pedersen Identify what you will do differently from attending the workshop or something you will share with others who couldn't attend. Take the opportunity to ask questions to the presenter or participants.
Our Speakers: Jolene Brown Jolene Brown will have you laughing while you learn! She’s fun and funny, long-legged but not long-winded, and so insightful audiences accuse her of sleeping under their beds. The positive impact of her work is well documented by the accolades of those who have had her speak for their events. Through humor, hope, and helpful ideas her messages are guaranteed to bring us ideas to put into action and something good to talk about in the days to comes.
Jolene and her husband Keith live on a farm near West Branch, Iowa. She’s also the mom of two daughters and an avid supporter of community and church activities. Her real life stories have been gathered from every day life and shared with people throughout North America and countries beyond. Annemarie Pedersen Annemarie Pedersen has worked with a number of organizations as a public relations and media relations specialist. Currently working for an agency that specializes in agricultural clients, she has worked with a variety of businesses from large chemical companies to not-for-profit associations, in both the livestock and crop production sectors as well as consumer focused work.
Annemarie is a member of the executive committee for the Canadian Farm Writer’s Federation and is the chair of the Agriculture Media Relations Committee with the Calgary Stampede. She has a Bachelor of Applied Communications from Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta.
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As a professional speaker, Jolene is an honored recipient of the Certified Speaking Professional award. This is the highest earned designation of speaking achievement from the National Speakers Association. She's made numerous guest appearances for television and radio broadcasts and her work has been featured in several major publications.
In her session “Get the Media Talking About your Agri-Business”, she will share her experience and provide participants with the tools to build relationships with the right media outlets and promote their agribusiness.
