Dale Woodfin

Writing Porfolio

Over 25 years of marketing, management, creative and sales experience.

<<<<<<PRESS RELEASE>>>>>>

 

20th Annual National Cornbread Festival
April 23rd & 24th, 2016

This year on April 23rd and 24th over 40,000 festival goers from all over the southeast will gather in South Pittsburg, TN to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the 20th Annual National Cornbread Festival.  Located just a few miles west of Chattanooga, nestled in the foothills of the South Cumberland Mountains on the banks of the Tennessee River, this quaint little town hosts a grand festival in celebration of a culinary delight often referred to as the cornerstone of southern cuisine; cornbread.

Contestants from all over the country enter their best recipes in hopes of becoming the next National Cornbread Cook-off Champion. This event inspires a wide range of recipes from traditional southern cornbread to creative flavors like maple bacon, jalapeno and local favorites all served up with a smile as you stroll along Cornbread Alley.  If you’re really courageous, join one of the cornbread eating contests or buttermilk chugging races.

Throughout the town there are 5 stages including the historic Princess Theatre that will feature over 50 acts filling the streets with the sounds of country, bluegrass, old-time fiddlers, southern gospel, and rock music. 14-time Grammy Award winning country music and bluegrass artist Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will headline the main stage Saturday, April 23rd.  Bring your bag chairs and experience Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder’s well-known unique cross-cultural, genre-bending musical sounds along with other chart-climbers like Bryan White, Red Roots and many others for the low festival admission price of only $5.​

The National Cornbread Festival was recently selected as one of the top 100 events in North America by the American Bus Association and it’s easy to see why with so many arts and crafts, children’s corner with fun games and inflatables, the best festival concessions vendors, general store, musicians jam tent and events that feature a huge carnival, beauty contest, classic car show, historic South Pittsburg tours, Lodge Manufacturing tours, pancake breakfast, 5K road race and church service.

Be sure to tour the Lodge Manufacturing Co. foundry, maker of Lodge Cast Iron cookware since 1896 and spin the giveaway wheel sponsored by Martha White, producer of high-quality flour and cornmeal since 1899 as they come together with the friendly local volunteers of South Pittsburg to showcase a wide variety of family friendly events, attractions and of course, plates full of good ole cornbread.

Make your plans to join the fun and see what’s cooking in South Pittsburg, TN at the 20th Annual National Cornbread Festival.
Official Website: http://www.nationalcornbread.com/
National Cornbread Festival
221 S Cedar Ave
South Pittsburg, TN 37380

 

<<<<<<ARTICLE>>>>>>

 

The 20th Annual National Cornbread Festival has Positive Impact

It’s hard to believe 20 years have come and gone since the friendly people of South Pittsburg, TN, Lodge Manufacturing Company and Martha White came together to host the inaugural festival that only attracted 3,000 visitors but the organizers decided to continue and the community rallied in support and the pay-off has been tremendous.   This year the 20th Annual National Cornbread Festival was a huge success attracting a record break crowd of over 35,000 smiling festival goers in a two day period last weekend.
As of the 19th Annual National Cornbread Festival over 1.2 Million dollars have been raised for community groups who volunteer.  Behind the scenes there are 8 committees with multiple committee members working tirelessly for several months leading up to the festival in an effort to organize over 500 volunteers, produce, construct and market this grand festival.

Some have asked, “Why do we need this festival ?” You need only look around and remember that 20 years ago, like many small southern towns, the eroding tax base caused by the big-box shopping centers and the recently completed by-pass had left the city with a grim economic future. The downtown area was almost vacated and abandoned until the festival revitalized the community spirit and helped to support improvements that have changed the outlook of this town future.  As one city leader put it, “we knew that ‘helping ourselves’ was our only hope.  Now South Pittsburg TN is vibrant again and especially vibrant during the last full weekend April when thousands of festival goers experience the grandest festival of in the country.

The mission of the Annual National Cornbread Festival is to promote the sights, sounds, tastes, history and people of South Pittsburg, TN and to do this by developing, promoting and maintaining a world class festival while extending an opportunity to local civic, church, school and municipal organizations to work in the festival and share in its financial rewards.

Since the 19th Annual National Cornbread Festival the community organizations who volunteered have raised funds in excess of $75,000.  Below are just a few examples.
RHMS received $6,000 raised by working the entertainment check in.
SPHS Shop Class received $5,000 raised by working garbage collection and set up.
SPES received $8,600 raised by working the gates.
Little League Baseball received $4,800 raised by working parking.
Marion County Soccer received $2,800 raised by working recycling, garbage, greeters and take down.
SPHS Baseball received $2,000 raised by working trash and take down
In addition to the organization listed above there are many other organizations work and benefit from the success of our festival.  Here are just a few: Hearing and Loss Association, South Pittsburg Fire Department, Democratic Women, Troop #63 Boy Scouts, Sertoma Club, Christ Church Episcopal, South Pittsburg Academy 7th and 8th grade Classes, AAU Basketball, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, House of God Church, South Pittsburg Academy Boys Baseball and many wonderful organizations that make our local community so strong.

It’s a system that works for the whole community.  The Annual National Cornbread Festival wouldn’t be as successful without the help of organizations providing workers and volunteers who selflessly give their time and resources with no expectation other than the renewal and beautification of the place they call home.

The festival organizers would like to extend a hardy ‘thank you’ to the wonderful and passionate people who help out each year.  The National Cornbread Festival encourages you to get involved as a volunteer or as an organization to raise funds for your group or just help out because you love South Pittsburg, TN, Lodge Cast Iron Cookware and Martha White products.

Together we make our community strong so mark your calendars now for April, 29th and 30th of 2017.
Contact Info:
NCF
Address: 221 S Cedar Ave, South Pittsburg, TN 37380
Phone:(423) 837-0022

 

<<<<<<MARKETING ARTICLE>>>>>>

 

Influencing the Market
Social influencers have existed since the since humanity came together to form communities.  Throughout history an “influencer” has been a person or group that impacts decisions within a specific community or alters the outcome of and an experience by affecting the emotions, opinion or behaviors of those in a particular peer group. In the last few decades social Influence has become an undeniably affective way to move the market towards specific target markets towards a defined marketing objective.

The Social Impact Theory was developed by Bibb Latané in 1981. It states that there are three factors affect the way people respond to social influence:

• Strength: The importance of the influencing group to the individual.
• Immediacy: Physical (and temporal) proximity of the influencing group to the individual at the time of the influence attempt.
• Number: The number of people in the group.

Simplified as:

• Resonance
• Relevance
• Reach

 

Influencers can build credibility with your product or service and give your brand a face that reaches your target demographic from a position of strength that your message might not otherwise convey.  However, the true power is in the size of the network, the availability of the offer and the appeal to the demographic.
Contact me to learn more.

 

<<<<<<MARKETING ARTICLE>>>>>>

 

Marketing Multiplication

1X1=0 1X5=1 1X100=25 or so, maybe. If you want to be a successful marketer it's time to learn some new math.

 

A prospective customer needs to see your marketing message through multiple marketing channels often more than five times before they can remember your brand. Therefore, it is paramount to be consistent with colors, logo and message. Those of you that watch TV have become very well acquainted with the tiny animated gecko that is the successful spokesperson for the well-known insurance company, Geico. Geico uses multiple plot lines for our little green friend while keeping the brand and message consistent ensuring the potential consumer remains engaged. You can apply the same technique to your own marketing. Below are 10 tips to help keep you on track.

 

Check List

1. Create your brand

2. Develop a brand message

3. Define your marketing objective

4. Decide on a budget

5. Develop a marketing strategy

6. Choose the marketing channels where your potential customers frequent

7. Create a campaign

8. Review your ROI

9. Adjust your budget and Tweak the message variation, strategy, channels, campaign

10. Multiply (Repeat by using multiple marketing channels, multiply times)

 

Brand: Branding is the strategy used to build a relationship by associate between your customers and your organization. It is the visual representation of your message, the graphics and colors that make up your image. By developing a strong brand relationship over a period of time you are better able to compete with majar brands. Your brand is your promise to the customer. A great place to start developing your brand is your logo and your message.

 

Message: Your logo and design choice grab attention but the message will move your potential customers towards your marketing objective. The well-known legend of the advertising industry David Ogilvy once said, "I do not regard advertising as an entertainment or an art form but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it creative. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product." Make sure that your message answers a need at the level your target market will understand. Try writing your message in one paragraph then reduce it to one sentence and then three words. "Just Do It" I'm sure you got that message.

 

Objective: Usually the objective are based on the financial goals of the organization but can also be measured in users, leads, members, social friends and other types of achievements. For example, a nonprofit may wish to bolster awareness among the public to improve the chances of receiving a grant while increasing participation in its offering or programs.

 

Budget: Yes, it costs money to get your brand and message in front your potential customers in hopes of reaching your marketing objective. No one likes to think about the cost of a marketing campaign so perhaps you should consider labeling this expense as an investment. Investments are made with the intent of providing a return. This makes it a bit more palatable to allocate a part of your net profit for marketing investment. So, how much should you set aside? While there is no magic formula for success Gartner Research (2014) reported that companies spent on average 10.2% of their annual revenue on overall marketing. The important thing is to set aside enough money to access the marketing channels that will influence your market. It will be a, sometimes painful, balancing act between your marketing strategy and budget.

 

Strategy: The marketing strategy describes how you will achieve your marketing objective by delivering your brand message to the potential customer. Developing a strategy that fits your marketing objectives can be relatively complex in today's diverse marketing landscape. We tend to think in terms of a couple of marketing channels. However, the process really begins with an evaluation of internal and external factors which include strategic strengths and weaknesses such as technology, economics, cultural considerations, political environment and legal aspects among others. The strategy should serve the objective so back out the strategy from you.

 

Multichannel: Multichannel marketing is a deliberate communication or potential relationship foster interaction between you and your customers using more than one marketing channel, both direct and indirect, with the intent to influence them to achieve your marketing objective. You may choose to utilize direct channels to preemptively target the market by means of brick and mortar locations, billboards, direct mail, brochures, ads and other direct channels or indirectly by placing content on websites or social media, also known as inbound marketing that attracts potential customers into your organization, instead of going out or making outward efforts to increase customer activity. Other means of reaching customers with multichannel marketing include texting, emailing, mobile devices, websites, social media, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM) or GPS to track customers' proximity to goods and services. Multichannel marketing utilizes the practices of inbound and outbound marketing with the objective of delivery your message to potential customers on the marketing channel of their choosing. In this way, the marketing cycle is more quantifiable by the marketer and conversely influenced by the potential customer.

 

Campaign: The campaign defines the activities and plan for measuring success. It's the plan that coordinates the strategic delivery of your brand message using selective marketing channels to realize your marketing objective within a specific budget and time. Think of the campaign as your action items. The campaign may include milestones as subordinate objectives and should be broken down by specific media placements and marketing activities with beginning and ending dates.

 

ROI: There no better way to plan your future marketing than to consider your return on your investment (ROI). When you've completed your campaign it's time to evaluate its success. Here's how: (Gross Profit – Marketing Investment) / Marketing Investment = ROI

When you understand your ROI position you can focus your campaign to include the most successful elements and omit those with poor returns.

 

Adjust and Tweak: Marketing is a never ending cycle. When evaluating the future of your marketing it is important to consider several factors such as the ROI of previous campaigns, customer responses, ongoing market research as well as your product, pricing and placement and promotion. Once you've evaluated the process make a few changes and do it again.

 

Multiply: Frequency is everything! 1X1=0 1X5=1 1X100=25 or so, maybe. If you want to be a successful marketer it's time to learn some new math. This probably makes a more sense than when you first read it. Marketing isn't a 1 to 1 ratio. People change behavioral patterns slowly. Remember to keep your brand identity and message consistent with creative variations. Don't give up just because it didn't go as well as you hoped and build your budget when it goes better than expected.

 

Happy marketing!

 

<<<<<<LETTER TO THE EDITOR - WRITTEN FOR THE PRESIDENT OF NCF TO BUILD PUBLIC CONFIDENCE>>>>>>

 

Letter to the editor
The National Cornbread Festival Thanks You

The National Cornbread Festival extends a warm “thank you” to the dedicated committee members and the almost 2,000 volunteers from our area who worked together this year to help make the 21st Annual National Cornbread Festival a huge success with an attendance of 21,422. We would also like to thank every member of our community who indirectly volunteered by welcoming festival goers to our beautiful southern town. As a part of our community we greatly appreciate your willingness to make small adjustments to your daily routines over a two-day period during the festival hours. We also thank the our dedicated city leaders and services, property owners, businesses, positive local media coverage, Puckett EMS, Lodge Cast Iron, Martha White, FiveStar, Cracker Barrel and all other corporate sponsors for each of their contributions to the festival and our community. It truly takes the whole community and surrounding areas pulling together to make this a benefit for local athletics, education, churches, preservation and many other social and community organizations.

Below are the volunteer groups that immediately receive immediate monetary benefit from their volunteer efforts during the festival.

SPHS Interact Club, Kim Shurrett/Sara Jones, Richard Hardy Boys Basketball, Troop 63, SPHS Prom, SPHS Volleyball, MCHS Baseball, SPHS Baseball, SP Academy Baseball, RHMS (Interact, Cheer, misc.), Our Lady of Lourdes, SP Academy, SPHS Shop Class, Marion County Soccer, SPES, MCHS Softball, Bill and Ginny Aries, Bridgeport Elementary School, SPHS Student Council, SPHS Golf/RHMS Interact/Betas, Bridgeport Middle School, Hearing Loss Association, 1st Baptist Jasper, WHS Interact Club, Bridgeport Softball, Washington Academy, Richard Hardy Memorial School Athletics, Kimball Tabernacle of Praise, The Bridge at South Pittsburg, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Marion County Sertoma Club, House of God, Randolph United Methodist Church, Marion County Democratic Women, Boy Scout Troop #63, South Pittsburg Rotary Club, American Legion, Marion County Girls Softball Team, Sequatchie Concrete for Breast Cancer, Distinguished Young Women for scholarship, VFW, SVEC for Alzheimer’s, South Pittsburg Girls Academy Basketball and Christ Church Episcopal to name a few. Without these volunteers the festival wouldn’t be possible.

In fact, over the past 20 years the festival has given over $1,700,000 back to the community in various ways. It is also worthy to note that as a 501C3 nonprofit organization the president, board members and committee members all donate their time as unpaid volunteers therefore, the community is the truly the benefactor and that’s just the way we like it.

Each year we start in January planning for the festival. Each year the enormity of the task at hand seem overwhelming until the 22 committees and their members start to work on issues like, products, designs, entertainment, tents, insurance, beauty pageants, cook-offs, carnival, kids’ corner inflatables, ice, marketing, official volunteer t-shirts, volunteer coordination, bus shuttles, security, parking, DOT, highway patrol, local law enforcement, emergency procedures, cornbread alley, corporate sponsors, concessions, arts & crafts, decorating, gates, tours, photography, wifi, road race, medical, logistics, signs, souvenirs, and well you get the picture. The list goes on.

Needless to say, words can barely express our gratitude for those who so selflessly give back to the community and to the community we all love.

So here’s to you. Thank you from the National Cornbread Festival.

Beth Duggar ~ President of the National Cornbread Festival

 

<<<<<<POETRY>>>>>>

 

The Rose and I

It was early morning, near the end of another fall season, when I settled on a trail crisp with leaves that crackled beneath every step. The way was laden with the season's contribution of dried foliage and as it twisted around root and rock, the path made its way through serried woodland trees decorated with gold, red and evergreen. With delight, I followed.

 

Crunch, crunch, crunch… the once pliant beginnings found their friable ends beneath my feet on the earthen floor. Crunch, crunch, crunch… my steps echoed with brittle resonance softened ever so slightly by the damp morning air. Crunch, crunch, crunch… I made my way beneath the glimmering resilience of a rising sun whose luminous streams of light had championed the night to bring life to the forest now covered with a season of yesterdays. And so, the cadence continued until I came upon something very unusual; something not normally found so deep in the woods.

 

 

Peace

Long before murky waters left us unevolved upon the shores of our making
Product of the ebb and flow
Long before our hubris gave us dominion over the peace that before us did grow.

 

<<<<<<LYRICS AND MUSIC COMPOSITIOIN>>>>>>

 

Paper Air-o-plane
(Music, Lyrics & Production: Dale Woodfin, Lyrics: Jennifer Woodfin, Production: David Walker)   

Verse:
Open the window
Let in some light
So I can get a better look at my life
Pieces of paper spread on the floor

There is the note
Said I’ll meet you at eight
I was early he must have been late
But how do you know, you just never know

Chorus:
Ain’t gonna cry; I’ve made up my mind
Need to find a way to be ok for one more day
So I’ll try; to fly
Out into the rain, not afraid of the pain
Paper air-o-plane

Verse:
( I ) Sift through a shoe box
Littered with hope
Here’s another goodbye that somebody wrote
I’ve kept it so long it’s yellowed and torn

I fold it in half
Turn up the wings
Then toss it away like so many things
Out of the window; and into the storm

Chorus:

Bridge:
I’m a paper air-o-plane
Flying in the pouring rain
Trying not to crash to the ground 

 

 

Listen to song production: Paper Airplane (Opens in new window)