Webinars increase reach of USPB retail training

Farm and Ranch Report March 23, 2011 This is the second year the U.S. Potato Board has utilized webinars as part of its retail training program. Potato Board consultant Don Ladhoff says the capability to record the webinars has also been added.

Ladhoff: “So that industry members can download and play them back for those who missed the live session.”

The webinars have been well received.

Ladhoff: “A number of industry members have told us that they are very interested in the topics but can‘t attend that particular day. They are in the field, they have another activity, etc., so the ability to allow people to experience it almost live after the fact, has allowed us to share this marketing training with a wider audience and that has been a plus for us.”

Ladhoff says the goal of the program is to bring marketing education to growers and shippers that allows them to grow their sales.

Ladhoff: “We are focusing just on fresh potato sales at retail with our training but it runs the gamut from PR and social media to very block and tackle sort of things like point-of-sale and retail circulars and the like.”

Six web-based training sessions were scheduled for this fiscal year, the fifth of which is being held this week.

That’s the U.S. Potato Update. Brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net.