Mastering Marketing Articles

Mastering Marketing is produced by Ginger S. Myers and is published periodically containing important seasonal marketing information. 

Check Out The Most Recent Articles

  • Shoes and three arrows (going left, straight, and right).

    Next?

  • Image credit: "Farmers market - Prato" by Valentina Ceccatelli is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

    Face Mask Talking Points for Markets and PYO Farms

  • Frozen meat, Picture credit: USDA.gov

    Value-Added—Frozen Could be a Path Forward

Articles Are Arranged by Title or Year

Articles Arranged by Alphbetical Order

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z 

Article Title  
2018 Consumer Survey Jun. SE 2018
2019 USDA Direct Marketing Summit Oct. 2019

A

  
A Booth at the Farmers' Market: Profit or Loss May 2011
Adjusting Direct Marketing to Selling On-line, a 24-7 Opportunity Jun. SE 2020
Agritourism Operations and Liability Concerns this Fall Season Jul. 2020
Applying the Pareto Principle in Your Marketing—the 80/20 Rule Sept. 2017
Avoid Speaking “Farmese” to Consumers Summer 2009

B

  
Brand Voice-Make It Speak Loudly Apr. 2019
Building Your Holiday Gift Selections—Consider Gift Baskets Nov. 2019

C

  
Can SMART Ever Be Dumb?? Jan. 2020
Capturing the Bounce; Surviving the Dip Apr. 2020
Check Your Marketing Map Mar. 2011
Christmas in July─Getting Your Social Media Marketing into Holiday Mode Jul. 2017
Convenient Payment Options – It’s What Customers Want Jul. 2015
COVID-19 and Agritourism in Maryland Apr. 2020
COVID-19 Impact Survey Results on Maryland Producers Feb. 2021

D

  
Define Your Markets First Oct. 2008
Determine Your Contributive Margin Before Setting Your Price May 2016
Digital Direct Marketing Tips for 2016 – Make It a Great Sales Year Jan. 2016
Direct Marketing Do’s and Don’ts – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Jun. 2013
Direct Marketing Feeds “Buy Local” May 2009
Direct Marketing Strategies for Shrinking Middle-Income and Increasing Low-Income Shoppers Mar. 2016
Don’t Eat a Third Hand Tomato; Come to the Farmers’ Market SE 2020

E

  
Email Marketing—Your Best Social Media Tool Jul. 2019
Emerging Models for Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Jun. 2018

F

  

Face Mask Talking Points for Markets and PYO Farms

 May 2021
Fall Agritourism in Maryland-Open for Business Aug. SE 2020
Fall Back is for the Clock; Not Your Marketing Strategies Sept. 2018
Farm to Hospital-Selling Farm-Raised Meats and Poultry in Maryland Jul. 2011
Finding Customers-Changing Demographics and Market Research Skills Feb. 2020
Farm to Door-Should You Offer a Product Delivery Service? Aug. 2017

G

  
Generate More “Word of Mouth” Referrals Feb. 2016
Get Ready for the Holiday Sales Season Now Sept. 2016
Get Started Marketing-Craft Your Marketing Statement (Also Known as an Elevator Speech) Mar.  2021
Getting the Most from Your Email Program Oct. 2020

H

  
High Beef Prices May 2014
Ho, Ho, Ho—Handling Crabby Customers this Holiday Season Sept. 2016
How Much Should I Spend on Marketing May 2017

I

  
Ignite Your Sales with Sensory Branding Aug. 2014
Is Diversification Your Ultimate Goal? Oct. 2017
Is the Price Right? Mar. 2008
Is Your Marketing Strategy Working? Jun. 2016

J

  
Jump Start Your Fall Marketing Season Now Aug. 2015

L

  
Launching, Refining, or Growing Your Farm Business- MREDC has Answers Aug. SE 2019
Lessons from the “Are You Crazy?” Retail Farm Market Bus Tour Oct. 2015
Licenses and Regulation Updates for Farmers Marketing Value-Added Products Directly to Consumers May 2012

M

  
Make List and Check Your Christmas Sales Plan Twice Nov. 2020
Making the Most of Your Time - Be Effective May 2018
Marketing Attitudes and Appearances-Keeping Them Positive Ju. 2016
Marketing and Branding – Color it “SOLD” Nov. 2016
Market Season-Ready, Set, Sell Apr. 2018
Market Strategies for Diversified Livestock Producers Mar. 2011
Marketing ─ the Root of All Profits Mar. 2016
Maryland's Expanding Value-added and Craft Movement Feb. 2018
Matching Prices to Market Outlets Aug. 2019
Matching Products to Customer Appetites in 2018 Jan. 2018
Moving Prices; Retaining Customers Jan. 2021

N

  
NESARE Farmers’ Market Survey Project Results-Growing Better Markets Sept. 2019
Next? June 2021

O

  
Online Sales-Here to Stay May 2020
Opportunities to Find Your Starting Point Feb. 2019

P

  
Packaging That Sells Jul. 2018
Pick Me! Pick Me! May 2019
Pivot to Bundling Products to Increase Sales Jun. 2020
Plan and Promote 2020 Holiday Sales and Activities Now Sept. 2020

R

  
Results of First Local Food Marketing Practices Survey Released Jan. 2017
Retain More Customers Using Loyalty Programs Aug. 2020

S

  
Selling a Service Aug. 2011
Selling On-Line, a 24/7 Opportunity Feb. 2017
Sell the Sizzle    Sept. 2019

T

  
Target Marketing to Customers -The View from the Other Side Mar. 2018
The Customer is Still King Apr. 2014
The Reluctant Entrepreneur Dec. 2020
The Ripple Effect    Jul. SE 2020
To Be or Not to Be a Farmers Market Vendor-Is That Your Question? Jan. 2019
Tools for Building Your Online Marketing Plan  May 2015
To Weigh or Not to Weigh Jun. 2012
Translate Trends into Profits Jul. 2011

V

  

Value-Added—Frozen Could be a Path Forward

Mar. SE 2021

W

  
What’s Your Sign? Oct. 2009
When Advertising is a Waste of Resources Aug. 2011
Who’s the Boss Apr. 2016

Y

  
Your Feed Back for Program Planning Needed and Appreciated Apr. 2017
You’re Going to Need a Different Marketing Plan Mar. 2020
Your Marketing Activities—Good Business or Just Busyness? Aug. 2018

Articles Arranged by Year

2021 | 2020 | 2019  |  2018  |  2017  |  2016  | 2015 |  2014  |  2013  | 2012  | 2011  | 2009 | 2008

   

2021

  
Jan. Moving Prices; Retaining Customers
Feb. COVID-19 Impact Survey Results on Maryland Producers
Mar. Get Started Marketing-Craft Your Marketing Statement (Also Known as an Elevator Speech)
Mar. SE

Value-Added—Frozen Could be a Path Forward

May Face Mask Talking Points for Markets and PYO Farms
June Next?

2020
Jan. Can SMART Ever Be Dumb??   
Feb. Finding Customers-Changing Demographics and Market Research Skills 
Mar.

You’re Going to Need a Different Marketing Plan

 

In my recent Mastering Marketing article, developing an online ordering system
for your products was a prime directive. This can be a challenging task. I found
this ordering platform comparison document from a 2018 SARE project. While
some of the sites have changed, others have been added. This will provide you
a starting place for comparing the options that best suit your product offering.
Apr. Capturing the Bounce; Surviving the Dip
Apr. SE COVID-19 and Agritourism in Maryland
May Online Sales-Here to Stay
Jun. Pivot to Bundling Products to Increase Sales
Jun. SE Adjusting Direct Marketing to Selling On-line, a 24-7 Opportunity
Jul. Agritourism Operations and Liability Concerns this Fall Season
Jul. SE The Ripple Effect
SE 2020 Don’t Eat a Third Hand Tomato; Come to the Farmers’ Market
Aug. Retain More Customers Using Loyalty Programs
Aug. SE Fall Agritourism in Maryland-Open for Business
Sept. Plan and Promote 2020 Holiday Sales and Activities Now
Oct. Getting the Most from Your Email Program
Nov. Make List and Check Your Christmas Sales Plan Twice
Dec. The Reluctant Entrepreneur

2019

 Back to the top of the page
Jan. To Be or Not to Be a Farmers Market Vendor-Is That Your Question?    
Feb. Opportunities to Find Your Starting Point
Mar. Direct Marketing Strategies for Shrinking Middle-Income and Increasing Low-Income Shoppers
Apr. Brand Voice-Make It Speak Loudly
May Pick Me! Pick Me!
Jul. Email Marketing—Your Best Social Media Tool
Aug. Matching Prices to Market Outlets
Aug. SE Launching, Refining, or Growing Your Farm Business- MREDC has Answers
Sept. Sell the Sizzle
Sept. SE NESARE Farmers’ Market Survey Project Results-Growing Better Markets
Oct. 2019 USDA Direct Marketing Summit
Nov. Building Your Holiday Gift Selections—Consider Gift Baskets

2018

 Back to the top of the page
Jan. Matching Products to Customer Appetites in 2018
Feb. Maryland's Expanding Value-added and Craft Movement
Mar. Target Marketing to Customers - The View from the Other Side
Apr. Market Season-Ready, Set, Sell
May Making the Most of Your Time - Be Effective
Jun. Emerging Models for Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Jun. SE 2018 Consumer Survey
Jul. Packaging That Sells
Aug. Your Marketing Activities—Good Business or Just Busyness?
Sept. Fall Back is for the Clock; Not Your Marketing Strategies
Nov. Ho, Ho, Ho—Handling Crabby Customers this Holiday Season

2017

 Back to the top of the page
Jan. Results of First Local Food Marketing Practices Survey Released
Feb. Selling On-Line, a 24/7 Opportunity
Apr. Your Feed Back for Program Planning Needed and Appreciated
May How Much Should I Spend on Marketing
Jun. Food Preferences and Purchasing Trends─Getting Out Ahead of the Curve
Jul. Christmas in July─Getting Your Social Media Marketing into Holiday Mode
Aug. Farm to Door-Should You Offer a Product Delivery Service?
Sept. Applying the Pareto Principle in Your Marketing—the 80/20 Rule
Oct. Is Diversification Your Ultimate Goal?

2016

 Back to the top of the page
Jan. Digital Direct Marketing Tips for 2016 – Make It a Great Sales Year
Feb. Generate More “Word of Mouth” Referrals
Mar. Marketing ─ the Root of All Profits
Apr. Who’s the Boss
May Determine Your Contributive Margin Before Setting Your Price
Jun. Is Your Marketing Strategy Working?
Jul. Marketing Attitudes and Appearances-Keeping Them Positive
Sept. Get Ready for the Holiday Sales Season Now
Nov. Marketing and Branding – Color it “SOLD”

2015

 Back to the top of the page
May Tools for Building Your Online Marketing Plan
Jul. Convenient Payment Options – It’s What Customers Want
Aug. Jump Start Your Fall Marketing Season Now
Oct. Lessons from the “Are You Crazy?” Retail Farm Market Bus Tour

2014
Apr. The Customer is Still King
May. High Beef Prices
Aug. Ignite Your Sales with Sensory Branding

2013

 Back to the top of the page
Jun. Direct Marketing Do’s and Don’ts – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2012
May. Licenses and Regulation Updates for Farmers Marketing Value-Added Products Directly to Consumers
Jul. To Weigh or Not to Weigh

2011
Mar. Check Your Marketing Map
Mar. SE Licenses and Regulation Updates for Farmers Marketing Value-Added Products Directly to Consumers
Mar. SE Market Strategies for Diversified Livestock Producers
May A Booth at the Farmers' Market: Profit or Loss
Jul. Farm to Hospital-Selling Farm-Raised Meats and Poultry in Maryland
Jul. SE Translate Trends into Profits
Aug. Selling a Service
Aug. SE When Advertising is a Waste of Resources

2009

 Back to the top of the page
May Direct Marketing Feeds “Buy Local”
Summer Avoid Speaking “Farmese” to Consumers
Oct. What’s Your Sign?

2008

  
Mar. Is the Price Right?
Oct. Define Your Markets First