Intro to Marketing with DCLFN

Marketing & Social Media Manual Davidson County Local Food Network & Piedmont Fresh

🌿 WELCOME

Welcome to the marketing and communications guide for the Davidson County Local Food Network (DCLFN) and our digital initiative, Piedmont Fresh. This manual outlines how we promote local food access, elevate local farmers, and connect our community with fresh, sustainable food from the Piedmont region.

🌟 OUR MISSION

Davidson County Local Food Network: Strengthening our local food system through education, advocacy, and access.

Piedmont Fresh: Providing a digital farmers market that supports local farms, increases fresh food access, and promotes sustainability.

📅 STRATEGIC GOALS

  • Build awareness of local food systems

  • Promote and support local producers

  • Increase access to healthy, locally grown food

  • Engage and educate the community

  • Drive weekly engagement with Piedmont Fresh

🎨 BRANDING & VOICE

  • Tone: Friendly, educational, community-driven

  • Style: Authentic, clean, visual-first

  • Key Phrases: Locally grown, farm fresh, support local, Taste the Piedmont, community-powered food

Hashtags to Use:
#PiedmontFresh #FarmToTablePiedmont #LocalFarms #SustainableFarming #GrowYourFuture #FarmingWorkshop #farming #farmtour #2025farmtour #ncfarms #NCAgriculture #events #farmtotablepiedmont #farming #supportlocal #supportlocalfarmers #farmtotable #localeats #local

🔬 TOOLS & PLATFORMS

Design & Creative

  • Canva – Templates for quick social and print graphics

  • Adobe Photoshop – Photo edits and visuals

  • Adobe Illustrator – Custom logos, icons, vector graphics

  • Adobe InDesign – Flyers, brochures, and reports

Scheduling & Organization

  • Meta Business Suite – Schedule and manage Facebook + Instagram

  • Google Drive – Content calendar, producer info, shared assets

  • Constant Contact – Newsletters, SMS marketing

Programs & Software

Design & Creative

  • Canva – Templates for quick social and print graphics

  • Adobe Photoshop – Photo edits and visuals

  • Adobe Illustrator – Custom logos, icons, vector graphics

  • Adobe InDesign – Local Food Guide

Scheduling & Organization

Communication Platforms and Channels

📰 COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

1. Email Newsletters (via Constant Contact)

  • Sent weekly (Piedmont Fresh) and monthly (DCLFN)

  • Includes shop reminders, featured farms, recipes, events

Template Layout:

  1. Header + Logo

  2. "Order Now" CTA

  3. Featured Item/Farm

  4. What's In Season

  5. Community Corner

  6. Events or Quick Links

2. SMS Reminders (via Constant Contact)

  • Monday: "Market Open" alert

  • Wednesday: "Last Chance to Order"

  • Friday: "Pickup Reminder"

Sample Texts:

  • 🛒 "Piedmont Fresh is OPEN! Order now through Wed midnight. → [link]"

  • ⌚ "Last chance to shop local! Market closes tonight. → [link]"

  • 📦 "Your Piedmont Fresh order is ready! Pickup today 4–6 PM."

3. Weekly Blog Posts (on website)

  • Topics pulled from newsletters (SEO-optimized)

  • Examples:

    • Meet the Farmer

    • Seasonal Recipes

    • Food Access in Davidson County

    • Behind the Basket

Blog Best Practices:

  • 400–600 words

  • 1–2 high-quality photos

  • Link to shop, producers pages, products, etc.

  • Share via FB and IG stories/posts

Social Media Promotion

Social Media Platforms Overview

🔸 Piedmont Fresh

Media passwords list is available on Google Drive. Please ask management to grant access.

Facebook: facebook.com/piedmontfresh
Instagram: @piedmontfresh
Focus: Weekly product highlights, new vendors, farm spotlights, recipe ideas, and market reminders.

🔸 Davidson County Local Food Network

Facebook: facebook.com/davidsonlocalfood
Instagram: @davidsonlocalfood
Focus: Community food news, educational content, event promotions, partnerships, and advocacy.

📣 Social Media Guidelines (Expanded)

🔧 Tools Used

  • Meta Business Suite: Manage both Facebook and Instagram pages

  • Canva: For designing posts, stories, and reels

  • Google Drive: Store content calendar, photos, and templates

Strategy by Brand

Piedmont Fresh

Primary Platforms:

Goal: Promote online ordering, showcase farmers and products, and drive awareness of the online market and pickup locations.

Target Audience:

  • Local food shoppers: People who frequently shop at Farmers Market, Food Hubs, organic food at grocery stores.

  • Families, home cooks, health-conscious eaters

  • CSA-style buyers looking for fresh, convenient options

Content Pillars:

  • 🧺 Weekly product highlights (what’s fresh this week)

  • 👩‍🌾 Farmer spotlights and behind-the-scenes on farms

  • 📦 How to order + pickup info

  • 🥗 Seasonal recipes using local ingredients

  • 📢 Special promotions or vendor news

Posting Frequency: 1 Post Daily

Tone & Style:

  • Friendly and conversational

  • Bright and seasonal imagery

  • Emphasize freshness, simplicity, and convenience

Hashtags:
#PiedmontFresh #EatLocalPiedmont #TasteThePiedmont #LocallyGrownPiedmont #PiedmontFoodies #FarmToTablePiedmont #PiedmontEats #PiedmontFreshMarkets #FreshFromTheFarm #SeasonalEating #SupportLocalFarms #ShopLocalNC #KnowYourFarmer #FarmFreshCommunity #PiedmontFarmers #PiedmontFoodCommunity #PiedmontProduce #LocalMeatNC #Baketoorder #Farms #Farming

Davidson County Local Food Network

Primary Platforms:

Target Audience:

  • Community members and families

  • Educators and schools

  • Veterans

  • Farmers, local organizations, and food advocates

Goal: DCLFN aspires to be a catalyst for positive change, promoting a thriving local food economy that benefits the entire Davidson County community and beyond.

Content Pillars:

  • 🌱 Community garden and farm-to-school projects

  • 📚 Educational posts (e.g., food access, food systems, healthy eating)

  • 🗓️ Event promotions and recaps

  • 🤝 Partner highlights and collaborations

  • 📣 Advocacy messages or donation opportunities

Posting Frequency: Post Daily

Tone & Style:

  • Uplifting and community-centered

  • Informative with clear calls to action

  • Real people, real stories, real impact

Hashtags:
#SupportLocalFarms #SustainablyGrownPiedmont #KnowYourFarmer #FarmFreshCommunity #PiedmontFarmers #DavidsonCountyFood #DavidsonCountyLocalFood #DavidsonGrown #LocalFoodDavidsonNC #EatLocalDavidson #TasteDavidsonCounty #SupportDavidsonFarms #DavidsonCountyEats #DavidsonFoodNetwork #DavidsonCountyCommunity #FoodEducationNC #GrowEatEducate #LocalFoodMatters #ConnectingThroughFood #FarmToTableNC #DavidsonCountyFresh #SustainableDavidson #HealthyFoodLocalRoots #HomegrownDavidson

📅 Best Practices

  • Images: Use high-resolution farm and food photos. Always tag vendors and give photo credit.

  • Captions: Short, engaging, with a call to action (e.g., “Order now,” “Visit this Saturday,” “Learn more”).

  • Stories: real-time updates at events or markets.

  • Reels/Short Videos: Simple clips of farms, food being packed/delivered, or community events.

  • Engagement: Reply to comments, like tagged posts, reshare partner content, and respond to DMs.