1. RealWorldProblem
The Student Sustainable Farm (SSF) is struggling to engage the University campus resulting in a significantly small
number of volunteers. Volunteers are crucial to the productivity and longevity of the SSF as a natural food source and
an educational setting. From data collected for the SSF’s training needs analysis, it is evident that their Facebook page
and website are not promoting as they should. Farmhands usually have a busy day, so Facebook marketing isn’t their
highest priority. The SSF needs to learn the best­ timely ways to promote the farm through Facebook to not only
boost awareness but to enrich, educate and create lasting connections with others.
WorkshopDescription
This training program is designed to teach Facebook marketing strategies that are proven to be successful. Farmhands
will become familiar with online editing software (Canva, Piktochart, and PicMonkey) and will learn the most effective ways
to post on Facebook. Farmhands will create their post before learning marketing strategies and will test their skills after
by assembling a recipe, narrative, and infographic post. To conclude the program, the farmhands will create an
extensive marketing plan that includes relevant themes, events, promotions, contest, message ideas, and more. The
finished product is a marketing calendar that maps out the visual posts that the SSF will create and share on Facebook.
SessionTitles
​Learn to Create l
> Favorite Homemade Meal
> The “Gap” & The Rundown
> Brainstorm, Share, & Evaluate
> Check Competition & Discuss
> Social Media Marketing Trends
> Framing Your Message
> Post on a Whim & Present
​Plan to Inspire l
> Taking Notes on the Competition
> Content Audit
> #Goals
> How WIll We Measure Success?
> Audience, Who Are the Fans?
> Messages, Themes, & Topics
nnn
​Learn to Create ll
> Recipe Post
> Infographics and More
> Facebook: Free Marketing
> Tell Your Story
​Plan to Inspire ll
> Over the Weekend
> What’s Your Favorite Part?
> Week at a Glance
> Promotions, Contests, & More
> Finalize Calendar
> Plan the First Week
> Wrap it Up!
mmm
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2. SessionTitle:​ ​Learn to Create 1
SessionGoal:​ Review the need for social media marketing and gain a firm
understanding of what marketing trends exists, why they are
successful and implement them at the end of the day.
TheHook:​​Establish the need for social media marketing by reviewing training needs
assessment.
1. Explain the data collection process while the Farmhands review my Training Needs
Assessment portfolio. Explain qualtrics survey and interviews.
2. After they have taken a look, show them the visual : NeedsFindings.pdf and
reiterate the findings, the age groups that know about the SSF, and those that
frequent Facebook.
3. Familiarize Farmhands with the program agenda and how it will achieve increased
student engagement.
Objective1:​Create a post they would “like” prior to learning proven marketing techniques
and evaluate each other’s posts and describe what works and what doesn’t.
KeyPoints:​​1. Brainstorm what a college­aged audience would enjoy
2. Practice creating promotional materials
3. Gain an understanding of what makes posts effective and what doesn’t
CheckforUnderstanding:​The finished product and their level of analysis will serve as an indicator
that they are thinking more critically about promotional posts. (This will also be
a good indicator of what level everyone is on.)
Objective2:​​Identify what other university farms posts and analyze them based on audience
participation and success (Likes & Shares). List observations of what kind of posts
gained more attention and why they think this happened.
KeyPoints:​​1. Partner up and look through Facebook to find what other Univeristy/School Farms
/Gardens post
> I will provide a couple examples to get them started
2. List what works and what doesn’t on the board
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3. 3. Pay attention to the types of posts: original material, shares, reposts, statistics, etc.
CheckforUnderstanding:​Discussion activity based on the information gathered on the board, write
answers on the board. Here I will ask questions like:
­What surprised you?
­What did you see that worked? Why do you think that is?
­What did you see that didn’t work? Why do you think that is?
­What’s one piece of advice you can formulate for the SSF from what you
saw other schools do?
OBjective3:​​Compare the reported social media marketing trends to real­life examples and
recognize the 5 C’s of Messaging and its usefulness in social media posts.
KeyPoints:​​1. Identify the trends with document of top 10 trends I have made (​https://goo.gl/ZU6PPj​)
2. Between trends I will show real life examples and ask if farmhands know any.
3. Share the 5 C’s Clear, Connect, Compelling, Concise, and Continual (Show Infographic)
CheckforUnderstanding:​ Visual assessment of facial expressions and general interest while
teaching trends. Additional plans include actively asking for Farmhands to
share any examples they have seen used before. Also ask questions
like “Where have you seen this before?” & “How can the SSF use
this trend?”
Applicationofsessiongoal:​​After learning marketing trends, tips, and useful messaging guidelines,
Farmhands will be instructed to create a post. They will have to create a
short video or picture that they believe represent the farm. Messages must
follow the 5 C’s. After they've finished creating, they will present their posts
and explain their approach and why they think it would succeed on Facebook.
RealWorldAction:​​Instruct farmhands to jot down significant observations they see on social media while
they are away. They may also keep track of marketing ideas they might ponder.
To start the next workshop, they will think of one or two foods grown on the farm
that they would consider their favorite.
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4. SessionTitle:​ ​Learn to Create ll
SessionGoal:​​Practice creating different types of social media posts, learn to create
infographics, professional­looking promotional posts, and understand how to use Facebook
for a successful marketing plan.
TheHook:​​Last session they left with the instruction to think of a favorite food item
or two that the SSF produces. Now they will create a recipe post as a warmup activity.
1. They will look up a recipe that incorporates their favorite ingredient(s).
2. They must find a recipe that is doable for a college student (economical, timely,
and made with everyday kitchen tools).
3. This will include an effective message and quality visual.
Objective1:​​Demonstrate ability to use Canva or Piktochart after a quick tutorial. Projects will be
picked at random.
KeyPoints:​​1. Teach Farmhands exactly how to use Canva and Piktochart to create social media posts
> Upload photo, text, decorative graphics, alignment, eyedropper tool
2. Give examples of creative social media posts, posters, and infographics
> Show infographics people have prepared (most of my material)
CheckforUnderstanding:​ After learning, farmhands will pick a card from a hat that will be a
message or instructions for an infographic. They will present after.
Messages/Instructions include ;
> You Have a Farm!
> Create an infographic poster for the first upcoming quad day sale!
> Come Get Your Hands Dirty!
> Organic Farming: Come See How it’s Really Done!
> Create an infographic explaining the steps to pack lettuce to
ensure longer­lasting freshness.
> Create an infographic for ways to eat/cook Kale, Spinach or
Arugula.
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5.
Objective2:​ Collaboratively build a new SSF page under the UIUC main Facebook page and apply
newly developed marketing skills and Facebook marketing approaches.
KeyPoints:​​1. All links will be put onto an annotated bibliography for easy reference and will be
shared virtually with every farmhand. (We will have a shared google doc. Folder
for resource materials, visuals, etc.)
2. Why is facebook useful? It’s where the audience is.
3. Best times: posts made in the morning and off the hour get the most attention.
4. Post a variety of material (pictures, videos, fun facts, recipes, etc.)
5. Use quality images. PicMonkey is a free online image editor.
6. Write captions that involve the audience. Share a story, teach your audience!
7. Mention other pages and get involved in campus community virtually.
CheckforUnderstanding:​Each member will then create a cover photo that shows the farm in each
season, Halloween, and winter holidays. This will show their proficiency with
Canva/Piktochart. This will also have them thinking about their audience and
what message they're sending.
OBjective3:​Describe background and plans for the future and find a quote that tells a little bit
about themselves. Create a post with a headshot or existing quality visual.
KeyPoints:​​1. All asked to write 150 words about themselves. Where they came from, how they
got to the farm, and where they aspire to go in life.
2. I will take headshots with my Nikon and upload them to the folder for them.
3. After writing their short autobiography, I will ask them to find a quote that
describes them.
CheckforUnderstanding:​ The finished product will be an indicator of how well they can create
posts. They will share their stories and will provide feedback to one
another.
Applicationofsessiongoal:​​Now that Farmhands know how to make a variety of media posts and have
gained more insight into Facebook marketing, we will create a new group for
the SSF under the UIUC school group page. After it has been established,
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6. the farmhands will work together to fill in the information, doing this with
their audience in mind and attach a relevant cover photo.
RealWorldAction:​ Here I will explain that the next two sessions will be about planning! I will give them
a handout asking them to brainstorm an idea for a holiday, promotion, and event.
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7. SessionTitle:​ ​Plan to Inspire 1
SessionGoal:​ Day one of Plan to Inspire plans to implement marketing knowledge
gained. We will assess existing SSF promotional material, write attainable
goals, and identify who is the target audience.
TheHook:​​Farmhands will begin the day with an activity to determine what time and
what type of social media post is most successful when it comes to their
competitors. We will discuss the findings after their investigations.
Objective1:​​Analyze the SSF’s existing posts and determine their potential success
based on detailed observations of competitors and knowledge of current marketing trends.
KeyPoints:​​1. Partner up and go through the SSF’s existing social media profiles
> They have a facebook, twitter, instagram, and website
2. Take note of which posts worked and which didn’t
> Indicate how they’re judging success
3. Save successful posts, quality images & videos to shared google doc. folder
CheckforUnderstanding:​ We will look through the saved posts and this will determine whether they
are grasping the idea of what makes effective marketing. A discussion will
give them time to share what they have noticed and will get them
brainstorming about potential goals.
Objective2:​​Write in­depth and attainable goals for the SSF’s new market strategy based on
observations and new marketing knowledge.
KeyPoints:​​1. Work together to create goals that will work with the campus community
> These should be in­depth and attainable
2. Must be meaningful to the SSF and its values
CheckforUnderstanding:​ Discuss what success looks like and develop a measurement tool to reach that
goal. Is it an increase in volunteers? Is it an increase in page likes?
OBjective3:​Identify the SSF’s target audience by drawing a picture of the SSF’s biggest fan and
later provide a well­detailed description of your reasoning.
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8. KeyPoints:​​1. I will hand out a blank piece of paper and some colored pencils and will ask
them to draw the SSF’s biggest fan.
2. This is meant to get them brainstorming about who the audience is, who they are
trying to reach and how to reach them.
CheckforUnderstanding:​ At the end, we will discuss why they think their person is the biggest fan
and how we could reach them. This will get them thinking about the goals we
set and how we can achieve them by targeting the right audience.
Applicationofsessiongoal:​​Generate marketing themes based on important dates and relevant traditions.
Generate as many ideas as possible, all of them will be useful. Everyone will
receive a blank calendar (paper/virtual) and will begin marking down important
dates such as birthday’s planting day’s, quad day’s, holidays and more. Each
farmhand will get two months (warmer and colder) and will be asked to
brainstorm a potential marketing theme(s).
> Ex. In October they can share fall recipes and diy halloween decorations
RealWorldAction:​ In order to have a successful plan, the SSF needs a strong team. I will send them
off by asking them to brainstorm what their favorite part of marketing is. Is it
taking photo’s, writing messages, or designing promotional posts? The SSF needs
each farmhand to step up and own a part in the marketing!
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9.
SessionTitle:​ ​Plan to Inspire 11
SessionGoal:​ The last day of Learn to Create, Plan to Inspire serves as a day
of planning. Farmhands will brainstorm types of posts, events,
promotions, traditions, contests, themes that can be added to their
strategic marketing schedule.
TheHook:​​I will ask them to share any new ideas or observations noticed over the
weekend that could be relevant to the SSF’s marketing success. After, I will ask which
aspect of marketing they most enjoy? I will add that “mine are to design promotional posts
and infographics, edit images and video, and write titles or short phrases”
Objective1:​ List off different types of media posts and describe a way the SSF could use it. It is
important to keep the goals and target audience in mind.
KeyPoints:​​1. In order to plan an effective schedule we need variety and consistency
2. Ideas must be generated with the target audience in mind
3. Together we will determine which combination of posts to try out and decide what time
of day would be most appropriate
CheckforUnderstanding:​ After gathering ideas we will start to plan the week ahead. This will be done
in a collaborative way to ensure everyone’s input is being heard. All decisions
are being made with goals and audience in mind.
Objective2:​​Generate ideas for successful promotions, contests, events, and more and add them to the
calendar under an appropriate theme.
KeyPoints:​​1. We will start by sharing past promotions we’ve seen and/or taken part in
2. Brainstorm what how­to classes they would attend
3. Ask everyone to write down diy ideas that could be turned into mini events
4. Think about the cost and time it will take to prepare all events/ promotions
CheckforUnderstanding:​ Vote on mini events and together decide what events could go where and
add them to the calendar under an appropriate theme.
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10.
OBjective3:​ Critically evaluate the existing social media marketing calendar and decide if revisions are
needed. Determine whether the posts brainstormed will represent the values and beliefs
of the SSF.
KeyPoints:​​1. Partner up and critically evaluate the schedule. How can the SSF’s image alter to fit the
theme better?
2. Add more information where it is necessary
CheckforUnderstanding:​An activity will wrap up their planning. After break the partners will go
through and catalogue design elements used by the SSF. This will include font
styles, sizes, colors, and anything else to keep the image constant through the
schedule. This is meant to choose the permanent image of the SSF.
Applicationofsessiongoal:​​Time to simulate how things will take place. Farmhands will be told it’s the
next week, they must stick to the marketing strategy and create the post. If
it’s an in­the­action shot they will team up with another group. This will give
them the opportunity to combine skills learned during training and use given
tools to create their designated post for the week ahead.
RealWorldAction:​ To conclude the training program I will thank everyone. We will then take a group
photo and post it to the newly made Facebook page. This serves as the start to a
diverse, detailed, and well­planned marketing schedule En.courage them to
follow­through and spread awareness of the SSF on Facebook to increase
campus awareness and engagement.
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