Marketing Michigan Products to Schools: A Step-By-Step Guide

• Prepare product availability and pricing forms to help market your products andrespond to requests for quotes or bids from schools. Include seasonal availabilityand pricing for all varieties, sizes, and packs of products you grow and market.Tool: Pricing for school meals programsTool: Completing product availability and pricing formsTool: Sample product availability and pricing sheetTool: Sample vendor questionnaire• Gather and include copies of documents pertaining to inspections, certifications,insurance, and/or food safety in your bid packet. If you can, provide contactinformation of other customers who would be willing to offer positive references.• Understand how your bid will be evaluated when you respond to schools’requests for quotes or bids. Review typical criteria for evaluating and selectingbids, and describe how your products stack up. Determine which value-addedservices you can offer, like participating in school visits or school fundraisers, andinclude those services in the marketing materials and bids you submit to schools.Tool: Sample evaluation criteria for selecting vendors• Submit your bid to prospective customers.Step 4: Develop Contract or Agreement with Schools• Invite new customers to tour your farm/business before you begin sellingproducts to them, and ask for a tour of the schools’ food service facilities.• Meet face-to-face with school food service directors to determine your mutualneeds prior to establishing an agreement or contract. Be sure to discuss anordering schedule, delivery and packaging requirements, and payment terms.Co-write agreements or contracts with your new school customers. Be sure todiscuss the best methods for maintaining contact (phone, email, or fax) andsharing news about new products or services. You can use a sample invoice inAppendix III as a template for invoicing school customers.Michigan State University • C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems • www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu6 of 47