Direct Marketing

Maps & Apps: Mobile Media Marketing For Your Farm – January 16 in Canfield, OH

by

How do you know customers can find you? Is your farm or food business on the map?

OSU Extension can help.  We are offering farms and food businesses the opportunity to learn ways to grow their market with increased customer traffic and new marketing strategies during our Maps & Apps Workshop.

The “Maps and Apps” workshop on January 16 will teach participants how to make the most of mobile media marketing as a way their businesses can benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS systems and mobile apps, said Julie Fox, direct marketing specialist with the Ohio State University South Centers, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and OSU Extension.

Workshop participants will:
•See how a business looks to mobile customers in order to improve visibility, “findability” and interaction.
•Understand how farmers and other food businesses benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS systems and mobile applications.
•Tap into mobile media marketing resources that make sense for specific business goals.
•Learn how to integrate maps, apps and mobile media marketing into marketing plans and practices.

The program will also offer information on other social media and mobile media marketing opportunities such as texting, coupons, two-dimensional codes, geocaching and mobile commerce.

Businesses that can leverage the Internet, mobile apps and other mobile media can significantly benefit, as research shows that 75 percent of smartphone owners use their device to get real-time, location-based information such as directions or recommendations.

For more information on the workshop or to register, contact Eric Barrett at barrett.90@osu.edu or 330-533-5538

REGISTRATION FLYER AND DETAILS: http://go.osu.edu/mapsappscanfield

Value-Added Producer Grants Available

by

Nearly $10.5 million in USDA grants is available to help ag producers enter into value-added activities. The funding is being made available through the Value-Added Producer Grant program.

Grants are available to help agricultural producers create new products, expand marketing opportunities, support further processing of existing products or goods, or to develop specialty and niche products. They may be used for working capital and planning activities. The maximum working capital grant is $200,000; the maximum planning grant is $75,000.

Grant applications are due by Feb. 24, 2014. More information about how to apply is available on page 70260 of the November 25 Federal Register, or by contacting any USDA Rural Development state office.