With this season starting to come to an end it’s time to assess what product(s) will be available as new season.  Do you have any surplus products as of last season?  How do you prepare your marketing for the year ahead?

Again, I am aware that many of you will face challenges with the primary challenge, I believe, being lack of fruit this season.  So, what happens when you potentially have half of what was available last season (and all other growers in your region have the same set of circumstances too)?

In order to keep pushing your branding barrow forward you need to be assessing your current marketing plan in relation to the circumstances.  Your plan needs to change all the time i.e. it develops with you and your vision.

The type of marketing that can be achieved at this time may need a little more outside of the box thinking compared to existing methods that have been reliable in the past.

What’s the plan?

A marketing plan doesn’t need to be a full-scale report. A marketing plan could be a single one page which you need to change on an ongoing basis.  Think of it more as a growing document (that you will use and refer to compared to some of the full-scale reports).  Remember marketing is not sales but it does define how to set you up for product sales.  Marketing usually consists of promotion and advertising your product in order to sell it.  Marketing lets your customers know what you have for sale and why you exist.

Sales, advertising and public relations are some of the essential components of marketing and require special expertise to develop a focused effort.

To get you started a simple Marketing plan could involve the 4 Ps – Product, Price, Promotion & Place.

• Product:  What you will have available for your customers.  Are your products on offer what your customers actually want?
• Price:  Is your product value for money?
• Promotion:  What is your message?  How do you deliver your message?
• Place:  How do you find your customer?  What channels will set you up to target effectively?

Another consideration:  What does marketing cost you on an annual basis? Are there ways in which you can fine-tune costs associated with marketing to be more efficient in talking to your targeted audience?

On a bit of a side note. I also believe that some marketing activities are better to be conducted as a coordinated  industry approach to get better marketing mileage.  A little more on this strategy later!

Hopefully, I’ve given you something to think about and I’d like to invigorate discussion on what challenges you have ahead for this season in terms of marketing

by Amanda Bailey, 29th May 2012

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