Thoughts on the FFA CDE - Ag. Marketing Plan -- 1 of 5

NOTE: If you've got the basics and need help on the parts of the presentation and marketing plan paper you can move on to Part 2.

The first and most important thing to remember:  You are trying to make the company you are marketing for more money than they are making right now.  All of your marketing strategies are focused on this one goal.  You back these strategies up with data: surveys, research, experience, and case studies.

For example, your client (the judge) has a beef processing plant and they want a new product to increase sales without building more capacity (hint: they want to make more money without spending any or little money).   Solutions:

• create a line of grass feed beef products
• brand the meat to a species (certified angus burgers)
• create a trademark steak cut not seen before (the 7 Bone filet)

Here's how to evaluate all your ideas.

• Have these strategies been tried before? Find case studies (maybe in poultry or pork or lamb)
• Who would buy it? Are there competitors in this specific market? do research 
• What gender, age, economic class, race, religion will buy it? How often will they buy it?  How much will they pay?conduct surveys
• How does all compare to what the company is doing right now? compare and contrast with actual company data.  If it doesn't bring in more money than what they are doing right now or you can't tell one way or the other, then don't pursue the idea.

 This is the first in a series of five posts, but this should get you started and on your way.  More to come...in (Part 2)

Brian