Biz Info: Marketing/Marketing channels

	Home
	Spotlight
	Quick Links
	Contact and Resources

How Will You Sell Your Product or Service?

Marketing is an essential part of running a business. Careful planning and thorough understanding of your chosen marketplace is key to developing a successful marketing strategy.

The type of business that you are in and the customers that you are targeting will largely dictate how you market your product or service. It is up to you to find your niche, or specialty, and position yourself in that market.

While developing your marketing strategy, consider the features and benefits of your product or service as compared to that of your competitors. Think about your customer base and develop promotional and marketing tools that target this base. While keeping your customer and market in mind, consider a pricing strategy that reflects the attributes of your product or service. This pricing strategy will then convey to your customer whether your product or service is high-end, moderately priced or inexpensive.

Marketing Plan
Have You Prepared a Marketing Plan?

Marketing Plan - The Royal Bank outline will assist in building a marketing plan
Marketing Plan - Frequently Asked Questions - Answers to common questions about market trends and links to further information from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Developing a Marketing Plan - This Canada Business Network site provides information on the development of a marketing plan

Marketing Options
What Are Your Marketing Options?

Marketing Products - Frequently Asked Questions - Frequently asked questions from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development regarding how to sell a product, direct marketing and brokers
Farm Direct Marketing for Rural Producers - This factsheet discusses some of the basic components and strategies of farm direct marketing agricultural products and services
Marketing Basics - This guide from the Business Canada will help you brush up on key marketing concepts, learn how to develop a marketing plan, and assess strategic marketing options for your company
Managing for Business Success - Marketing and Sales - This Canada Business Network site provides links to further information about marketing and sales

Promotion
How Will People Find Out About Your Product?

Developing a Promotional Plan - This factsheet from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development discusses some of the essential components used to develop a promotional plan such as creating an image, developing promotional products and monitoring your promotional plan
Business Basics for Alberta Food Processors - Promotion - Although this factsheet focuses on food processors the key elements discussed such as public relations, advertising and sales promotion apply to any new entrepreneur that is promoting a product or service
Build Your Network: Reaching Out for Support and Advice (Step Eight) - Determining whether you will benefit more from a business network or a mentor depends on your individual situation. This factsheet in the series of eight is designed to help you evaluate the feasibility of starting a new agricultural or rural based business.
Your Sell Sheet - This factsheet will help business owners create promotional information about their products or services in the format of a one-page 'sell sheet'.

E-Business
How Can the Internet Help Your Business Grow?

Is E-business for small business? - This website describes some of the aspects of E-business and how it can help your business grow.
E-Business, security, privacy and Legal requirements - This website outlines several strategies that can help you reduce the risks you and your customers face when doing business on-line.
Developing your Website - Customers generally want the convenience of finding business on-line. This site will help you get started.
E-Commerce: What to consider when selling on-line in Canada - This website covers what you need to know about operating an on-line business.

Marketing Channels
A marketing channel is where activities happen to transfer the ownership of goods from the point of production to the point of consumption. It is the way products and services get to the end user, the consumer. This is sometimes referred to as the distribution channel.

Types of Marketing Channels - Understanding marketing channels can help you find the right one for your business and product.

Phone the Ag-Info Centre, toll-free in Alberta at 310-FARM (3276), for assistance.

For more information about the content of this document, contact Kathy Bosse.
This document is maintained by Ordella Knopf.
This information published to the web on November 10, 2016.
Last Reviewed/Revised on October 29, 2018.