Teaching Marketing to Coffee Producers in Myanmar

By -

From June 15 to 26, 2020, F2F Volunteer William S. Nichols completed a Marketing and Branding assignment with the Hopone Coffee Cluster under the Myanmar Coffee Association. He trained its affiliated producers to use marketing strategies and branding to expand their consumer network and improve their coffee promotion. There were 27 participants; 18 men and nine women who work as managers, community facilitators, marketing staff, processors, etc. The training included an introduction to marketing, promotion, negotiation skills, branding, and finding prospective new customers. 

The Hopone Coffee Cluster is comprised of four companies/cooperatives: Green Gold, Indigo Mountain, Mudra and Naung Kham Kaung Ron since December 2018. The objective of the Hopone Coffee Cluster is to produce high quality, unique and natural coffee and share market information with its affiliated members. 

F2F Volunteer Bill Nichols has more than 30 years of experience teaching and working in marketing management, strategic planning, and consulting in many countries in America, Asia, and Africa. He is the founder of Nichols Consulting, which provides coaching, mentoring, and capacity building assistance to small and medium enterprises and non-profit organizations worldwide. He has completed almost 60 F2F assignments and has been in Myanmar several times, volunteering for the F2F program and sharing his experience.


The volunteer provided live lectures through Zoom, held question and answers sessions with the full group, and assigned homework exercises to teach them about the features and benefits of conveying their marketing message, how to create and deliver a one-minute (elevator) sales pitch, and how to employ the four Ps of marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. He also taught them negotiation skills, how to find prospective new customers and about branding. 

At the end of the assignment, the participants had become better marketers and did not see themselves solely as farmers. They had also learned how and why to build a stronger brand image, which will result in an increase in customer activity and consequently, in sales.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case ...
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017....
Read more

Supporting Anti-Child Labor Projects in Ecuador and Panama

By -
Image
EducaFuturo is a program currently being implemented by Partners of the Americas in Ecuador and Panama. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), EducaFuturo seeks to combat child labor in both countries through educational programs, vocational training, and livelihood services. F2F has partnered with EducaFuturo on numerous occasions over the past 5 years, sending 7 volunteers to support their efforts in improving the educational outcomes of youth involved in child labor, while also increasing the income opportunities of households to reduce reliance on child labor. Volunteers have provided training on a range of topics, including sustainable production practices, processing, business management, and marketing. In January 2016, F2F volunteer Carmen Pacheco-Borden traveled to Panama to work with native Ngabe-Bugle women’s groups in the tomato farming communities of Hato Chami and Boca de Monte to make value-added products from their harvests and consequently increase their hous...
Read more