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HORTICULTURAL MARKETING BHT304

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification To obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30 inc VAT. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

Horticultural Marketing Distance Learning Course

Plan and execute Effective Marketing Campaigns for Horticultural Produce or Garden Products.

In any industry including horticulture, competition is fierce and success depends upon the way you market your product. A sound knowledge of marketing processes will ensure that a business stays ahead of the competition.

This is a comprehensive well-rounded course that offers the horticultural marketing manager or small business owner what they need to be successful in this essential component of business management.

 

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Horticulture Marketing Course 

Learn How To Sell Gardening Products and Horticultural Produce Better

This course explores the ways in which you can market your horticultural business.

In any industry including horticulture, competition is fierce and success depends upon the way you market your product. A sound knowledge of marketing processes will ensure that a business stays ahead of the competition and helps you learn strategies to increase sales.

This is a comprehensive well-rounded course that offers the horticultural marketing manager or small business owner what they need to be successful in this essential component of business management.

This subject covers the theoretical and practical importance of marketing in the horticultural industry, including topics such as: marketing processes, methods, strategies and research. Practical components cover topics such as: advertising, promotions, signs, customer relations, pricing strategy, labelling, transport, product presentation, developing customer service policy and customer satisfaction questionnaires.

COURSE STRUCTURE
There are seven lessons in this course, as follows:

1.  Introduction to Horticultural Marketing

  • Introduction
  • Key elements of marketing
  • Resources and networking
  • Supply and Demand
  • Understanding economics
  • Marketing horticulture plant produce vs plant products

2.  Horticultural Marketing Processes

  • Packaging
  • Plant labelling
  • Product line decisions
  • Problem Based Learning project

3.  Horticultural Marketing Methods

  • Introduction
  • Deciding marketing methods on type of business
  • Legal obligations
  • Value of business
  • Controlling business growth
  • Improving results in business
  • Use of internet for marketing

4.  Customer Service

  • Dealing with complaints
  • Customer satisfaction
  • How to become effective communicator
  • Ways of communication
  • Selling

5.  Horticultural Marketing Research

  • Introduction
  • Research process
  • Statistics
  • Tracking trends
  • Marketing tips

6.  Developing An Advertising Program

  • Publicity marketing
  • Public relations
  • Structuring advertisements or promotions
  • Advertising budgets

7.  Developing A Horticultural Marketing Strategy

  • Introduction
  • Shop layout
  • Displaying products for sale
  • Merchandising

Duration:   100 hours

COURSE AIMS

  • Explain general economic concepts relevant to the horticultural industry.
  • Explain different components of the marketing process which may be used in the horticultural industry.
  • Explain different marketing methods for horticultural products and services.
  • Explain the role of customer service in horticultural marketing.
  • Conduct market research into a product or service in the horticultural industry.
  • Develop an advertising program for an horticultural enterprise.
  • Develop an appropriate marketing strategy for a given horticultural situation.

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS
Here are just some of the things you may be doing:

  • Explain the concept of supply and demand, in a specified horticultural context.
  • Explain specified economic theories in relation to two different horticultural commodities.
  • Define terms relevant to horticultural marketing.
  • Distinguish between marketing and selling in a horticultural enterprise.
  • Compare different packaging strategies for various horticultural products.
  • Analyse the labelling of different horticultural products, to determine possible improvements.
  • Analyse options for transportation to market of different horticultural products.
  • Analyse storage options during marketing, for different horticultural products.
  • Determine criteria which are critical to the marketing success of different horticultural products.
  • Prepare a marketing plan for a horticultural enterprise, that summarises:  *handling  *storage  *packaging  *transportation  *promotion  *selling.
  • Describe specific examples of three different marketing strategies, used in the horticultural industry.
  • Analyse the marketing of a specific, successful product or service, in the horticultural industry.
  • Determine target markets for different selected horticultural products.
  • Compare the marketing of a specified horticultural product using different marketing methods.
  • Evaluate the success of marketing methods being used by different specified horticultural enterprises, to market their products or services.
  • Evaluate positive features of customer service, in a specific horticultural enterprise.
  • Evaluate negative features of customer service, in a specific horticultural enterprise.
  • Explain the importance of consistent product availability, in a specified horticultural enterprise.
  • Explain the importance of well-trained customer service providers, in a specified horticultural enterprise.
  • Develop guidelines for maintaining good public relations, in a specific horticultural enterprise.
  • Prepare a customer service policy for a selected horticultural enterprise.
  • Design a questionnaire to determine demand for a new specified horticultural enterprise, in your locality.
  • Design a questionnaire to determine customer attitudes towards a specified horticultural product or service.
  • Determine the socio-economic attributes of clients of a specified horticultural enterprise, investigated by you.
  • Determine the behavioural characteristics of clients of a specified horticultural enterprise, investigated by you.
  • Conduct market research into a specific product or service, by questioning a representative sample of different customers, of a horticultural enterprise.
  • Collate statistics from conducted market research that you conducted.
  • Analyse statistics relating to market research undertaken by you.
  • Explain appropriate applications for different advertising avenues, in the horticultural industry.
  • Develop guidelines for writing advertisements for a specified horticultural service or product.
  • Write appropriate advertisements for different specified horticultural services or products.
  • Prepare an appropriate brochure, to the stage of finished art work, for a specific horticultural product or service.
  • Evaluate the response from specific horticultural advertisements.
  • Evaluate different advertising methods used in a horticultural enterprise investigated by you, in terms of costs versus benefits.
  • Determine the significance of packaging, presentation and labelling to marketing of a specified horticultural product.
  • Estimate the relative benefits different techniques which may be used to promote a specific horticultural enterprise.
  • Produce design for a specific nursery, farm, or other horticultural enterprise, to enhance marketing in that enterprise.
  • Develop a promotional campaign for a specified horticultural product or service.
  • Explain different methods of determining a price for a specified horticultural product.

How This Course Can Help You
Many people study horticulture but not too many end up with the skills to promote public awareness of horticulture products or services, and how to sell them. This course bridges that gap. Students of this course will learn how to better promote their own, or their employer's, business, and turn that into improved turnover. This course will be of benefit to anyone working in or intending to work in the following areas:

  • Garden centre
  • Retail nursery
  • Horticulture supplies - retail & wholesale
  • Market gardening
  • Crops - fruit & vegetables
  • Garden services

 

 

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Meet some of our academics

Maggi BrownMaggi is regarded as an expert in organic growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association. She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more than three decades. Some of Maggi's qualifications include RHS Cert. Hort. Cert. Ed. Member RHS Life Member Garden Organic (HDRA) .
Diana Cole (Horticulturist)Horticulturist, Permaculturist, Landscaper, Environmentalist. Holds a Diploma in Horticulture, degree in geography, permaculture certificate and various other qualifications. Between 1985 and 94, Diana was a task leader with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Since 2001 she has been chairperson of the Friends of Mellor Park (with Stockport MDC). From 2005 she has worked exclusively in horticulture as proprietor of her own garden design and consultancy business in and around Derbyshire; and at the same time as part time manager of a small garden centre. Diana has been an enthusiastic and very knowledgeable tutor with ACS since 2008.
Yvonne Sharpe (Horticulturist)Started gardening in 1966, studied a series of horticulture qualifications throughout the 1980's and 90's, culminating in an RHS Master of Horticulture. Between 89 and 1994, she worked teaching in horticultural therapy. Founded the West Herts Garden Association in 1990 and exhibited at Chelsea Flower Show in 1991. In 1994, Yvonne joined the staff at Oaklands College, and between 1996 and 2000 was coordinator for all Amenity Horticulture courses at that college. Since leaving Oakland she has been active as a horticultural consultant, retail garden centre proprietor and sessional lecturer (across many colleges in southern England). In 2000, she also completed a Diploma in Management.


Check out our eBooks

Business OperationsA text book for business students, or a guide book for anyone operating a business. Six chapters: Daily Challenges of Running a Business, Managing People, The Law, Fiance, Product Management and Risk Management.
Modern MarketingThis book explores new approaches to marketing, how to adapt to a continually changing world both through online marketing, and more. Some aspects of marketing never change; but many of the well established approaches used in the past simply do not work any more. This book lays a foundation for thinking about marketing in a different way
Professional Practice for ConsultantsExplore becoming a consultant. This ebook contains chapters on how to be a consultant, packaging your services, delivering the services, building your resources, finding the work and getting the job, planning and ethics.
Trees and ShrubsUseful for students, tradespeople already working in the field, or the home gardener who needs a quick reference when choosing plants for a garden.