This document provides an overview of marketing for Cooperative Extension. It defines marketing as the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services. It discusses the "4 Ps" of marketing - program, price, place, and promotion. The document also summarizes environmental analysis and surveys that were conducted to understand customers and update goals and programs. It emphasizes understanding customers, competitors, the organization's strengths, and providing excellent customer service in order to promote Extension's programs and services.

1. What is Marketing?
A BRIEF OVERVIEW FOR
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

2. Marketing Defined
There are a host of definitions for marketing. Here
are two of the most widely accepted.
Marketing is…
The process of planning and executing the
conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of
ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges
that satisfy individual and organizational
objectives.
- American Marketing Association Definition

3. Marketing Defined
Marketing is…
The process of planning and executing the
conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of
ideas, goods, services, organizations, and events
to create and maintain relationships that will
satisfy individual and organizational objectives."
-Contemporary Marketing Wired (1998) by
Boone and Kurtz

4. Marketing is….
A big umbrella! It may or may not include:
• Analysis of programs, materials, customers and the
company itself
• Media relations, public affairs, advertising
• Stakeholder and funder relations
• Strategically organizing all of the above, and more,
to create a cohesive, sustainable, effective route to
success for Extension and its clients

5. The “4 Ps” of Marketing
• Program
Goods or services (programs) and their benefits
• Price
Cost for goods or services, e.g. money, time, travel
• Place
Location (place, Web), also time of day/week/year
• Promotion
Activities designed to publicize programs/services
Know the 4Ps for every program or service you offer!

6. What We Have Done:
Environmental Analysis
Environmental Scan
All 101 county centers collected data about state needs
through public surveys, meetings and interviews. The data
were combined and analyzed for common items and
emerging trends. The findings were used to determine
which programs would continue, be phased out or added,
based on changing state needs.

7. Environmental Analysis : Response
Updated Goals
• Sustainable, Profitable and Safe Plant,
Animal and Food Systems
• Environmental Stewardship and Natural
Resources Management
• Energy Conservation and Alternatives
• Emergency and Disaster Preparedness

8. Environmental Analysis > Response
Updated Goals
• Workforce and Economic Development
• Community, Leader and Volunteer
Development

9. Environmental Analysis > Response
Updated Goals
• Healthy Weight and Chronic Disease
Prevention
• Life Skills and Parenting
• Youth and Adults Achieve Educational
Success

10. What We Have Done:
Retail Customer Survey
• Capture data on name recognition, Extension
topic interest, preferences for communication,
time and location, and demographic information.
• Data pinpoint popular topics, target audiences
and methods used to reach them.

11. Retail Customer Survey > Findings
• High interest in Extension topics
• Lower retail name recognition than expected
• Preference for direct mail, TV, Web and
newspaper sources
• High growth potential in urban areas, with
Hispanic audiences and for environmental
topics

12. What We Have Done:
Organizational Data Analysis
• ERS reporting software gathers quantitative and
qualitative performance data.
• Program delivery and impacts data measure
program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Program location data helps inform training and
financial decisions for maximum efficiency.

13. Where Do We Go From Here?
Know the Extension Mission and Slogan!
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
partners with communities to deliver
education and technology that enrich the
lives, land and economy of North Carolina.
Empowering People  Providing Solutions

14. Where Do We Go From Here?
Know Your Customers!
Retail – People seek informal education or technical
assistance to better themselves, their families and
their environment.
Businesses – Private or public organizations seek
education or technical assistance for themselves or
their employees.
Stakeholders – Federal, state, county, municipal,
corporate and private funders, supporters and
advocates

15. Where Do We Go From Here?
Know Your Organization
State benefits your competitors can’t claim.
• Lack of profit motive makes us affordable
• Unbiased, third-party research makes us
trustworthy
• 101 locations are accessible, locally relevant
• 93-year history shows commitment, long-term
value
• High-touch, personal service

16. Where Do We Go From Here?
Know Your Competition!
• Some competitors represent partnership
opportunities; others do not.
• All summer camps want campers. 4-H may
steer overflow to other camps or vice versa
• Jenny Craig and others use our research, but
do not refer clients for weight loss
• Large commodity growers use our research,
but may send in-house advisors to growers
and producers

17. Where Do We Go From Here?
Promote between programs!
• Our lives, our land and our economy are
interdependent.

18. Where Do We Go From Here?
Promote between programs and counties!
• “If you like this program, you’re bound to love that
program, too!”
• Many residents live, work and travel across
counties. Know and promote border county
programs.
• Residents talk to others. Customers often assume
programs are similar between counties.

19. Where Do We Go From Here?
Offer Superb Customer Service
• Public or private, only organizations that
successfully and consistently deliver the
products and services they offer, time after
time, will thrive.
• Tell customers what they will get, deliver it as
promised and thank them for their business.
Remember, we have three types of
customers.

20. Where Do We Go From Here?
Sell What Makes Extension Different!
Tell old and new clients that Extension offers:
• research-based education and practical
solutions to complex problems,
• for free or at an affordable cost,
• in their own community.
We are unique and good at what we do.
Customers like winners; sell our strengths!

21. Action Steps
• Check out the marketing resources at
www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/resources.html
for ideas, guidance and other tools.
• Learn more about who is interested in your
topic. Read the survey profiles in the Toolkit.
• Learn the revised mission, new goals and
elevator pitches.
• Read the revised Style Manual.

22. Marketing Summary
Marketing encompasses everything from statistical
analysis of your customers and programs to how you
answer the phone and talk about your programs.
Marketing helps your customers find what you have
to offer. Because Extension exists to serve the
people of North Carolina, marketing it part of how we
meet our mission. It’s everyone’s job!