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"Who's
Listening?" Reaching Your Rural Community: The Strategic Approach
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Michelle Maher Effective extension activities can be the difference between developing and
shrinking rural communities. Often a great deal of emphasis is placed on the
content, funding and staffing of extension programs with comparatively little
strategic thought put in to the vital marketing and communication activities
of the program or product. At worst a band aid approach results in a haphazard
approach to advertising, promotional gadgets and "stunts" that leave both the
community and staff failing to demonstrate effective learning or development.
Even though facilitators, extension officers and program managers often discount
their abilities ain the area of marketing and communications there are many
ways to transform a team into a dynamic marketing machine with a fool proof
strategy for success. This paper outlines such a strategic approach and illustrates
the tools for success that can be effectively applied. Even the most ridiculous
time lines and precious funding can be effectively utilised to delivery a message
to your regional and rural target audience with pin point accuracy and immediate
rewards.
The successful frame work has been put to work for the Victorian Property
Management Planning Program. As convenor of the Marketing and Communications
working group Michelle offers her first hand experience and illustrates the
success story of the recent launch of the newly developed “Farm$mart program.
The strategic approach is demonstrated in its frame work format that was successfully
implemented across regional Victoria and has resulted in farming families flocking
to workshops to find out more about , " a way to take control of their future".
Farm$mart Facilitator
North West Region
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
23 Patrick Street Stawell 3380
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