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Data-Driven Messaging to EffectivelyTell your Market’s Story

A workshop incorporating your market's mission, goals, and impact into effective promotions using FMC’s Farmers

Market Metrics data collection and communication protocols

National Direct Ag Marketing Summit September 2018

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Who is FMC?

FMC’s mission is to “strengthen farmers marketsfor the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities.”

Is your state a state partner? We’re 41 states and growing!

https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/joinus/membership/

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Outline for today’s session

• Why should your market do this?

• How to choose the data your market collects and why?

• How to leverage help and foster understanding of data collection

• Review of the Data Collection Method Packets

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Why should your market do this?

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What should a data collection system do?

• Effectively tell your Market’s story

• Improve Programs and Operations

• Streamline Grant Reporting and Record Keeping

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How does Metrics do this?

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How does Metrics do this?

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How to choose the data your market collects and why?

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Today’s Exercise:

Why is your market collecting data? Today we’re focusing on telling your market’s story, but be sure to go home and review this with other market leadership.

• Tell your Market’s story

• Improve Programs and Operations

• Streamline Grant Reporting and Record Keeping

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___________________________________ ____________________________________ __________________________________ ___________________________________ ____________________________________ __________________________________ ___________________________________ ____________________________________ __________________________________

Metrics Audience Exercises

Directions: The Metrics audience exercise is designed to help you think critically about the purpose, audience, and goals of your data collection. Complete the exercises below to gain a complete understanding of ….

1. Stakeholder Spectrum: In the table below, list any groups, individuals or stakeholders with whom your market interacts. These stakeholders may be supportive of the market, detractors of the market, or somewhere on the spectrum in between. List promoters along the left, detractors along the right, and any neutral or slightly skeptical/lightly supportive stakeholders in the center. Stakeholders may include neighbors of the market, vendors, nearby businesses, Facebook followers, church congregations, public officials, local schools, hospitals, community groups, etc.

3. Capital Assessment: The chart below shows how data can be broken up into types of capital; different capital impacts helps to show the range of benefits a market brings to their communities. Which type of capital would be most attractive to the audiences you identified above? Write them down here.

2. Influence Assessment: The chart below helps to distinguish what type of communication you should keep with your different audiences. Some require active engagement, while other may only need passive monitoring. Write your audiences into the appropriate box for their interest (good or bad) and their influence.

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Metrics Selection Sheet

Directions: The Metrics Selection Sheet is the control sheet for all the work you did above. First, write the Audience Name in the grey box, circle the capital types they would in influenced by, and list the metrics themselves on the dotted lines. Keep this sheet readily available to remind your team of the goals of this data collection project.

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How to leverage help and foster understanding of data collection

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Market Community Awareness and Volunteer Post

Directions: These sample texts can be used at your market to help spread awareness of your data collection season, as well as

Market Community Awareness and Volunteer Post

Dear Market Community,

The _________________ Farmers Market will be conducting evaluation at the market this season. This will assist us in making the case for support for the market with current users, help expand funding and awareness, and offer some data for our own internal analysis.

We will be sharing a list of metrics and seeking volunteers to assist in these efforts over the season. Data collection will include two to four days of surveying, and/or counting visitors and products. Check out the Metrics information on the Farmers Market Coalition’s site for more information.

If you are interested in assisting with our project, please contact ________________ at _________________.

See you at the market!

Sincerely,

__________________________

Things to Consider: Notes:

• Revisit your Metrics Audience Worksheet; are there any audiences that would be suitable for asking or volunteers?

• Consider seeking out church groups, scout troops, and other social groups that may have volunteering as part of their normal activities.

• High school and college students often are required to collect volunteer hours as part of their school curriculum.

• aaa

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Vendor Awareness Letter

Directions: This sample text can be used at your market to help make your vendors aware of your data collection season, and the reasons why it’s important for them to engage honestly and completely with the project. Try to make your vendors aware as soon as possible, preferably before the start of the season

Vendor Awareness Letter

Dear _______ Farmers Market vendors,As we busily prepare for what we hope will be the best farmers market season ever, we are excited to share with you some good news.

The _________ Farmers Market is using Farmers Market Metrics, which is designed to help farmers markets understand and communicate their impacts. We will be collecting information from our visitors as well as our vendors, helping us understand more about your business, which, in turn, will help us to better support your operations.

This season, you may see some surveys being conducted at market, though they should be short and not interfere with the flow of customer traffic in any way. We hope to learn valuable information about our customers and our market’s overall impact that we will certainly share with you as the project progresses. Additionally, you will be asked certain questions on a small number of topics, including things like farm acreage (if applicable), gross sales at market, or the number of crops and varieties you offer for sale.Why are we asking for this information? We take for granted the significant economic and social benefits that our market offers the community, but not everyone sees it this way. As the market continues to grow, we may compete for space, parking, and the right to be taken seriously by the people who make decisions about how land is used and municipal and state policies are made. We need to better articulate the role this market plays in our economy and community if we want to see it thrive, and we can only do that accurately with your help.

We want to assure you that any information you provide is confidential and will be compiled into aggregate statistics. No individual business information will be released without written consent from the owner.Your cooperation, accuracy, and honesty in responding to any surveys this season is critical to helping this market understand its impacts and communicate its value to potential partners and funders. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and look forward to working with you to make this year the best season yet.Please stay tuned for further updates on this project and how you can help.

Sincerely,

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Review of the Data Collection Method Packets

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Each Data Collection Method Packet includes the following:

1. Instructions for planning and implementing your data collection.

2. A data collection prep exercise.

3. Metrics data collection worksheet.

4. Blank copies of the corresponding Metrics widgets for use in posting to social media.

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Ways to use Metrics effectively

Ways to use data effectively

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Special offer for Workshop Attendees

As a Workshop Attendee at the Direct Ag Summit, you have the opportunity to receive a free one-year

subscription to Farmers Market Metrics.

Directions:1. By September 30th, 2018, email metrics@farmersmarketcoalition.org expressing your interest in a free

Metrics subscription for the 2019 season.2. Complete at least two visitor counts using Metrics methodology by July 15th, 2019.3. Photograph/screenshot the completed visitor count worksheet and widget (shown below), and email to

metrics@farmersmarketcoalition.org by July 15th, 2019.

Be sure to mention your participation in the Direct Ag Summit for free access.

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Learn more about FMC and Metrics

Learn more at www.farmersmarketmetrics.guide