Public Relations Proposal: Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm

RC Communications
March 6, 2019

Contact team member: Rachel Corry, Founder and Executive Leader

Email: rachelcorry12@gmail.com or Phone: 850-567-1238

This Public Relations Proposal, prepared by RC Communications, has been created

exclusively for use by Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm.
About RC Communications

Mission statement

RC Communications is an agency providing Public Relations services through

comprehensive research, dedication and analysis. We specialize in health communication,
environmental communication, nonprofit communication and crisis management. Based in
Tallahassee, FL with an expansive national reach, RC Communications takes pride in
creating sustainable public awareness and change for our partners.

Organizational History

The RC Communications team includes talented members with diverse educational

backgrounds, experiences and skillsets. Members have expertise from positions as digital
creatives, account managers, investigative journalists, environmental advocates, nonprofit
communications strategy and corporate brand creators. Our main firm is located in
Tallahassee, FL with eighteen staff members and seven executives. We also have a firm
located in Asheville, NC and a firm located in Greenville, SC.

Experience

Since its start in 2017, RC Communications has successfully completed thirty full PR
campaigns as well as over one hundred specific marketing requests. We have partnered as
the PR liaison with environmental organizations like Audubon Society, health companies
like HCA and locally geared farms like Orchard Pond Organics. Marketing pieces by our
team include logo designs, infographics, videos, websites, interactive exhibits, posters,
media content and merchandise designs. At the core of RC Communications is our
emphasis on sustainability, in which we value promoting positive community change and
awareness through our strategic communication techniques.

Relevance to Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm

We believe the RC Communications philosophy and specialization is a prime fit for

partnering with Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm. As a permaculture-based organic farm
with active community involvement, this family-run farm is the ideal embodiment of
sustainability. As the PR liaison, RC Communications would engage in competitive,
innovative tactics to increase public awareness and excitement toward the farm. As always,
our focus on the value of sustainability will be at the forefront of our partnership with
Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm as they connect more actively with current and
prospective consumer markets.

Executive Summary
As requested by Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm in Boone, NC, this Public
Relations Proposal has been created to effectively initiate and maintain a PR strategy for
Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm.
 The following analysis features research-based key findings that RC
Communications will use to outline a unique, comprehensive PR campaign. According to
our research, the three key target audiences are young adults in the twenty to thirty age
range who live in Boone, NC or other neighboring towns, nearby and distant high schools
and colleges, and local market and business owners who can support the farm growth.
Woodland Harvest Mountain must expand its communication network by engaging in
public outreach through social media usage, face to face interaction and group connections.
As market demand for organic food and farm fresh products steadily continues to
grow, Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm is in an optimal position to increase sales,
community involvement and public interest in their mission. Through a contractual
partnership, RC Communications will assist Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm in every
phase of a PR campaign by directing all marketing efforts, public image updates and event
promotions.

Situation Analysis

After conducting thorough research and analysis, RC Communications has

determined the following circumstances and situation affecting Woodland Harvest
Mountain Farm.

Trends or Issues in the Industry

Currently, organic farming is a rising trend in the agricultural industry. According to

the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales totaled $49.4 billion in 2017, a 6.4
percent increase from organic food sales in 2016. Organic non-food sales totaled $4.2
billion in 2017, a 7.4 percent increase from organic non-food sales in 2016. Thus,
supermarkets and local grocery stores are increasingly seeking to supply nutritious, USDA
organic certified food as organic sales continue rapid increase rates in 2019. As demand
rises for organic, sustainably grown food and products, farmers must reevaluate their
current system of production or continue their organic production with greater public
outreach. For Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm, it is the optimal time to capitalize on
growing demand for organic products. The farm’s bountiful harvests of fruit and produce
are extremely relevant and beneficial to effective marketing due to the state of market
demand. RC Communications will propose diverse, mindful communication strategies to
increase public awareness and target this growing demand toward Woodland Harvest
Mountain Farm food and non-food organic products.
Frequently, organic farming methods have shown to be somewhat more expensive
than more traditional “big agriculture” farming methods. These expenses require extensive
public outreach and consequential support to continue supporting the organic farming
methods over big agriculture methods. By partnering with RC Communications, Woodland
Harvest Mountain would gain increased public awareness and dedication; this in turn
contributes to community desire to support the farm financially and functionally. When
consumers are directly involved with Woodland Harvest via public events, samples and
presentations at markets, social media updates and interactive visits, they are much more
likely to make key donations or purchases from the farm.
 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is also becoming a trend in many towns
and cities in the U.S. This arrangement connects purchasers directly to local farmers and
often supports organic, sustainable farming practices. Usually on a weekly basis, farmers
offer certain combinations of fresh, seasonal food to customers for purchase. Vegetables,
eggs and cheese are traditional components of the weekly supply, but meat, bread and
flowers are becoming more common as well. RC Communications has partnered with three
CSA-participating farms in Greenville and two in Tallahassee, including Orchard Pond
Organics and Turkey Hill Farm. Joining a CSA program in Boone, NC would likely benefit
Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm in its relationship to purchasers as well as its overall
farm functioning. RC Communications is well-informed and enthusiastic to assist Woodland
Harvest in marketing their decision to take part in a CSA effort.
Growing concern toward the use of fertilizers and pesticides reflects a societal trend
toward more environmental awareness and consciousness of human impact. Issues
regarding environmental degradation are gaining urgency in news articles, television
shows, documentaries, national conferences and magazines. Major environmental
problems related to large scale agriculture include air pollution, soil degradation,
agricultural runoff, water waste and mechanical tools’ inefficiency. More frequently, local
farms are beginning to move away from large scale agricultural practices that damage the
earth in such ways. Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm would benefit from RC
Communications services to draw public attention and excitement toward its passionate
dedication to sustainable farming methods.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

Community engagement
 There is already some local interest in Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm, with over
forty volunteers revisiting the farm annually since 2015.
o RC Communications would help advance this local interest to action through
strategic PR efforts to encourage purchasing farm food and products.
 Four neighboring farms have offered to participate in larger scale agricultural
practices and expand food production.
o RC Communications will offer comprehensive communication services to
neighboring farms on the basis that Woodland Harvest enters a partnership
with them in committing to engaging with the public.
 Donations from local organizations and companies are common, including Blue
Ridge Women in Agriculture and High Country Local First.
 Traveling farmers, high school and college groups frequently volunteer at Woodland
Harvest Mountain Farm; they tend to keep in close contact with the farm and want
to help support its success.
o RC Communications will optimize on this network with volunteers and
traveling farmers for expanding public outreach regarding the farm.
Market support
 Nearby farmers markets have inquired about buying produce, fruit, cheese and meat
from Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm, including King Street Farmers’ Market and
High Country Farmers Market.
o RC Communications has numerous innovative ideas for marketing strategies
that are ideal for a farmers market setting.
 Markets and grocery stores in Boone and throughout North Carolina tend to value
locally grown, organic food options.
o Be Natural Market, Earth Fare and Lowes Foods within 30 miles of the farm
all show substantial demand for organic food supply.
 Partnerships between local farms and grocery markets or stores are common in the
area where Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm is located.
 Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm meets consumer’ expectations for more farm
fresh, organic food.
o RC Communications will consistently update consumers on Woodland
Harvest’s seasonal organic food offerings and create their public image as a
sustainably sourced, family run farm.

Environmental impact
 Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm is dedicated to a system of permaculture, in
which the farming ecosystem is sustainable and self-sufficient.
o This permaculture will be a central tenant of the marketing strategy
incorporated in RC Communications efforts regarding the farm on all social
media and public information platforms.
 Surrounding water systems are clean and unpolluted due to absence of fertilizer,
pesticide, and fungicide use at nearby farms.
 Soil at the farm is nutrient-full and abundant with microorganisms for more crops.
 Limited use of wasteful irrigation, inefficient mechanical tools and chemical
spreading has ensured the future health of Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm.

Weaknesses:

Expenses
 Larger scale organic practices will be required for Woodland Harvest Mountain
Farm to expand food supply; this results in higher monetary costs.
o RC Communications knows from experience via partnership with Orchard
Pond Organics in Tallahassee that this transition of growth is much smoother
with a PR liaison and consequential public support.
 Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm will need to pay for more farming insurance
options or protective methods in case of crop failure.
 Engaging with the community regularly may include hosting more groups or
participating in more public events, which requires increased monetary expenses.
 o RC Communications will publicize these events to attain high turnouts and
implement creative methods to present donation opportunities for farming
uses at the events.
 Traditionally, Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm operates on a fairly low budget for
marketing efforts due to its focus on family self-sufficiency.
o Current expenditures at the farm on potatoes or apples can be reduced, as
these have shown to decrease in market value by 18 percent recently.

Excessive Demand
 Currently, Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm food supply is inadequate for the
existing high consumer demand for organic food in nearby markets.
o Through its partnership with Orchard Pond Organics and Turkey Hill Farm in
Tallahassee, RC Communications can support the farm through this
transition to meet demand by engaging in increased public outreach to
increase donations and volunteer involvement toward the farm growth.
 The farm must increase production to meet demand while maintaining its
permaculture system and sustainable principles.
 High demand must be met in a timely manner and in response to market requests
for certain food types.
o RC Communications will provide a thorough communication transaction
process where the farm can gain access to consumer insights on food types in
high demand at different moments in time.

Transportation to Markets
 Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm must determine a method to best transport food
to nearby markets, grocery stores and/or CSA participants.
 Transportation in excess of forty miles from the farm plus additional shelf time
potentially lowers the quality or aesthetic of crops and products.
 Transportation requires more funding changes and allocation of appropriate budget
share previously dedicated to other significant endeavors.
o At Orchard Pond Organics, RC Communications has seen that farmers
delivering food in off times is an effective transportation option.

Opportunities:
 There is a supportive farming community and consistent demand for farm fresh
food and products.
 Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm has a strong list of existing contacts, particularly
of farmers, local growers and volunteers.
o With access to these existing contacts, RC Communications will take public
engagement to the next step and create a lasting public image for the farm.
 There are existing farming networks that Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm has
contacts to receive advice and further market involvement.
 40% of the farmland at Woodland Harvest is available for further development and
planting crops.
  Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm already has unique products like lip balm,
candles, essential oils, tie dye shirts, and bracelets to sell.
o These unique products are marketable and relevant to social media posts
that RC Communications can create in a visually appealing, informative style.

Threats:
 Demand may rise and fall seasonally, presenting a challenge to Woodland Harvest
Mountain Farm’s budget flow and allocation of resources.
o RC Communications is flexible, tuned into public trends and responsive to
change; marketing strategies will be modified based on demand trends.
 Winter storms, snow and other severe weather conditions can damage crops and
disrupt shares available to the public.
 Without volunteer engagement from traveling farmers, high school and college
groups, Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm would be severely lacking in natural
building efforts and crop variety.
o Social media engagement and public outreach maintained by RC
Communications will strive to keep volunteer contributions steady.
 Neighboring farms may resist increasing foot traffic, transportation, public visits
and noise resulting from expanding production and marketing initiatives at
Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm.

Strategic Plan

Target Audiences

RC Communications identifies three key target audiences for Woodland Harvest

Mountain Farm to focus marketing efforts toward. First, young adults in the twenty to
thirty age range who live in Boone, NC or other neighboring towns such as Wilkesboro,
Blowing Rock, Sylva and Banner Elk. Second, nearby and distant high schools and colleges
that can visit the farm including Appalachian State University, Duke, Florida State
University, Wake Forest University and University of Georgia. Third, local market and
business owners who can support the farm growth. This includes the nearby Food Lion,
Earth Fare and Be Natural Market.

Objectives

Objective 1: Increase consumer purchases at farmers’ markets and grocery stores by $500
per month by August 2019.
Objective 2: Increase business and nonprofit organization orders by $600 per month by
September 2019.
Objective 3: Incorporate two new biweekly interactive activities at the farm by June 2019.

Strategies and Tactics

Strategy 1: Promote Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm to the public at Farmers Markets,
such as King Street Farmers’ Market and High Country Farmers Market.

Tactic 1.1: Engage in meaningful communication with customers by sharing the Woodland
Harvest’s story, values, permaculture system and opportunities for volunteering.
Tactic 1.2: Offer fresh samples of food produced at the farm for consumers to taste as they
shop, including fruit, produce and cheese.
Tactic 1.3: Collaborate with neighboring farms and/or business owners at farmers markets
to draw larger crowds and initiate an interconnected network.

Strategy 2: Schedule biweekly free tours and events at Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm.

Tactic 2.1: Visit, email and call members of the three key target audiences to personally
invite them to upcoming events and free tours at the farm.
Tactic 2.2: Collaborate with partnering farms and business owners to invite their followers
to participate in a biweekly event or support the farm at markets.
Tactic 2.3: When events are schedule, send updates and reminders about what to expect
and bring to the event at Woodland Harvest.

Sample Promotional Material for High School

& College Trips to Woodland Harvest

Strategy 3: Update all social media channels and

post more frequently.

Tactic 3.1: Maintain a consistent social media

presence on Instagram and Facebook that will
showcase photos and videos taken at the farm,
stories about farmers, and prioritization of
sustainability.
Tactic 3.2: Inquire to local media outlets like
The Mountain Times and High Country News to
kickstart community awareness and interest in
Woodland Harvest.
Tactic 3.3: Post on the website’s calendar
regularly and share stores of different groups
and individuals visiting and supporting the
farm.

Tentative Timeline

April:
 Cleanup and update Facebook and Instagram accounts and post at least three times
weekly.
 Add an Instagram story at least twice a week with employee and volunteer profiles
  Determine foods to be sampled over the next five months at farmers markets
 Check that website and social media content are consistent, including farm location
contact information and mission.

May:
 Continue posting at least three times weekly on Facebook and Instagram, include
posts from farmers market interactions.
 Create profiles of business owners and neighboring farms who partner from
Woodland Harvest onto the website.
 Update the website calendar and host first reoccurring biweekly activity at the farm
 Start offering samples of different freshly harvested foods at farmers markets

June:
 Continue posting at least three times weekly on Facebook and Instagram, include
posts from first monthly activity at the farm
 Offer samples of different freshly harvested foods at the farmers markets
 Add website photos of farmers markets, first biweekly activity and group visits.
 Encourage customers to take part in an Instagram story poll about which foods they
would most like to sample and buy

July:
 Post four times weekly on Facebook and Instagram with photos and boomerangs.
 Provide samples of two to three new foods at the farmers markets according to
Instagram poll responses.
 Update any new business owner or organizational supporters’ profiles to the
website and tag them in social media posts.
 Continue biweekly activities/events and remind target audiences on social media.

August:
 Continue the biweekly activities and incorporate a new activity.
 Post at least four times weekly on Facebook and Instagram, including a variety of
posts about events and people visiting Woodland Harvest
 Provide samples of three to four new foods at the farmers market
 Inquire to media outlets and request coverage on
upcoming events and Woodland Harvest story.

Sample Facebook Post

We are stewards of the land. We grow and sustain our

food and energy, offer teaching and learning
opportunities to build personal and community resilience,
and help build bartering networks to manifest resources
within and throughout our communities. Come join us this
weekend for our workshop on natural building!
September:
 Continue providing samples of three to four different foods at the farmers markets
 Post four times weekly on Facebook and Instagram, including local media stories
recently released about the farm and new events and participating groups
 Continue hosting biweekly activities, promoting on social media and the website.
 Final campaign evaluation

Budget

Budget expenses will include educational materials for group tours, monthly
activities, food samples, promotional items and media outreach practices. An estimated
budget is a flat fee of $5,000 for a six month period of services. This flat fee is most efficient
and strategic for Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm budget allocation because it allows the
farm to plan far in advance for its spending and make financial adjustments based on a
fixed rate.

Acceptance

Thank you for the opportunity to explore a partnership. We look forward to hearing
back from you and continuing communication efforts. Please contact Rachel Corry at
rachelcorry12@gmail.com or 850-567-1238 for any questions or concerns.

By signing below, you confirm your acceptance of this Public Relations Proposal and
commit to a contract with RC Communications as your PR liaison.

Client: Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm

Boone, NC
Representative: Lisa Redman

Signature: ___________________________________________

Printed Name: ___________________________________________

Date: ___________________________________________