Aug. 15 Workshop to Offer Producers Tips to Improve and Expand Sales Using ‘Apps and Maps’

CANFIELD, Ohio – Producers wanting to make sure their food business or operation has a strong, income-building presence in the mobile media arena can learn tips and techniques from food marketing experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences during a workshop Aug. 15.

The “Maps and Apps” workshop will teach participants how to make the most of mobile media marketing as a way their businesses can benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS systems and mobile apps, said Eric Barrett, an Ohio State University Extension educator.

OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.

“Ohio food producers wanting to increase their markets, grow their customer base, improve profitability and increase their visibility can learn strategies on how to leverage the Internet, GPS, mobile applications and social media to increase business opportunities,” he said.

Statistics show that 91 percent of U.S. citizens who own mobile devices have them within their reach 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Barrett, who will help present the workshop. And research shows that consumers do more than 3 billion local searches each month for nearby products and services, he said.

Topics to be addressed during the workshop include information on:

• How to find and interact with local businesses.
• How farmers and other food businesses benefit from free listings on Internet maps, GPS and apps.
• How to tap into mobile media marketing resources that make sense for your business and your customers.
• How to integrate maps, apps and mobile media marketing into your marketing plan and practices.

The workshop will be held at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road in Canfield, Ohio. 

The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $40 per person and $10 for each additional person from the same business. Registration includes materials and lunch.

For more information on the workshop or to register, contact Barrett at 330-533-5538 or email barrett.90@osu.edu. To find out more about the Ohio Marketing Connections program, go to http://go.osu.edu/mapsapps1.