Maps help us navigate the world, and they not only show us how to get from point A to point B, but, depending on the type of map, they can also help us to see where patterns, clusters, and gaps exist in a spatial environment. As part of KCARD’s state-wide Local Food System Expansion Initiative, a series of interactive maps has been developed to visualize the Kentucky local food system. Stay tuned for parts two and three of the series in the next few weeks. We will present a closer look into local food sales in Kentucky and the various industries that make up the local food system.
Digital marketing can be intimidating, with a lot of moving parts that you must manage and lot of options for tools to use that can be expensive. Check out this list for ideas for cheap (or free!) tools to help grow your digital marketing efforts!
One of the most important tools you can use for your business is good market research. Being able to do your own market research gives you a unique perspective into your business and its potential. Knowing your market is invaluable when planning for your current and future business plans.
Today our inboxes are flooded with email marketing campaigns, some feeling spammy, but there is no denying the impact a well-crafted message can have on your customers. Email marketing has one of the best return on investment, for every dollar spent over $40 is returned, on average. In our previous Email Marketing 101 post, we talked about what email marketing is and some quick tips to get started. In this post, we’ve put together a few tips to help you expand your knowledge in email marketing and continue to increase your return.
Consumer trends changed drastically when the coronavirus hit. You probably have customers who never thought of purchasing local until it became a necessity. While stores, restaurants, and other businesses are opening back up, many consumer trends are sticking around. Keeping those new customers around will be key for sustaining the growth your business has had the past six months. So how do you keep your new customer coming back again and again? Here are five tips to keep your customers.
If you are like many business owners, the coronavirus pandemic has turned your world upside down. Your cash flow or product availability might have changed, which means you might have to change up other pieces of your business, such as your marketing strategy. Now is not the time to cut your marketing budget or marketing efforts. Why? With so much uncertainty now, you need to reassure your customers that you are here for them and that your business isn’t going anywhere. Check out five tips to pivot your marketing during changing times.
Chances are you are already doing some social selling if you have a Facebook business page, Instagram business page, or professional Twitter page. So, what is social selling? It is the art of using social media to find, connect with, understand, and nurture sales prospects. In short, it is the modern way to connect with current and potential customers to develop meaningful relationships. The goal with social selling is to bring value to your customer by anticipating their needs rather than just spamming them with “buy now” posts. We’ve put together some best practices to include with your social selling strategy.
Did you know that the average email subscriber receives about 13 commercial emails each day? How does your business break through that fog of emails to reach your customer? We’ve included a few tips below to help you get started, in addition to these marketing basics.
Fact: people are cooking and eating at home more. Those who weren’t cooking at home are now making meals several days a week for their families. Of those making meals at home, 35 to 40% of them started cooking for the first time, according to global management consultant SSA & Company. So, what does that mean for your food business? How can you educate new customers about your products so that you retain them once things get back to normal? Below are a few ideas for targeting the “new” home cook.
Some of you are ramping up your online communications for the first time. It’s easy to make some rookie mistakes in the process. Here are a few we have seen recently come across our desk that we wanted to point out.
The name of the game these days is social distance. So how do you accept payments from customers without getting closer than six feet or having to handle cash? Digital wallets are financial accounts that allow users to store funds, make transactions, and track payment histories by computer or phone. Here are some of the most popular options that will allow you to take payments without having to get a credit card reader (and some that connect with Square).
The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is a non-profit organization established to facilitate agricultural and rural businesses in Kentucky. We are supported primarily through grants provided by the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Program and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. Additional support is provided through our work with partners around the state and through fees charged for select client services.
