Wood Innovations (Wood Products Markets, Wood Energy, Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Program, and Wood Education and Resource Center)

2005-DG-11420004-321

Complete

Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC)

Minnesota Wood Campaign, Inc.
PO Box 578
216 4th Street SE
Deer River, MN 56636-0578
888-223-5629

Producers and manufacturers of hardwood forest products in northern Minnesota frequently lack effective marketing and selling skills, despite being economically dependent on the region's hardwood base. In order to maximize the ability of a wide range of producers and manufacturers to fully use and profit from the joint marketing programs of the Minnesota Wood Campaign (MWC) and to expand their individual potential for marketing and selling to current and new customers, the North Woods Education Project will be presented in various formats and locations, and with each session tailored to the participants needs and level of experience. The project will create an effective link between the MWC's joint marketing programs and the individual producers and manufacturers as well as between the individual producers and manufacturers and other sources of assistance. This project will also lead to increased cooperation among producers and manufacturers that share common interests, hurdles, and opportunities.

1. Provide 56 group training workshops for 840 producers and manufacturers that will empower them with new knowledge and skills. 2. Develop a packet of seven to fourteen educational training briefs for continuing use by the WERC and the MWC. 3. Provide access to 120 one-on-one technical assistance sessions for producers and manufacturers that will accelerate the implementation of their expanded marketing and sales programs. 4. Introduce 80 producers and manufacturers to other important sources of assistance.

training, workshops, marketing, selling, promotion, Minnesota, Minnesota Wood Campaign

US Forest Service Grant	$ 149,350
Cooperative Funding	$ 149,350
Total	$ 298,700

A total of 67 group training workshops were presented in Minnesota on a variety of topics. A series of 10 pre-recorded Webinars was developed based on those workshops.
Topics addressed are:
1.  Understanding the Green Movement
2.  Creative Marketing
3.  Selling Sustainability
4.  Product Branding and Promotion
5.  Strategic Thinking for the Trade Show Marketer
6.  Setting up an Online Store
7.  Issues in Sustainable Forestry
8.  Marketing & the Web
9.  Benefits of FSC Group Certification
10. Websites Made Easy

For detailed results of this project, please see the references below.

• Project Summary
  (WERC-2005-DG-11420004-321_1.pdf , 2.1 MB , 5 pages )
• Business Services Resource Directory
  (WERC-2005-DG-11420004-321_2.pdf , 0.2 MB , 21 pages )

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