The 8 P's of Social Marketing: Maple Wind Farms

Marc Zingarini

Social Marketing Campaign

Notes

The 8 P’s of Social Marketing

·      Product – Maple Wind Farm located in Huntington, Vermont. They specialize in meats, poultry, vegetables, and yurt rentals. We will also be conducting a fundraiser to help them replace a farm that burned down recently.

·      Price – The price of their meat varies and considering its is “local” and organic it will typically cost more than conventional products. However, their monthly packages go for $540 for 6 months of meat and $925 for a yearly subscription. That seems a little pricy, but you receive 10lbs per month.

·      Place – The product is located in Huntington and Richmond, VT. Obviously you can buy it direct. They also offer online shipping throughout the US. You can sign up to receive 6 or 12 monthly packages of meat. They also have a section that tells you where you can buy their meat, whether it is from farmers markets or in grocery stores. I think it would be a good idea to expand their product throughout the state first and then try to sell it in a couple other states if we can gather enough profits.

·      Promotion – Maple Wind Farms has a Facebook page, an email newsletter, and a blog. However, The blog is not updated frequently, the don’t post often on their Facebook page, and it is unclear how many times they send out their newsletter. They also have a donation page for their farm fund. First they should regularly update what they already have. Then they should start up and instagram and twitter account. Finally, I think we should use those social media techniques to promote the fundraiser and keep people updated. This will increase donations.

·      Publics – Our internal publics are ourselves as well as the Maple Wind farm team. We will have to work together in order to implement a plan that works well for everyone. As for external publics, we should be targeting Vermonters, people concerned with buying organic, local, sustainable foods, meat connoisseurs, and restaurants. A perfect example would be a restaurant such as the farmhouse. They already participate in the Burlington farmer’s market and have their food featured at many Co-ops including city market.

·      Partnership – I think the three partnerships that could greatly help Maple Wind in raising money and expanding their business would be City Market, The Burlington Farmer’s Market and the FDA. Having FDA approval could get the farm national coverage.

·      Policy – Maple Wind has a good policy and has built a good strong business. However, the could strengthen their media presence. Getting papers and news agencies to share their story could greatly benefit in fundraising. They also need a stronger social media presence and need to post more frequently on the social media platforms they already have.

·      Purse Strings – The biggest factor concerning the new farm is mostly based on donations. We need our partners to possibly contribute monetarily or more importantly through promotion if we want to have a lucrative fundraiser. A successful fundraiser is our main and most important goal.

Vermont Home Sweet Home Campaign

How do you think of this campaign?

Vermont Home Sweet Home Campaign

campaign based on on the sweetest, happiest value about Vermont, Family, Dinner, Environment.

Taget: People who lives in Vermont, especially family and people who came to visit Vermont.

These are some basic suggestion:

-In their website: Creating Donate Button so people can click it and donate. 

-In social media: 

+ Photo contest of happy family dinner using Maple Wind Farm products.

+ Inspiring photos and videos about happy family moments traveling in Vermont nature.

+Tell great stories about family traveling together in the nature of Vermont

+Tell fun facts about Vermont nature and food.

-In Community:  

+Provide play ground for children and family.

+Being story tellers about great nature and cute animals in local festivals and farmers market.

( Hire intern to be story tellers)

Introduction of Maple Wind Farm and Information about FUNDRAISING

INTRODUCTION OF MAPLE WIND FARM 

1 .ESTABLISHMENT OF MAPLE WIND FARM

Established in 1999 by Bruce Hennessy and Beth Whiting, Maple Wind Farm reflects a deeply held belief in ecological farming. Both hold master’s degrees in education—backgrounds that serve their interest in educating the public about the benefits of pasture-based farming for both the farmer and the consumer. They established their love of the land while living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming exploring the mountains. Moving East for graduate school and to be closer to family and the summer camp they both worked at, they fell in love with Vermont. The mountains, the people, the land and the food!  Their love of teaching and traveling led them to establish On the Loose Expeditions, taking clients on trips around the world for several years, before finding their home and lifestyle as farmers in the hills of Huntington, Vermont.

   Maple Wind Farm brings everything they love all together: living in a beautiful place, providing great food, and teaching customers about choices that are best for the land, animals and our own health.

2. MISSION OF MAPLE WIND FARM

Maple Wind Farm mission is to grow the healthiest possible food for families and customers. They raise 100% grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork, poultry (chickens and turkeys), and eggs. They are committed to alternate energy system and they utilize wind, solar and horse power in much of our operation.

3. HIGHLIGHT AT MAPLE WIND FARM

- Ecological Farming- alternate energy system

- 100% Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished VT Beef

- Certified Vermont-Inspected Poultry Processing Services

- Organic Vegetables from Maple Wind Farm

- MAPLE WIND FARM ONLINE STORE

- YURT RENTALS AT MAPLE WIND FARM

4.  OUR MARKETING MISSION

(this subject can be developed in future discussion)

 FUNDRAISING FOR  MAPLE WIND FARM TO HELP THEM EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS

BARN FIRE IN JANUARY 13,2014

The damage amounts to about $200,000, including refrigerators, washing tools, office space and 10,000 pounds of frozen vegetables. But no damage to human and animals.

What others people have already do to help Maple Wind Farm

-Their friends, David Zuckerman and Rachel Nevitt of Full Moon Farm in Hinesburg are supplying organic pork and vegetables for a fundraiser at Hinesburgh Public House on January 28. The dinner, served from 5 to 9 p.m., will consist of three courses, all for $25. Ben & Jerry's is donating dessert.

- Fund raising by  Hinesburgh Public House 

-The Richmond Congregational Church's weekly Friday Food Affair dedicated its 5 p.m. potluck dinner to raising money for the farm.

-Healthy Living and City Market, the latter of which helped to pay for the poultry processing equipment, are also likely to reach out.

-The Farm House TG- Maple Wind Farm benefit event

Resources: Seven Days  "How to Help Maple Wind Farm After Last Week's Fire"

 http://www.sevendaysvt.com/BiteClub/archives/2014/01/20/how-to-help-maple-wind-farm-after-last-weeks-fire

Beth Whiting Email

Hey guys,

Here is the email I received recently.

Marc and Rob

Here is some info that hopefully is helpful to the student group assigned to our farm. HUGE apologies for getting this in late. This document is crafted from a business plan we worked on in late 2012. I feel much of the SWOT remains the same.

What rocks our boat is the need to plan for, design and build a new barn to replace the one that burned down in January for our business to handle to debt of that and still stay on target with our expansion plans.  We can talk more about that over the phone or in person, Im happy to set up a time to meet wtih the group or at least part of the team.

I  truly believe that  with proper marketing we can make lemons from lemonade.

I will be more responsive this week to the class needs for this project!

Thanks,

Beth

Let me know if you have any questions.