Getting the Word Out: Examining Key Trends and Strategies in School-Based Agricultural Education Programs’ Communication and Marketing Efforts

Joe Ramstad; Scott Smalley

doi:10.5032/jae.v66i3.3022

Authors

Joe Ramstad Iowa State University https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5594-399X
Scott Smalley Iowa State University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8386-4266

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i3.3022

Keywords:

Communication, Marketing, Promotion, School-based Agricultural Education Programs

Abstract

If educators do not promote their agricultural education programs, who else will? At the same time, we recognize the time of agricultural educators is extremely limited; if communication and marketing efforts sometimes are not the priority of a program, and key stories and accomplishments may not be shared with stakeholders. The idea of program marketing and communication has not been explored deeply in recent research. The purpose of this study was to examine the communication and marketing strategies of agricultural education programs; 44 educators representing 22 states with an average of 8.93 (σ = 9.10) years of teaching experience attended the program marketing workshop hosted at the 2024 National FFA Convention participated in the study. Each participant was invited to share about their program’s existing marketing efforts, the audiences they engage, and perceived barriers. Data revealed Facebook, Instagram, and in-person events were some of the most frequently used and effective platforms for achieving marketing goals. Programs shared a goal of engaging with parents and supporters, but viewed engagement with students, community members, and administrators to also be very important. Limited time, lack of content, and lack of marketing expertise were cited as the top barriers, with educators indicating a desire for more template-style resources for social media graphics, press releases, or promotional give-away items to assist them in developing engaging program marketing materials. These resources should be developed, and additional research with a larger sample size may reveal additional insights to inform professional development and training opportunities for educators.

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