EXERCISES

1. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FARM AND THE PRODUCED PRODUCTS;

2. DEFINE YOURSELF AS A PRODUCER;

3. THE PRODUCTS PRODUCED IN THE FARM/COMPANY;

4. INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLIENTS / CUSTOMERS;

5. DEALING WITH COMPETITION;

6. PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS;

7. MY FARM IN THE FUTURE;

Short Schedule Farm/Company

Name: Web site: E-mail:

Place

Country: Region: City:

Product Type

Reference year

WORKBOOK 3 Marketing In Your Farm

After the farm visit farmers / students analyse the situation from the marketing point of view, complete exercises and write report on their own existing or future farm

Activity Description

The workbook consists of 7 thematic units and your task is to complete the exercises.

Farm Logo

Image Title

1

2

Image title

1. General information about the farm and the produced products

Exercise 1 WORKBOOK 3

EXERCISE 1

Short description of the farm.

1. Profile…… 2. Size of the farm.....

small medium large

3. If possible, indicate:

the total area in ha (hectares)........... Image title

number of livestock?…..........

4. Different products…… 5. Products for direct sale ……… 6. Type of commercialization…….. 7. Number of employees……. 8. Production per year…… 9. Other ………

3

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 2

2. Define yourself as a producer

1. How would you describe yourself? I am very technical, I am a professional in the field I am innovative; I am environmentally friendly; I am flexible, adapt well to changes; I seek for quality of life; I seek for money; I believe that my business brings me welfare;

Other qualities .... ……

2. How do you organize your work in your farm/business (planning, team work, individual work, cooperation, etc…)? Please, describe.

3. What do you want people to know about your job and philosophy (farming methods, attitude towards nature and nearest surroundings)? What kind of image do you want to create?

a) The technical aspects of the job (livestock: herd behavior, crops: production methods).

Please, describe………

b) Respect for the environment (ecologically friendly methods, managing wastes, water usage, spreading). Please, describe………

c) Respecting regulations (official certifications) and the importance of these regulations when it comes to the product. Your comments:…………….

d) Natural environment: grounds maintenance, natural parks, mountains. Your

comments:…………….

e) Professional environment: other farmers, rural community, agricultural society/

cooperation with other stake holders. Please, describe……………………..

4. Which of the following marketing strategies do you use?

Production marketing; Products marketing; Sale marketing; Customer or social marketing.

4

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 3

3. Products produced in the farm

1. What are your “top” products?

a) …… d) …… b) …… e) …… c) …… f) ……

2. What are your best products, namely, products that really attract, that incite curiosity due to their originality, their price, etc.?

3. Do you have complementary products that go well together? Name them.

4. On the other hand, which of your products would be hard to sell? Why? How could you solve this problem?

5. Which of the whole range of products/services you offer: are commonly consumed/ used? are top-of- the-line? are healthy or used in diets? are traditional or regional? are innovative? other qualities? (Please, describe)

6. How are you going to assign prices to products?

5

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 4

4. Information about the clients / customers

1. What customer groups are you addressing?

Who are your clients? Who could be your clients? 2. Will your potential customers represent different customer groups? Why? 3. Most of your clients are…

local

regional

from the whole country

from other countries

4. Have you set any client-directed objectives for the first year of activity? Please, specify. What sales figures show that the objectives have been attained? 5. What tools do you use to communicate with customers? 6. What promotion and advertising methods/tools do you use (brochures, open-house, depot at another farm, contact works councils, store)? 7. In your opinion, what impression do you leave on your clients?

6

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 5

5. How to deal with competition

1. Who are your main competitors? How do you deal with competition? Please explain.

2. In what way has competition influenced your business? 3. What do you want to change in your marketing strategy?

4. What are the advantages of your products?

5. What is the impact the product price leaves on your clients? What is your customers’ attitude towards the set price of the product?

6. Do you offer bulk discounts? If yes, from what quantity are they applied?

7. Do you have a logo? What is the idea of your logo?

8. Do you promote your products using Mass Media (TV commercials or advertisements in the printed media, online shop …)? What kind of message do you want to convey? What is your target group or it addresses everybody?

9. Do you use supplementary services to make you different from your competitors? Please, describe.

10. What technologies / equipment do you use in your farm?

11. Do you have a “call-product” (most recognized, popular etc.)? Which one?

12. Do the unique qualities of your products make them recognizable in the market?

13. Does the packaging promote the recognizability of your products? If yes, in what way?

7

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 6

6. Product distribution channels

1. How do you sell your products? What distribution channels do you use? 2. What are the advantages of your distribution channels? 3. What are the disadvantages of your distribution channels? 4. Do you distribute your products directly? Are you well-equipped for direct distribution? Please, describe. 5. What type of delivery services do you provide? 6. What do the delivery costs consist of? 7. Do you stock your products? How does it influence the distribution of your farm’s products?

8

Name and surname of the workbook author

Country, date

WORKBOOK 3 EXERCISE 7

7. My farm in the future

SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis).

Strengths: attributes of the person or company that are helpful to achieving the objective(s). Weaknesses: attributes of the person or company that are harmful to achieving the objective(s). Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objective(s). Threats: external conditions which could do damage to the objective(s).

Analyse your farm in the future from 4 aspects: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats