Marketing is the act of promoting and selling products or services.

Have you ever heard (or said) the following?
“Well I told them about it, but I can’t force them to participate”. 

No, no you can’t.  I completely agree.  However, we do have a responsibility for helping our target audience understand how what we are “selling” is beneficial to them.  Thus, for the next few weeks on the blog we will discuss this idea of salesmanship and 4-H marketing.

Think for just a moment…what do you sell in your county 4-H program? (Leadership skills? Citizenship? Workforce readiness? A chance for adults to give back? A stronger community? World peace?)

In marketing- timing is everything.  When do you “sell” to your potential buyers?  When you get a chance?  When you remember?  When that happens, inevitably even the best programs don’t have the great attendance (or any attendance).  Don’t be embarrassed… it happens to the best of us!

That’s why you need a (da duh da duh!!!) MARKETING CALENDAR!

Just as you need your calendar of all your county 4-H program events and activities for the 2017-2018 program year ready to go by the new year of September 1, you need to simultaneously have a plan for marketing.

Over the next few weeks, we will take some time to plan your marketing calendar for the year.  For now though, start with finding a marketing calendar template that works for you.  You can Google “Free marketing calendar template” and find lots of options.  My favorites can be found at:  Free Marketing Calendars

Next week we’ll discuss what to actually include in your plan for the year.