Call for Marketing Trainer

Michel Daher Social Foundation (MDSF) is implementing the Salam Project, to support
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the agri-food and agriculture
production sectors across the Bekaa region. The project includes capacity-building
components aimed at improving MSMEs’ competitiveness, brand visibility, and ability to
access and retain markets.
As part of this project, MDSF is seeking a qualified trainer or training organization to
deliver Marketing training for 30 MSMEs that will be conducted at the MDSF’s premises,
followed by on-site one-on-one clinics per MSME, some of which will be conducted at the
MSMEs’ premises.

2. Objective of the Assignment
● Build MSMEs’ understanding of customer-centered and strategic marketing.
● Improve their brand identity, product positioning, and market differentiation.
● Enable access to digital and low-cost marketing tools.
● Prepare MSMEs to enter new channels (e.g., online platforms, retail networks).
● Guide participants in creating and implementing a 3-month marketing plan.

3. Scope of Work
The selected trainer/service provider will:
● Develop and submit customized training agendas and learning materials for
each workshop, including presentations, exercises, toolkits, and real-life case
studies relevant to the agri-food sector and rural MSMEs. All materials must be
submitted in Arabic and approved in advance by MDSF.
● Deliver two in-person workshops tailored to enterprise size and capacity:
○ One for 10 micro enterprises (simplified, practical marketing content
with high visual and example-based learning).
○ One for 20 small and medium enterprises (strategic, structured, and
growth-oriented content).

● Send pre-session homework to all participants, 3–5 days before the workshops.
● Cover key marketing concepts, clearly distinguishing the marketing functions
and providing depth in the following areas:
○ Branding and storytelling for local and regional markets
○ Product positioning, value proposition, and competitive analysis
○ Customer segmentation and profiling
○ Pricing strategies and product differentiation
○ Packaging, labeling, and visual identity
○ Community engagement and turning customers into brand advocates
○ Introduction to low-cost and digital marketing tools, including:
■ Canva for visual design
■ ChatGPT for ideation, customer messaging, and content creation
■ Meta Business Suite and WhatsApp Business for managing digital
presence
■ Mobile-first marketing approaches and simple campaign planning
tools

● Provide MSMEs with practical and replicable marketing tools, including
templates for branding, campaign calendars, pricing calculators, market profiling,
and promotional messaging.
● Conduct 14 hours of on-site one-on-one clinics for 13 selected MSMEs,
offering tailored support to address business-specific marketing challenges,
develop basic 3-month marketing plans, and adapt tools to their operations.

● Collaborate with MDSF to coordinate the clinic logistics, scheduling, and on-
site arrangements as needed to ensure equitable and smooth delivery.

● Conduct pre- and post-training assessments to measure knowledge acquisition,
skill development, and training satisfaction.
● Submit individual reports for each MSME, including:
○ Summary of clinic sessions

○ Key observations and tailored recommendations
○ Finalized tools and templates adapted and marketing plan for the MSME
○ Marketing continuity considerations (e.g., sustaining brand visibility and
adapting during crises)

● Deliver a final consolidated report to MDSF highlighting:
○ Summary of workshop implementation and clinic delivery
○ Analysis of MSMEs’ common marketing gaps and strengths
○ Recommendations for follow-up support and market activation
○ Annexes including attendance sheets, assessment results, clinic logs, and
MSME-specific outputs

4. Suggested Session Topics
For Micro Enterprises (10 MSMEs): Basic & Practical Marketing
● Introduction to Marketing for Agri-Food MSMEs
○ What is marketing and why it matters
○ Understanding your customer in the local context
● Branding on a Budget
○ Building your visual identity (colors, logos, packaging)
○ Storytelling for rural producers
○ Community-based branding and advocacy
● Product Positioning and Pricing
○ Understanding value: What makes your product special
○ Cost-based vs. value-based pricing
○ Matching prices to customer expectations
● Low-Cost and Local Marketing Channels
○ Word-of-mouth, flyers, events, pop-ups
○ WhatsApp Business and Facebook Basics
○ Leveraging packaging and presentation
● Intro to Digital Tools for Marketing
○ How to use Canva to create product visuals
○ Using ChatGPT to write content and messages
○ Planning your content with a simple calendar
● Customer Retention and Loyalty
○ Getting repeat customers
○ Collecting feedback and improving your offer
○ How to say "thank you" and build trust

For Small & Medium Enterprises (20 MSMEs): Strategic & Scalable
Marketing

● Strategic Marketing Planning
○ Setting goals and marketing KPIs
○ Mapping your customer journey
○ Campaign planning (3-month focus)
● Advanced Branding and Product Differentiation
○ Creating a compelling value proposition
○ Storytelling through visuals and social proof
○ Compliance in packaging and labeling
● Customer Segmentation and Profiling
○ How to define and target ideal customer groups
○ Market research tools (simple and local)
○ Building buyer personas
● Digital Marketing Strategy
○ Meta Business Suite and ad basics
○ Creating and managing a content calendar
○ Online vs. offline marketing integration
● Using AI and Low-Cost Tools
○ ChatGPT for caption writing, campaign themes, FAQs
○ Canva for Instagram posts and packaging mockups
○ Google Sheets for tracking reach and engagement
● Performance Measurement and ROI
○ What metrics to track (reach, engagement, sales leads)
○ Tools for simple data visualization
○ Adjusting your marketing based on results
● Marketing Resilience and Continuity
○ How to stay visible during crises or slow seasons
○ Diversifying outreach channels
○ Pivoting your message to changing market conditions

5. Recommended Tools for MSMEs
To ensure that MSMEs can apply the training in a practical, sustainable, and low-cost
manner, the trainer/service provider is expected to provide participants with a
comprehensive toolkit. These tools should be adapted to the digital literacy levels of the
participants and made available in both print and digital formats (Arabic is required).
Foundational Worksheets & Templates
To be distributed during the workshops and used in clinics:

● Brand Identity Worksheet
Helps MSMEs define brand elements (name, story, colors, tone of voice, etc.).
● Customer Profile Template
Assists in segmenting and understanding target audiences.
● 3-Month Marketing Plan Template
A simple action plan that includes objectives, audience, channels, and content.
● Pricing Calculator
For cost-plus and value-based pricing scenarios, adapted to agri-food context.
● Product Positioning Matrix
Helps MSMEs compare their products with competitors based on price vs. value.
● Content Calendar (Printable + Google Sheets format)
For planning digital and offline promotional activities.
● Promotion Message Generator (Prompt Sheet for ChatGPT use)
Pre-set prompts to generate content ideas, social posts, product captions, and
customer replies.
● Customer Feedback & Loyalty Tracker
Tool to gather, track, and analyze customer feedback and recurring buyers.

Recommended Low-Cost Digital Tools
To be introduced and demonstrated during the workshops:
● Canva
For designing product labels, Instagram posts, stories, and packaging mockups.
● ChatGPT (Free Version or App)
For generating social media captions, marketing ideas, customer messaging,
FAQs, and newsletter content.
● Meta Business Suite
For managing Facebook and Instagram pages, scheduling posts, tracking reach.
● WhatsApp Business
For catalog creation, direct communication, and client follow-up.

6. Deliverables
The trainer/service provider is expected to deliver the following:
1. Training Agendas and Materials
○ Customized training agendas for micro and SME groups.
○ Workshop presentations, handouts, worksheets, and tools.

○ All materials must be submitted for MDSF approval at least 5 working
days before each session.
2. Two In-Person Workshops
○ One for 10 micro enterprises.
○ One for 20 small and medium enterprises.

○ Attendance sheets and short session evaluation forms to be submitted post-
session.

3. Pre- and Post-Training Assessments
○ Pre-training assessment to gauge baseline knowledge.
○ Post-training assessment to evaluate learning outcomes and participant
satisfaction.
○ Summary of findings and analysis.
4. One-on-One Clinic Sessions
○ A total of 14 hours on-site clinics for 13 MSMEs.
○ Brief documentation per session covering challenges, recommendations,
and support provided.
5. Individual MSME Reports
○ One report per MSME summarizing clinic observations, tailored
recommendations, finalized tools, and business continuity suggestions
related to marketing and sales.

6. Final Consolidated Report
○ Summary of training and clinic implementation.
○ Analysis of common MSME needs and trends.
○ Recommendations for follow-up support.
○ Annexes: attendance sheets, feedback forms, clinic logs, MSME reports.

7. Duration and Timeline
Workshops
● Two full-day, in-person workshops to be conducted at MDSF premises in Ferzol:
○ Micro Enterprises Workshop – August 8, 2025
○ SMEs Workshop – August 9, 2025
● Each session should run for 4&5 hours including breaks. The trainer is requested to
confirm the exact number of instructional hours needed per group in the technical
offer.
One-on-One Clinics
● A total of 14 hours of on-site clinic sessions will be delivered to 13 MSMEs at
their business locations in South Baalbeck and West Bekaa.

● Clinics must be completed within two weeks following the workshops.
Scheduling will be done in coordination with the MDSF project team and
participating MSMEs to ensure flexibility and coverage.

8. Qualifications of the Trainer/Service Provider
The selected trainer or training organization must meet the following qualifications:
● Proven expertise in marketing, with demonstrated experience in the agri-food
and/or fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.
● Prior experience working with MSMEs, particularly those based in rural areas
or vulnerable communities.
● Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to simplify complex concepts and
deliver practical, action-oriented training content.
● Fluency in Arabic (spoken and written) is required; a working knowledge of
English is considered an asset.

9. Selection Criteria
Selection Criteria Weight (%)
Relevance and quality of the technical proposal 30%
Experience in marketing training for MSMEs 25%
Availability and alignment with the proposed schedule 10%
Competitive financial offer 35%

10. Reporting and Supervision
The trainer/service provider will report and keep close coordination with the Project
Manager at MDSF. Coordination and scheduling support will be provided by MDSF staff.

11. Payment Terms
- Payment will be made via bank transfer or Telegraphic Transfer (TT): 40% upon
completion of the 2-days training and the remaining 60% upon completion of all clinics
and submission of the final report
- Vendors without a valid MOF certificate will be subject to tax deductions in
accordance with Articles 41 and 42 of the Lebanese income tax law (3.4% on goods
and 8.5% on services).