Author: Hannah Scott

Marketing Collaborations for Farmers

Marketing is “creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value,” according to the definition adopted by the American Marketing Association. As is clear from the definition, marketing is broad! It encompasses concepts around product, price, place, and promotion.

At the 2023 Farm Science Review (FSR), CFAES Center for Cooperatives program director, Hannah Scott, shared collaborative approaches to marketing that may help fruit and vegetable farmers grow their businesses. From cooperative efforts to reach customers to group buys for marketing supplies, the key question for collaborative approaches is whether a group can do something better together than they can individually.

Colorful pattern of lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants, and carrots on tan background.

Collaborative Promotion

To help reach customers and promote their farms and products, farmers might consider taking advantage of collaborative programs like Ohio Proud, a program of the Ohio Department of Agriculture to promote Ohio grown, raised, or processed food and agriculture products. Other community-led efforts to promote local food, like the Pike County Local Foods Directory, led by Pike County OSU Extension, may be opportunities for farmers to reach new customers and raise awareness.

Interested in Collaborative Promotion Strategies? Here are some things to consider:

  • Are there existing programs your farm could engage simply and efficiently?
  • How can your farm share promotional items from these collaborative programs? Using social media or placing materials around your community?
  • If you help create new materials, who will “own” keeping them updated?

Controlling Costs through Joint Purchasing

Does your farm use marketing supplies that others also often use? Think of items like bags, boxes, cartons, crates, stickers, signage, and more. Sometimes purchasing supplies as a group may help farmers access bulk discounts while reducing the inventory they need to hold themselves. Group buys might also help control shipping costs and reduce administrative burdens.

Interested in Collaborative Purchasing? Here are some things to consider:

  • Will group purchasing save costs on goods and/or shipping?
  • Do the logistics work for the group?
  • Be aware of potential risks and plan for them, including potential risks around payments for goods, the quantity purchased, storage and timing considerations, and more.
  • Ensure that communications around the what, when, where, and how, for group purchases are clear and consistent.

Collaborative Marketing Approaches to Enhance Product Diversity

Sometimes offering a diverse array of products might help a business attract more customers. For example, farmer’s markets often work to recruit a diverse group of vendors so they can offer customers everything from fruits and veggies to meat and proteins, dairy, baked goods, and more. In some instances, business-to-business (B2B) sales, including approaches like multi-farm CSA’s, may help farmers or markets increase their product offerings or extend their marketing season.

Interested in Collaborative Approaches to Enhance Product Diversity? Here are some things to consider:

  • How can you manage for the quality and safety of products you do not produce?
  • Does product diversity actually help sales in the market channel you are in?
  • What strategies might you need to help manage risk and set clear expectations around terms of B2B sales?
  • Does the market channel where you sell products allow for B2B sales? For example, some farmer’s market rules may not allow for sales of items a vendor did not produce themselves.

An illustration of a laptop with retail store awning and paper airplane next to brick buildings to represent online business marketing.

Cooperation to Reach New Market Channels

Some market channels require higher volumes of product more consistently than others – think k-12 institutions or wholesale buyers – and these markets might be challenging for some farmers to enter. Producer-owned cooperatives that market products on behalf of their members may offer opportunities for farmers to pool products to reach higher volumes more consistently. Some farmer’s markets may be producer-led cooperatives (like the Chillicothe Farmers Market in Ross County, Ohio). Cooperatives may be a useful approach where pooling product or resources helps solve a challenge, but they can also be complex.

Interested in the Producer-Owned Cooperative Model? Here are some things to consider:

  • Who will be involved as members and what will be their role?
  • How will the group make decisions?
  • How can the group manage risk?
  • Will working together create the intended benefit? Can that benefit be clearly identified and communicated to members?

Access the slides for the presentation, “Marketing Collaborations to Improve your Farm’s Bottom Line” here!

 

To learn more about cooperative and collaborative approaches in agriculture, reach out to the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State at go.osu.edu/cooperatives or 740-289-2071. The publication, “Cooperative Farming: Frameworks for Farming Together” published by Northeast SARE is also a great place to start learning about cooperative and collaborative approaches in agriculture.

Farm Science Review is a three-day, annual outdoor event hosted by Ohio State University featuring commercial exhibits, educational programs, and field demonstrations showcasing the future of agriculture. The presentation was part of 15 different learning sessions at the OSU Extension Fruits & Vegetables exhibit at FSR. The OSU Extension Fruit & Vegetable team posts educational resources and updates at https://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/

Could Cooperation Help Your Small Business Market Better?

Product, price, place, and promotion. One of the keys to success for a small business is mastering marketing. Whether entrepreneurs are advertising their business, using promotional strategies to reach their target customers, or working to place their products into a new market channel, marketing encompasses many aspects of business. Are cooperative approaches to marketing opportunities a fit for your small business to save time and resources?

Does your business use supplies that many other businesses also use?

Purchasing supplies as a group, via a purchasing cooperative, for example, may help businesses lower per unit costs for supplies, improve market information across the supply chain, consolidate transactions to reduce administrative burdens, reduce inventories, coordinate shipping, or even control quality attributes.[1] For example, restaurants may use a purchasing cooperative to purchase food, packaging, equipment, and other commonly needed supplies together in bulk. The Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op works with suppliers to provide member restaurants with products and services, pooling billions of dollars in buying power.

For a more detailed look at the purchasing cooperative model, see the publication “A Guide for the Development of Purchasing Cooperatives,” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Golden french fries in white paper container. White toilet tissue rolls in a wire shopping cart. Yellow paper shopping bags with polka dots and stars.

Could your business advertise with businesses in the same industry or geography?

Marketing cooperatives and similar approaches may offer opportunities for small businesses to reach new market channels or audiences while reducing costs and administrative burden for individual businesses.

In Ohio, businesses in the tourism industry like convention and visitors bureaus, lodging, restaurants, attractions, festivals, and others, may be able to utilize TourismOhio’s “Ohio, The Heart of It All Co-op Advertising Program,” which provides members opportunities to purchase advertising like paid social, digital, and paid search, as well as opportunities for marketing contact creation offerings like photography, videography, storytelling, and influencer engagements, among other potential benefits.

Illustrated image of computer screen with various graphics, including play symbol, money symbol, text bubble, light bulb, and megaphone.

Does your business have the ability or opportunity to share physical space with other businesses?

In some instances, cooperative approaches to helping businesses access the physical space they need to operate or market their business might offer benefits. For example, shared-use space like business incubators or artist cooperatives might help create affordable opportunities for start-up businesses, help businesses attract new customers in spaces where customers who enter the space to shop at one business may also be encouraged to shop at others, and reduce administrative burdens by sharing maintenance and upkeep for the space and outdoor areas.

Learn more about artist cooperatives in this “Toolkits for the Arts: Toolkit 2: Form an Artist Cooperative” from the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts in West Virginia.

Open sign on inside of glass window.

Some Considerations for Working Cooperatively

Small businesses exploring how a collaborative approach might help them better market their products and businesses will need to consider various key questions. The questions below are a starting point but are by no means exhaustive. Entrepreneurs who are interested in exploring a cooperative approach further can reach out to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State.

  • Who will be engaged? What is their role?
  • How will the group make decisions?
  • How will the group be formally organized?
  • How can the group manage risk?
  • Will working together provide the intended benefit

Graphic of light colored light bulb and hands connecting colored puzzle pieces

Contact Us!

For more information about the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at The Ohio State University visit go.osu.edu/cooperatives. Contact the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at osucooperatives@osu.edu or 614-247-9705.

For assistance with registration or additional questions about events, please contact Samantha Black at black.1156@osu.edu or 614-247-9774.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.

[1] Reynolds, B. & Wadsworth, J. (2009). “A Guide for the Development of Purchasing Cooperatives,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Cooperative Information Report 64.

Exploring the Ways Cooperatives Support Sustainable Development at the 2023 Appalachia Studies Conference

The 46th Annual Appalachian Studies Conference, hosted on the Athens, Ohio, campus of Ohio University in the heart of the Buckeye state’s Appalachian region, celebrated the region’s resilience. From scholarly presentations to practitioner panels, arts performances, poster presentations, and more, the conference explored issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental challenges and reclamation, combating food deserts, honoring and sharing the region’s history, traditions, and culture, and much more via the theme “AppalachiaFest: From Surviving the Thriving.”

Picture of "AppalachiaFest: From Surviving to Thriving" button on green background with black font "Visit Athens County, Ohio."

The theme of the 2023 Appalachian Studies Conference was “AppalachiaFest: From Surviving the Thriving.”

Hannah Scott, CFAES Center for Cooperatives Program Director, joined a panel with colleagues from Pennsylvania and Kentucky around the theme, “Cooperatives and Sustainable Development in Appalachia.”

Dr. J. Todd Nesbitt, Professor of Geography at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania studies economic geography, including the history of economic development in Appalachia. Defining sustainable development simply as “growth that must be accomplished with respect for nature and humankind,” Dr. Nesbitt posited that “most cooperative enterprises achieve sustainable development by default,” through their commitment to globally recognized principles including democratic member control and concern for community, as well as values of self-help, democracy, and equity.

In 2020, Hannah Scott explored how sustainability is a part of being a cooperative in this article.

From farmers marketing their products to consumers accessing new or affordable goods and services to workers democratically owning their workplace, Hannah Scott shared how the cooperative model is being applied across Appalachia and how the CFAES Center for Cooperatives’ Appalachia Cooperates Initiative (ACI) is working to support a cooperative ecosystem in the region. ACI is a peer learning network. The main idea is to connect cooperative, community, business, and economic developers and advocates in Central Appalachia. By helping build these connections and providing learning opportunities, the CFAES Center for Cooperatives’ goals are to build awareness and understanding of the co-op model, equip practitioners with knowledge and skills, and facilitate a connected network of co-op and community developers. ACI was born out of a collaborative dialogue between partners in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

The Center regularly hosts peer networking calls and learning sessions as part of the ACI. Find learning session recordings and sign-up to receive emails about the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative at: go.osu.edu/appalachiacooperates.

A slide sharing the goals of the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative: Develop practitioners’ awareness and understanding of the cooperative model and of cooperative development resources to better recognize and act on cooperative opportunities in their communities Foster relationships among practitioners that will facilitate joint cooperative development activities in Central Appalachia and allow practitioners to better utilize existing resources Raise awareness of the cooperative business model as an opportunity for economic development and justice in the region.

The goals of the Center’s Appalachia Cooperates Initiative include developing practitioners’ awareness, fostering relationships, and raising awareness about cooperatives as an economic development opportunity.

Myrisa Christy, Project & Development Specialist with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) shared how KCARD’s team, along with partners like Kentucky Farm Bureau and others, were part of an effort to activate networks of cooperative farm supply stores to support post-tornado recovery in 2022. With financial support from community partners, cooperatively owned farm supply stores were able to pivot to help community members procure needed supplies like fencing and small equipment to recover from devastating tornadoes in the state. Christy also shared multiple examples of cooperative or cooperative-like efforts to respond to community needs in Appalachia, highlighting that cooperatives are focused on serving members’ needs in a way that builds equity and provides members with control over the enterprise, but recognizing that there are various barriers to cooperative development in the Appalachian region.

For more information about the Appalachia Studies Association (ASA), visit: https://www.appalachianstudies.org/.

Wait, Who Owns that Photo? A Basic Intro to Copyright for Small Business Marketing

As the calendar turns to a new year, it is a natural time for entrepreneurs to consider how they want to improve and to plan for the coming month, quarter, and even year. It is also a great time to review past marketing strategies and plan for the coming year. Have you thought about how you can improve your business’s marketing in the new year? Here are some thoughts to consider.

Marketing and Legal Considerations: Intellectual Property

Whether a business is thinking about entering a new market channel, wants to reach a different target customer group, is planning to refresh its website, or thinks a new social media platform would be useful, business marketing and branding can include legal considerations, including factors like content ownership and the use, protection, and monitoring of intellectual property like trademarks and copyright, among various other areas.[1]

As they market themselves and their products, businesses may create intellectual property and that may be useful to monitor or protect, depending on its value and many other factors. Also, businesses may need to use others’ intellectual property in their marketing efforts and will likely want to avoid infringing others’ property rights as they do.  The following is a brief introduction to one basic area of intellectual property, copyright, and may be helpful. As small businesses develop or update their marketing plans, it may be useful to consult with an attorney about potential intellectual property needs.

Multi-colored graphic of thought bubbles and text boxes connected by arrows

Introducing Copyright Basic Concepts

What is copyright?

Copyright law protects “original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression. . . “[2] In general, a copyright gives the owner legal rights to reproduce copies, distribute copies, display or perform a work, and develop derivative works.[3]

Some examples of copyrightable works include: websites, pictures, advertisements, musical recordings, business plans, software, sales presentations, and more! Facts and ideas are not copyrightable.[4]

Who owns a copyright?

In general, initially the author of a copyrightable work owns the copyright.[5] However, an employer generally owns the work created by its employees in the scope of their employment.[6] Further, when a certain type of copyrightable work is specially ordered or commissioned from an independent contractor, the party who commissioned the work owns the copyright if there is a written agreement to that effect.[7] Copyright owners can transfer parts or all of their ownership.[8]

How is a copyright created?

When a work that qualifies for copyright protection (e.g., the work is original and expresses a minimal level of creativity) is “fixed in a tangible medium” (for example, when it is written, recorded, or saved in a digital format), it is protected by copyright. As one guide for entrepreneurs put it, “No action is required to obtain copyright protection,” and while a copyright notice may be advisable, it is not a legal requirement.[9] However, registration of a copyright can confer additional rights and benefits, including the right to sue for infringement.[10]

Social Media Platforms and Intellectual Property

Social media platforms offer various opportunities for small businesses to market their products and services, like the ability to connect with large audiences for little or no cost.[11] As entrepreneurs use social media platforms to market their products, services, or businesses, they should be aware that these platforms may have specific policies related to intellectual property. For example, TikTok’s Intellectual Property Policy states that it is a violation of the platform’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines to post, share, or send content that violates or infringes another’s copyrights, trademarks, or intellectual property.[12] For a deeper dive into music use on TikTok, check out the article, “Music Licensing in the Age of TikTok.”

Developing a Marketing Plan

Outline of head with multi-colored graphics of business icons like pie chart, bar chart, and gearsAs businesses consider their marketing opportunities for the coming year, a written marketing plan may help keep ideas organized, track progress, and communicate plans with key team members. Some questions to consider in developing a marketing plan include:

  • What is the profile of your target customer(s)?
  • What product or service are you marketing?
  • What is your advantage compared to competitors?
  • What promotion strategies will you use?
  • What are your sales goals or forecast?
  • How will you measure outcomes and success?

Tools and Resources for Entrepreneurs

As entrepreneurs build digital marketing strategies, they will likely need images, videos, graphics, and other content. Various online outlets offer imagery like photos, illustrations, graphics, and video, as well as sound like music and sound effects, that are licensed for users to use for little or no cost.

Want to learn how to build a website for your business or enhance your social media marketing strategies?  Connect with the Small Business Development Center at The Ohio State University South Centers, which covers a 10-county region in southern Ohio.

Looking for help developing or updating a marketing plan for your small business? Connect with your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). SBDC’s offer free business consulting and at-cost training to small businesses across the country. Find your local SBDC online here.

Food and farm entrepreneurs who want to learn more about direct marketing their products can explore the Ohio State University Extension Direct Food & Agricultural Marketing program, including online resources like webinar recordings and short videos.

Important note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for the need to consult with an appropriately licensed attorney.

 

Sources:

[1] “The Legal Implications of Social Media Marketing & Advertising.” (n.d.). Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. https://www.pillsburylaw.com/images/content/1/0/v2/102362/FACTSHEET-SocialMediaMarketingAdvert.pdf

[2] 17 U.S.C. §102

[3] 17 U.S.C. §106

[4] Bagley, C. & Dauchy, C. (2012). “The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Business Law: 4th Edition.” South-Western, Cengage Learning: Mason, Ohio.

[5] 17 U.S.C. §201(a)

[6] 17 U.S.C. §201(b)

[7] Circular 30: Works Made for Hire. (2021). United States Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ30.pdf

[8] 17 U.S.C. 201(d).

[9] Bagley, C. & Dauchy, C. (2012). “The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Business Law: 4th Edition.” 534. South-Western, Cengage Learning: Mason, Ohio.

[10] Id.

[11] Fountain, T. (Jan. 25, 2021). “Why Small Businesses and Startups Should Invest in Social Media Marketing.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/01/25/why-small-businesses-and-startups-should-invest-in-social-media-marketing/?sh=3e686afe563e

[12] Intellectual Property Policy. (June 7, 2021) TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/legal/copyright-policy?lang=en

Leading the Co-op: Director Key Responsibilities and Board Training Programs

One of the unique aspects of the cooperative business model is that members democratically control the enterprise.[1] Commonly, cooperative members elect a representative board of directors to govern the business.

Cooperative directors are tasked with varied and sometimes complex tasks, from monitoring financial performance to assessing the co-op’s general manager and more. In serving in a vital role in their cooperative, directors also take on various responsibilities – some of them legal in nature. Key among these responsibilities are the fiduciary duties directors owe to members, other directors, and the cooperative.[2]

  • Duty of care – Generally, requires that cooperative directors use care in their actions as judged based on the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a similar position would exercise. Directors are generally expected to make informed decisions, exercise reasoned judgement, and adequately supervise those to whom they delegate responsibilities.[3]
  • Duty of loyalty – Generally, requires that cooperative directors act in good faith and for the benefit of the cooperative, including not receiving preferential treatment compared to other members and appropriately addressing or avoiding conflicts of interest.[4]
  • Duty of obedience – Generally, requires that cooperative directors comply with applicable laws and authorities. It is important for directors to be generally familiar with key authorities like the co-op’s bylaws, articles of incorporation, policies, and other key legal instruments.[5]

A deeper dive into the legal responsibilities of agricultural cooperative directors, “Navigating Your Legal Duties: A Guide for Agricultural Cooperative Directors,” is intended as a practical resource for directors that includes self-assessment tools to help directors identify areas where they can learn more. The resource is published by the National Agricultural Law Center.

For a wider-view of the types of responsibilities that directors take on in leading their cooperative, “The Circle of Responsibilities for Co-op Boards,” by James Baarda is a helpful publication.

Tan office chairs around circular meeting table

Most Cooperatives Provide Board Training in Key Responsibilities

Cooperative board training programs can help directors understand their roles and responsibilities, including ensuring that new directors, and even seasoned directors, have a firm grasp of their fiduciary duties, among other areas. In a survey of 500 cooperatives across industry sectors and the United States, co-op enterprises shared the topics in which they train directors:

  • 80% or more of responding cooperatives train board members in fiduciary duties, financial topics, and the cooperative model
  • Many cooperatives, between 53% and 78% of responding cooperatives train directors in ethics and compliance, industry-specific topics, legal and regulatory issues, and risk management
  • Almost half of responding cooperatives (49%) train directors in corporate social responsibility/sustainability/social impact
  • Some responding cooperatives train their directors in meeting facilitation and conflict resolution – 41% and 32%, respectively[6]

Training is a Key Part of Global Co-op Principles

According to the globally-recognized cooperative principles stewarded by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), Principle 5: Education, Training and Information recognizes that, “Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. . .”[7] The ICA’s Guidance Notes on the Cooperative Principles clarify what might seem like a redundant phrasing – education, training, and information have distinct, important meanings:

“ ‘Education’ is about understanding the Co-operative Principles and Values and knowing how to apply them in the day-to-day operations of a co-operative business…”

“ ‘Training’ is about developing the practical skills members and employees need to run a co-operative in according with efficient and ethical business practices and to democratically control their co-operative business responsibly and transparently.”

“ ‘Information’ is a duty to make sure that others who are members of the general public . . . know about co-operative enterprise.” [8]

Graphic of light colored light bulb and hands connecting colored puzzle pieces

A Commitment to Continued Learning: Developing a Board Training Program

As directors navigate complex business landscapes trying to ensure their cooperative enterprise is responsive to members’ needs and remain sustainable over the long-term, training programs can help directors develop their technical and soft skills. To develop a board training program, cooperatives may look both internally and externally. For example, training programs may be specifically constructed and hosted by a local cooperative’s key employees or by a federated cooperative partner. Various education and nonprofit institutions that work with or support cooperative enterprises like councils, cooperative associations, and universities that offer generalized training opportunities and educational resources. Further, industry-based associations, like agribusiness, housing, or financial industry associations, often host learning sessions, updates, and professional development opportunities.

As cooperative managers, directors, entrepreneurs, and developers look toward a new calendar year, prioritizing training that can help directors lead their co-op more effectively may be a worthy goal to add to the list of resolutions!

Important note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for the need to consult with an appropriately licensed attorney.

 

Sources

[1] “Cooperative identity, values & principles.” (2018).  International Cooperative Alliance. https://www.ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity

[2] Scott, H. & Traxinger, M. E. (2021). “Navigating Your Legal Duties: A Guide for Agricultural Cooperative Directors.” National Agricultural Law Center. https://nalcpro.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads//assets/articles/Co-op-directors-guide.pdf

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

[6] Berner, C. & Schlachter, L.H. (2022). “Findings from the Cooperative Governance Research Initiative: 2021.” University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Cooperatives, 31. https://resources.uwcc.wisc.edu/Research/CGRI_2021Report_web.pdf

[7] “Cooperative identity, values & principles.” (2018).  International Cooperative Alliance. https://www.ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity

[8] “Guidance Notes on the Cooperative Principles.” (2017). International Cooperative Alliance, 59. https://ica.coop/en/media/library/the-guidance-notes-on-the-co-operative-principles

Why Small Businesses Should Consider Video in Social Media Marketing

Social media platforms offer numerous opportunities for small businesses as they market their products and services – from free access to broad and vast audiences of potential customers to opportunities to drive traffic to websites where businesses are selling goods or services to tools for selling products and services directly on social platforms.

The importance and reach of video marketing on social media platforms means that entrepreneurs developing their social media marketing strategies and building their digital skills would be well-advised to invest in creating video content. Consider that:

For more information about social media and video marketing, including a helpful overview of how different social media platforms utilize video and tips for effectively incorporating video into marketing for various platforms, check out this guide from Vimeo. Vimeo also has a blog dedicated to video marketing for business with articles and resources ranging from “Small Business Saturday ideas for both planners and procrastinators” to “How to set up Instagram Shopping for your small business.”

Illustrated image of computer screen with various graphics, including play symbol, money symbol, text bubble, light bulb, and megaphone.

Upcoming “Foodpreneur School” to Focus on Social Media Marketing for Food & Farm Entrepreneurs

Food and farm entrepreneurs ready to learn more about using social media marketing and creating impactful video for marketing, join us for “Foodpreneur School” in Hillsboro, Ohio on Tuesday, October 25, 2022! Foodpreneur School is an educational program for food and farm entrepreneurs ready to grow through enhanced sales and marketing. Experts from Ohio State University will teach entrepreneurs about creating impactful video content and effectively using social media for small business marketing. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring their preferred devices (mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc.) for managing their social media presence, as the session will be interactive! Learn more and sign up for no-cost online.

If you require an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in this event, please contact Samantha Black at black.1156@osu.edu or 614-247-9705. Requests made two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visitcfaesdiversity.osu.edu.

Developing your Business’s Social Media Marketing Strategy

In a 2017 survey of over 3,000 consumers in the U.S., Germany, Colombia, and Mexico, 35% of people reported they go to social media for information when they’re considering buying something and want to research options. That figure was closer to 50% for consumers aged 18-34.

As small businesses and entrepreneurs consider how they will market their products, social media can offer numerous potential benefits – from helping build brand awareness, to offering a way of reaching large audiences in a cost effective way, and driving traffic to a business’s website, among many other opportunities.

An individual working at a computer.

Developing a Social Media Strategy

Consider these four questions from a 2020 Harvard Business Review article as you develop your social media strategy:

  1. “What are your goals?”

Are you trying to expand to a new geography? Launch a new product? Increase sales? Whatever the answer, your strategy should be tailored to fit your goals, so start out by identifying those goals. Remember to ensure your goals are SMART – specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and timed.

  1. “Which platforms should you use?”

Different social media platforms have different formats, business tools, and more. For example, Facebook has useful business tools like detailed analytics and allows businesses to incorporate lots of information like contact details and hours of operation. Meanwhile, Pinterest and Instagram are highly visual platforms with focus on photo and video content; categories like food and DIY projects are some of Pinterest’s most popular categories. Check out the “Social media platforms for businesses” section of this recent article from Business News Daily to learn about the different business tools and formats of major social media platforms.

  1. “What is your content strategy?”

Will you use pictures? Video? To develop effective digital marketing for a small business, entrepreneurs will need to consider the type of content that is right for them based on their target customers, their resources, and more. Authors writing for the Harvard Business Review counsel, “Your content should be unique, useful, and shareable.”

  1. “Are you ready to talk with your audience – in real time?”

Social media platforms offer opportunities for businesses to engage with their customers and it is important for businesses to relate to and interact with customers on social platforms. As one author shared tips for businesses using social media, “Create a consistent voice and tone . . . one that resonates with your audience and influences how they see your brand.” If you’re using social media for customer service functions, consider that 42% of consumers expect a business to respond to complaints raised via social media within 60 minutes.

Upcoming “Foodpreneur School” to Focus on Social Media Marketing for Food & Farm Entrepreneurs

If you’re a food and farm entrepreneur ready to learn more about using social media marketing, join us in Hillsboro, Ohio on Tuesday, October 25, 2022! Foodpreneur School is an educational program for food and farm entrepreneurs who are ready to grow through enhanced sales and marketing. Speakers at the October 25 session will include experts from Ohio State University sharing the ins-and-outs of social media marketing for small business and insights on creating impactful video content for marketing. The session will include hands-on learning opportunities and entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring along their preferred devices (mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc.) for managing their social media presence. Learn more about the session and sign up for no-cost online!

If you require an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in this event, please contact Samantha Black at black.1156@osu.edu or 614-247-9705. Requests made two weeks in advance, will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visitcfaesdiversity.osu.edu.

CFAES Center for Cooperatives is Hiring a Cooperative Development Program Specialist!  

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Center for Cooperatives seeks a collaborative, organized, and goal-oriented individual to serve as a cooperative development specialist and to contribute to the applied research, teaching, and Extension functions of the Center.

Learn more about the position and apply online!

 

For questions, please contact Hannah Scott at scott.1220@osu.edu or Beth Rigsby at rigsby.22@osu.edu.

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer.

Two hands holding up a sign that reads, "We are hiring!"

Cooperative “Difference” Creates Opportunity for Shared Management Approach

Chris Sigurdson has worked in the dairy and beef industries for over 30 years. Today, he jokes that he has more than 20 bosses, literally. Sigurdson is the general manager/CEO of both COBA/Select Sires Inc. and Minnesota Select Sires Co-op, Inc. In late 2021, Sigurdson began leading the two farmer-owned cooperatives in a shared role meant to help the companies boost members’ value and continue meeting the changing needs of dairy and beef producers across the United States  and in Mexico.

Context Lays Groundwork for Shared Management Approach

As bovine genetics companies, Minnesota Select Sires Co-op, Inc., and COBA/Select Sires Inc. have faced evolving marketplaces in their decades of operation, including substantial consolidation of dairy farms, technological and genetic innovations, and increases in operating costs. In particular, changes in the dairy industry have had important impacts on the two cooperatives –  a high proportion of production dairies in the United States use artificial insemination for breeding.

COBA/Select Sires Inc. and Minnesota/Select Sires Co-op, Inc. are both members of the federated cooperative, Select Sires, Inc. headquartered in Plain City, Ohio, and owned by six farmer-owned cooperatives. In 2021, Select Sires, Inc. members considered a proposal to unify the federation into a single cooperative that did not ultimately move forward. However, having a shared background as members in a cooperative federation, being similarly structured as farmer-owned cooperatives, sharing a desire to continue serving farmer-owners, and with COBA/Select Sires planning for the retirement of their general manager, the two boards decided to move forward with a shared general manager/CEO position in late 2021. COBA/Select Sires, Inc. is governed by a 15-member board, while Minnesota Select Sires Co-op, Inc. is governed by a nine-member board.

Shared Resource Opportunities May Create Efficiencies

COBA/Select Sires serves farmers in Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Mexico, and portions of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, while Minnesota/Select Sires’ service territory includes Minnesota and North Dakota. The two companies have a combined portfolio of $53 million in business and more than 170 employees. In addition to his own leadership position, Sigurdson cites shared resource opportunities like leveraging marketing communications across companies, creating career pipelines and potential connections to new talent, and potential operational opportunities in shipping, storage, and business systems, among others, that might help the two cooperatives reach their goal of effectively serving farmer-members while lowering expenses per unit sold.

Multiple blue gears with various business related graphics inside, such as a light bulb, people, and target.

Sigurdson Shares Approach at Online Cooperative Roundtable

Sigurdson spoke about the reasons for the shared management approach, his role, and opportunities for additional resource sharing among the two companies to cooperative stakeholders during a recent online “Cooperative Roundtable” hosted by the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State in partnership with the Mid America Cooperative Council (MACC).

Cooperative Roundtables are online learning opportunities hosted by the CFAES Center for Cooperatives and MACC as opportunities to learn from industry experts about current issues facing the cooperative community. Past roundtable topics have included strategic talent planning, cybersecurity in agribusiness, and recognizing diversity and inclusion among co-op members, among other topics. Sign up for the CFAES Center for Cooperatives email list to receive information about future Cooperative Roundtables.

Are you a small business using online marketing? Learn about legal basics of branding and marketing in our digital world!

Did you know that internet users spend an average of almost three hours per day on the internet? Three hours! In explaining why digital marketing should be a priority for small businesses, one author shared, “even if you are not selling your product or service online, then you likely could still count yon your target audience being on the internet at some point during any given day.” As people spend significant amounts of time online and social media platforms offer numerous opportunities for small businesses as they market their products and services, like the ability to connect with huge audiences for little or no cost, it should be no surprise that an estimated 91% of small businesses allocated resources to digital marketing in 2021.

Graphic of marketing images, including retail storefront, smartphone, online application, and computer.

But have you ever considered the potential legal implications of your online marketing? For example, a 2016 fact sheet, “The Legal Implications of Social Media Marketing & Advertising,” shared the following potential legal considerations for businesses using social media:

  • Social media posts could be considered ‘corporate speech’ and be used against companies in lawsuits, for example in false advertising and other claims. (This is one reason it is important for businesses to identify authorized users and develop written policies about how social media accounts are used or maintained.)
  • Social media activities may be subject to regulatory laws and agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, National Labor Relations Act, and the Food & Drug Administration
  • Issues around content ownership can have important impacts – for example, businesses need permission to use content generated by other users, including content that includes their products or incorporates their brands.
  • Digital marketing spaces create considerations around the use, protection, and monitoring of intellectual property like trademarks and copyrights.

“Legal Basics of Branding and Marketing: What to know in a digital world” seminar to be held in Piketon, Ohio

Entrepreneurs interested in learning more about the legal basics of branding and marketing can attend a free education session in Piketon, Ohio on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. The session is one of three educational presentations by legal professionals as part of the event, “Building Legally Resilient Small Businesses: Quick Advice Legal Clinic for Entrepreneurs,” which will be co-hosted by the Entrepreneurial Business Law Clinic at Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law and partner business development programs at the OSU South Centers. During the evening program on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, entrepreneurs can participate in one or all three free public education sessions on common legal issues for small businesses. There is no cost to participate in the program, but registration is required.

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – “Legal Basics of Branding and Marketing: What to know in a digital world,” taught by Patrick Perkins, OSU Moritz College of Law

6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – “Legal Structures for Small Business,” taught by Paige Wilson, OSU Moritz College of Law

7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – “Working with Independent Contractors,” taught by Jacqueline Radebaugh, Jason Wiener p.c.

Entrepreneurs can also sign up for no-cost, one-on-one consultations with volunteer attorneys to explore their legal questions and receive guidance in areas like business structures, employment, contracts, marketing and advertising, worker and other cooperatives, commercial real estate, and more. Sessions will last up to 30 minutes and participants can register for up to two sessions. Entrepreneurs interested in a one-on-one appointment will be asked to submit basic information about their legal question so staff members can try to match participants with a volunteer attorney whose practice area most closely matches their legal question. Please note, space is limited.

Event Details: August 17, 2022, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

LOCATION: OSU South Centers Endeavor Center

1862 Shyville Road, Piketon, Ohio 45661

COST: No cost to attend, but registration is required.

Register by visiting go.osu.edu/legalclinic

Questions? Reach out to Hannah Scott at scott.1220@osu.edu or 614-247-9705.

If you require an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in this event, please contact Samantha Black at black.1156@osu.edu or 614-247-9705. Requests made by August 3, 2022, will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visitcfaesdiversity.osu.edu.