SALINAS, CA - Sitting down with Karen Nardozza and her team at Moxxy Marketing, I quickly shift from thinking “more companies in fresh produce need a marketing plan,” to realizing everyone already has one, just that some are stronger than others.

“A common misconception is that developing a marketing plan is a one-time process to create another binder to be put on the shelf,” Karen explains. “What’s most effective is conducting a periodic, strategic thought process, resulting in a living, breathing road map for your marketing activities that is regularly reviewed and updated.”

Nothing solidifies this statement more than Karen’s list covering the key points a business should know before tackling its marketing plan. This advice can be directly applied when looking for opportunities and responses to our current disruptions due to COVID-19—and the article is from May of 2018.

“Ironically, sound planning practices could be even more relevant during periods of great change and uncertainty, than they even were when I first wrote them,” Karen reflects as we go over the list together, touching on how integral marketing is to crisis navigation of any form.

A few of the most applicable, and the most critical, include:

The process is as important as the plan...

“While the plan itself should be short, you need to be willing to spend some time developing it. Leaders and managers with roles in the implementation of various parts of the plan should be involved. This is an effective way to get team buy-in, build consensus, and get your staff working together,” Karen writes. She advises a group meeting with facilitators from outside the company, encouraging unbiased thinking and providing objective marketing expertise.

Reference it regularly...

As we covered initially, a plan should be used and reviewed on an ongoing basis. Further, Karen suggests monthly or quarterly team meetings to assess progress and success.

It’s meant to be updated...

“Your plan should keep you and your team focused, preventing you from chasing every new marketing opportunity that presents itself. However, it’s not meant to be a static document. Situations change, additional information becomes available, and some random opportunities turn out to be truly too good to pass up,” Karen reminds us.

Our industry and the businesses that serve it are dynamic and fluid, and any strategy must be the same—marketing or otherwise. This is the thought Karen leaves me with as we look to the next chapter of the latest challenge fresh produce providers must take on.

Moxxy Marketing