Background and Project Description

SHONA is implementing a program, Strengthening Social Entrepreneurship in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone, to build the capacity of 10 social businesses to provide more products and services to more users and customers in new and existing markets enabling 430,000 users and clients access much needed WASH or agriculture-related products and services.

As part of the program, one of the social businesses supported is iKnowFarm, a digital agricultural app that provides extension services to farmers in West Nile and Uganda in general. More information about iKnowFarm can be found on their website: https://www.iknowfarm.app/

The core revenue streams of iKnow Farm are mainly: earning a commission on agro-input dealer products sold through their online marketplace, offering digital literacy training for NGOs, providing certified value chain content for NGOs to share with their beneficiaries, and generating revenue from agro-input dealer

advertisements. iKnow Farm's main focus is on serving the needs of NGOs and agro-input dealers, who represent their primary customer base.

SHONA is seeking a B2B Sales & Marketing Consultant, with experience selling digital services to both private businesses and non-government organisations, to review and strengthen iKnowFarm's current sales & marketing strategy as well as recommend potential opportunities the company can explore to increase their customer base and sales.

Objectives

To strengthen iKnowFarm’s business development strategy, we are looking for an expert to:

1. Develop and implement a sales and marketing plan that will enable the company to generate more leads among NGOs and agro-input dealers, convert them into clients, and increase revenue.
2. Develop strategies to increase the transactions on the marketplace by the agro-input dealers.
3. Develop a content management plan.
4. Identify new market opportunities for agricultural value chain content.
5. Develop strategies to increase the advertisement revenue earned from the app.

Scope of work

The Sales and Marketing Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

 Conduct a market assessment and analysis to determine the potential opportunities for iKnow Farm's

services within the NGO sector and agro-input markets. This should include a detailed analysis of how NGOs especially in the agricultural sector and agro-input dealers can leverage the app for their activities.

1. Develop a comprehensive and costed marketing, and sales plan, as well as collateral required.
2. Develop strategies to increase the number of subscriptions on the iknow Farm app & platform.
3. Develop strategies to enlist agro-input dealers to the marketplace.
4. Develop strategies to increase advertising revenue earned through the app.
5. Develop a content management plan highlighting how content is created, published, managed and measured.
6. Train the iKnow Farm sales team on effective communication, negotiation and contract management.
7. Prepare and present a report detailing insights gained from the market assessment and analysis, as well as the overall strategy for marketing and selling iknow Farm’s products and services to NGOs and agro-input dealers.

Expected deliverables

1. The Sales and Marketing Consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:
2. Market assessment and analysis report, detailing the potential for sales of the company's products within the NGO sector and agro-input dealers.
3. Comprehensive marketing, and sales plan, including a detailed description of the marketing channels and messaging, sales strategy for NGOs and agro-input dealers, as well as a budget for implementation.
4. A content management plan.
5. Sales and marketing training report for the sales team.
6. Final report, detailing the insights gained from the market assessment and analysis, the overall strategy for sales and marketing, and the results achieved by the end of the engagement period.

Timeline

This consultancy will be delivered within a period of one month before 1st June 2023.

Proposal submission

Please send a simple proposal, written in English, to Nsabirwa Ambrose ( ansabirwa@shona.co ) titled iKnowFarm Business Development Consultancy with a:

 Technical proposal outlining your background, methodology, approach, and expertise.

 Financial proposal outlining the cost of delivery.

Deadline is 25th April 2023 at Midnight.