Plan for education, outreach, and promotions
The next step in preparing a marketing plan is to evaluate options for education and outreach.
Education is key – plan public a relations and education strategy. Consider education as part of your marketing strategies and consider it a strategic goal. Compost is a technical product, so sales and marketing efforts must possess strong elements of education. First you must educate yourself before you can educate others
Create promotional marketing materials to spread virtually. Advertise/Promote consistently.
o Develop a website
o Utilize social media
o Write press releases
o Start a blog
o Create Newsletters
o Share Videos
o Utilize social media
o Write press releases
o Start a blog
o Create Newsletters
o Share Videos
Outreach
o Explore other events and plan your own
▪ Be active in trade associations
▪ Attend or exhibit at trade shows. A detailed user’s guide educates both sellers and buyers about the product; helps ensure correct application and better results
▪ Attend local programs offered by extension agencies, colleges, landscape/nursery associations, turfgrass associations, master garden clubs, industry shows
▪ Establish knowledge needed to conduct seminars by attending meetings with the above options
o Hold your own events for potential customers
▪ Show potential customers your compost product will meet their specific needs.
Educated customers use your product appropriately which reduces liability and
gains repeat customers.
▪ Education will lead to more credibility for your product(s) and company because customers will be fully informed. Educating customers will improve customer service and lead to increased sales. Educated customers use more compost and refer you to others
▪ Structure presentations based on your audience, and present at the best time of year for your audience
▪ Offer seminars with Continuing Education Credits (CEU) to increase attendance and your company and product exposure in your prospective markets
▪ Include complete contact information and a feedback option on your website or mail in card
▪ Here’s a good example of a marketing webpage: https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/CompostManufacturersSTABenefitsMarketing
● Workshops on backyard composting and/or compost use for homeowners
● Lunch and learns for landscape architects and city council members
● Meet with specifiers to help educate them on the benefits of specifying compost for future projects.
o Become a Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) Certified Compost participant so your product will be listed on the well-respected USCC Buying Compost Map found here
▪ Be active in trade associations
▪ Attend or exhibit at trade shows. A detailed user’s guide educates both sellers and buyers about the product; helps ensure correct application and better results
▪ Attend local programs offered by extension agencies, colleges, landscape/nursery associations, turfgrass associations, master garden clubs, industry shows
▪ Establish knowledge needed to conduct seminars by attending meetings with the above options
o Hold your own events for potential customers
▪ Show potential customers your compost product will meet their specific needs.
Educated customers use your product appropriately which reduces liability and
gains repeat customers.
▪ Education will lead to more credibility for your product(s) and company because customers will be fully informed. Educating customers will improve customer service and lead to increased sales. Educated customers use more compost and refer you to others
▪ Structure presentations based on your audience, and present at the best time of year for your audience
▪ Offer seminars with Continuing Education Credits (CEU) to increase attendance and your company and product exposure in your prospective markets
▪ Include complete contact information and a feedback option on your website or mail in card
▪ Here’s a good example of a marketing webpage: https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/CompostManufacturersSTABenefitsMarketing
● Workshops on backyard composting and/or compost use for homeowners
● Lunch and learns for landscape architects and city council members
● Meet with specifiers to help educate them on the benefits of specifying compost for future projects.
o Become a Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) Certified Compost participant so your product will be listed on the well-respected USCC Buying Compost Map found here
Bid – Proactively bid on projects that seek compost by posting specifications
o Pay to look through websites such as www.constructconnect.com
o Use specifications that have been previously established for standard operation procedures. https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/HowUseCompost
▪ Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications- Look on DOT websites for
projects up for bid. See the link here.
▪ Department of Agriculture specifications
o Use specifications that have been previously established for standard operation procedures. https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/HowUseCompost
▪ Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications- Look on DOT websites for
projects up for bid. See the link here.
▪ Department of Agriculture specifications
Enacting buy-back legislation is one way municipalities achieve more sales for parks and recreation, government building landscapes.
o Buyback legislation is an ordinance/law by government requiring government departments to purchase compost.
o Establishing this type of program will help different departments in municipalities support each other.
o Be aware this can possibly create resentment- educating other municipal departments on the benefits of compost use can be more effective than rules mandating it.
o Establishing this type of program will help different departments in municipalities support each other.
o Be aware this can possibly create resentment- educating other municipal departments on the benefits of compost use can be more effective than rules mandating it.
Develop a Program Budget, establish projections for:
o Production
o Sales
o Marketing costs
o Sales
o Marketing costs