FARM & FOOD MARKETING: TRAINING FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS

Help your farm and food business clients make better marketing decisions.

This four-module resource is for consultants, educators, business advisors, and others who provide technical assistance. Adapt the materials for your clients, setting, and available time.

Please note: This is a train-the-trainer resource, not a self-guided course for farm and food business owners.

Browse Module 1 About this training

4connected modules
5activity formats
TAprovider focused

START HERE

About the project and how to use it

Read this before downloading or modifying the training materials.

Overview

Farm & Food Marketing: Training for Technical Assistance Providers

This train-the-trainer curriculum is for consultants and other technical assistance providers who help farm and food businesses improve their marketing. It is not intended as a self-guided marketing course for business owners.

The curriculum includes four modules with presentations, facilitator guides, exercises, quizzes, and worksheets. It can be delivered as four three-hour sessions, adapted into shorter trainings, or used by TA providers for self-study.

Except where otherwise noted, the original instructional content may be used, shared, and adapted under CC BY 4.0. See the About This Training page for attribution guidance and important image-use restrictions.

Read about using and licensing the materials

TRAINING LIBRARY

Explore the four modules

Each module includes presenter slides, a facilitator guide, worksheets, and exercises.

7 materials in Module 1

MODULE 1

Applying the “6 Ps” of Marketing

What Marketing Is; The “6 Ps” of Marketing; Market Research

This opening module introduces the meaning and purpose of marketing, the “6 Ps” framework, and practical market research techniques. Participants learn how to use the 6 Ps to identify marketing opportunities and strengthen a client’s overall marketing approach.

PFiles available

POWERPOINT

Applying the “6 Ps” of Marketing

The complete 41-slide presentation for Session 1, covering marketing fundamentals, the “6 Ps,” and market research.

Use it forCore instruction and group discussion

View PDF Download editable PowerPoint

GFiles available

FACILITATOR GUIDE

Session 1 Facilitator Guide

Outlines the session objectives, included materials, suggested timing, talking points, and activity sequence.

Use it forPreparing and leading the session

View PDF Download editable Word file

QFiles available

QUIZ

What Is Marketing?

Surfaces assumptions about marketing and opens discussion about customer-focused decision-making.

Use it forWarm-up or knowledge check

View PDF Download editable Word file

AFiles available

ANSWER KEY

What Is Marketing? Answer Key

Provides answers and brief explanations for all six questions in the “What Is Marketing?” quiz.

Use it forReviewing answers and guiding discussion

View PDF Download editable Word file

CFiles available

CLIENT PROFILES

Sample Client Profiles

Introduces five fictional farm and food businesses for participants to use in exercises throughout the training.

Use it forProviding realistic examples for group activities

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

WORKSHEET

“6 Ps” Self-Assessment

Guides a complete review of a farm or food business’s marketing strengths, gaps, and priorities across all six Ps.

Use it forDiagnosis and next-step planning

View PDF Download editable Word file

BFiles available

BREAKOUT WORKSHEET

Products, Services, and Experiences

An excerpt from the full “6 Ps” self-assessment for rating one sample client’s offerings in a group exercise.

Use it forSmall-group practice with a sample client

View PDF Download editable Word file

MODULE 2

Customers, Competition, and Branding

Know Your Customers; Understand Your Peers and Competitors; Build a Clear, Consistent, and Compelling Brand

Module 2 explores how market research can help farm and food businesses identify and understand their ideal customers and compare themselves with peers and competitors. Participants learn how these insights can help a business differentiate itself and build a clear, consistent, and compelling brand.

PFiles available

POWERPOINT

Customers, Competition, and Branding

The complete 56-slide presentation for Session 2, covering customer research and profiles, peer and competitor analysis, and brand perception.

Use it forCore instruction and group discussion

View PDF Download editable PowerPoint

GFiles available

FACILITATOR GUIDE

Session 2 Facilitator Guide

Outlines the session objectives, included materials, suggested reading, timing, and sequence of presentations and activities.

Use it forPreparing and leading the session

View PDF Download editable Word file

BFiles available

BREAKOUT WORKSHEET

Consumer Profile Template

Helps participants describe a target consumer’s characteristics, needs, motivations, values, buying behavior, and the best ways to reach them.

Use it forCreating a customer profile individually or in a group

View PDF Download editable Word file

CFiles available

SAMPLE PROFILES

Consumer Profiles for Juan’s Chipotle Beef Jerky

Provides three detailed consumer profiles illustrating demographics, needs, buying behavior, and reasons for choosing the business.

Use it forExamples for customer-profile instruction and discussion

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

SAMPLE PROFILES

Wholesale Customer Profiles

Provides sample profiles of wholesale grocery and food-service buyers, including their priorities, purchasing behavior, and supplier expectations.

Use it forAdapting customer-profile work for wholesale clients

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

WORKSHEET

Peer/Competitor Comparison

A one-page chart for comparing a farm or food business with up to three peers or competitors by location, channels, offerings, similarities, and differences.

Use it forIdentifying competitive position and opportunities

View PDF Download editable Word file

BFiles available

EXERCISE PROFILES

Sample Clients and Competitors

Pairs five fictional farm and food clients with two competitors each for use with the peer/competitor comparison worksheet.

Use it forCompetitive-analysis practice with realistic cases

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

WORKSHEET

What Should Customers Know, Think, and Feel?

Prompts participants to define the facts, impressions, and emotions they want customers to associate with a client’s business.

Use it forTurning brand ideas into clear language

View PDF Download editable Word file

MODULE 3

Planning and Measuring Success

Create a Marketing Plan and Evaluate the Results

Many small farm and food businesses do not have a written marketing plan or a reliable way to determine which marketing efforts are working. Module 3 introduces a simple four-step process for planning a marketing campaign around a measurable goal. Participants also learn practical ways to evaluate the results of individual tactics and complete campaigns.

PFiles available

POWERPOINT

Planning and Measuring Success

The complete 44-slide presentation for Session 3, covering campaign goals, a four-step planning framework, measurement, and evaluation.

Use it forCore instruction and group discussion

View PDF Download editable PowerPoint

GFiles available

FACILITATOR GUIDE

Session 3 Facilitator Guide

Outlines the session objectives, materials, suggested reading, timing, and activities for planning and evaluating marketing campaigns.

Use it forPreparing and leading the session

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

WORKSHEET

Create a Four-Step Marketing Plan

Guides participants through a specific goal, customer segment, tactics and timeline, and measurement for one of five sample businesses.

Use it forIndividual practice or planning with a client

View PDF Download editable Word file

BFiles available

BREAKOUT EXERCISE

Four-Step Marketing Plan Instructions

Provides the same five sample businesses and four planning steps, with timing and report-back directions for small groups.

Use it forA 20-minute small-group planning exercise

View PDF Download editable Word file

SFiles available

EVALUATION SCENARIOS

Sample Marketing Campaigns

Provides five campaigns with goals, tactics, results, costs, and outside variables for participants to assess.

Use it forSmall-group analysis of campaign results

View PDF Download editable Word file

WFiles available

WORKSHEET

Evaluate a Marketing Campaign

Prompts participants to assess data quality, outside influences, attribution, and whether a campaign should be repeated, revised, or dropped.

Use it forEvaluating the sample scenarios or a client campaign

View PDF Download editable Word file

MODULE 4

Mastering Three Key Marketing Goals

Attract Customers; Retain Customers; Increase Sales

Attracting new customers, retaining existing customers, and increasing sales are three of the most important ways farm and food businesses can strengthen their financial performance. Module 4 introduces practical tactics for accomplishing each goal and helps participants consider which approaches are most appropriate for the clients they support.

PFiles available

POWERPOINT

Mastering Three Key Marketing Goals

The complete 46-slide presentation for Session 4, covering tactics to attract new customers, build loyalty, and increase sales per visit.

Use it forCore instruction and group discussion

View PDF Download editable PowerPoint

GFiles available

FACILITATOR GUIDE

Session 4 Facilitator Guide

Outlines the session objectives, materials, suggested reading, timing, and activities for all three marketing goals.

Use it forPreparing and leading the session

View PDF Download editable Word file

QFiles available

QUIZ

Choosing Tactics to Attract New Customers

Asks participants to choose the two tactics most likely to attract new customers in each of eight farm and food business scenarios.

Use it forIndividual practice followed by group discussion

View PDF Download editable Word file

AFiles available

ANSWER GUIDE

Choosing Attraction Tactics: Answers

Explains which tactics primarily attract new customers and which are more useful for retention or a mixture of both goals.

Use it forReviewing quiz answers and discussing judgment calls

View PDF Download editable Word file

BFiles available

BRAINSTORM EXERCISE

Increase Customer Loyalty

Uses Teresa the vegetable farmer to help groups generate, score, compare, and recommend tactics for attracting more repeat farmstand customers.

Use it forA 15-minute small-group loyalty exercise

View PDF Download editable Word file

Help your farm and food business clients make better marketing decisions.

About the project and how to use it

Farm & Food Marketing: Training for Technical Assistance Providers

Explore the four modules

Applying the “6 Ps” of Marketing

Session 1 Facilitator Guide

What Is Marketing?

What Is Marketing? Answer Key

Sample Client Profiles

“6 Ps” Self-Assessment

Products, Services, and Experiences

Customers, Competition, and Branding

Session 2 Facilitator Guide

Consumer Profile Template

Consumer Profiles for Juan’s Chipotle Beef Jerky

Wholesale Customer Profiles

Peer/Competitor Comparison

Sample Clients and Competitors

What Should Customers Know, Think, and Feel?

Planning and Measuring Success

Session 3 Facilitator Guide

Create a Four-Step Marketing Plan

Four-Step Marketing Plan Instructions

Sample Marketing Campaigns

Evaluate a Marketing Campaign

Mastering Three Key Marketing Goals

Session 4 Facilitator Guide

Choosing Tactics to Attract New Customers

Choosing Attraction Tactics: Answers

Increase Customer Loyalty

No materials match those filters