WELLINGTON COUNTY – Farm and food businesses are invited to participate in a two-part Local Food Marketing Workshop at the Wellington County Museum and Archives on Feb. 11 from 9am to 4pm.
The morning session focuses on optimizing direct farm marketing sales, covering opportunities and realities of value-added, on-farm sales and experiences.
Jessica Kelly, direct farm marketing specialist with OMAFRA, will further explore topics such as managing the customer experience, signage, displays and pricing of farm products.
In the afternoon session, entrepreneurs are invited to sharpen their digital marketing skills and dig deeper into cost effective social media marketing, telling their story and finding the right channels to engage with customers. Attendees are encouraged to bring along their own devices for a hands-on digital marketing component, based on their skill level.
The event will be co-hosted by Taste Real Guelph Wellington, Foodlink Waterloo Region and LaunchIT Minto.
“Feedback received from our local food businesses has overwhelmingly shown that there is a great deal of interest in learning more about farm direct and digital marketing,” says Wellington County Taste Real coordinator Christina Mannn.
“The communication and marketing landscape has changed significantly over the last few years and businesses are looking to hone their digital marketing skills to be able to better navigate new tools.”
Tickets are $25 for the morning or afternoon, or $45 for the full day, and can be purchased online at www.tastereal.ca or by phone at 519-837-2600 x 2615.
Foodlink Waterloo Region is a non-profit organization that promotes local food, supports and connects farm and food businesses and provides local food education and outreach.
LaunchIt strives to assist new businesses through mentorship, workshops and support programs. Taste Real is an initiative of the economic development department at the County of Wellington facilitating local food connections from farm to plate.
