Contests and competitions have been part of American agriculture throughout history. Early exhibitions of livestock and produce soon grew into competitions, with the winners taking home a blue ribbon that would be proudly displayed at the farm. And it didn’t take long for that blue ribbon to become a marketing tool.
Promoting award winning products is a tactic that crosses all industries. The blue ribbon has come to connote quality to such a degree that it has made its way into product names, company names and logos.
So, it’s not revolutionary to suggest that the next time an appropriate contest is announced, it might be a good marketing move to enter it. After all, a contest is a great publicity generator for all involved and there’s really nothing to lose, even if you don’t win.
Whether it’s a taste-off to see who grows the tastiest tomato or a photo contest to select the best farm scenes, if you’re among the top award winners, you’ll have something to brag about for the next year or beyond. If you come in dead last, most likely no one will know. These competitions are planned to generate only good publicity. Usually only those entrants who place well are announced and scores and judges comments are typically kept confidential.
Besides, when local farm products are being compared, you’re only talking about degrees of great quality and taste, anyway. It’s all good.
Opportunities for friendly competitions in agriculture abound. Of course, fairs offer the most traditional and standardized competitions. But there are also contests put on by farm organizations, state ag departments, publications, communities and various kinds of businesses.
Often, well-known experts, local celebrities or dignitaries are invited to judge entries, which lends credibility and helps generate publicity.
When you get the trophy or certificate or ribbon, display it in your farmstand, put a photo on your website, and mention it in your advertising and point of sale displays. The contest organizers will probably send out a news release, but it wouldn’t hurt to send out your own, too, with your own quotes and more details on the winning fruit or veggie. Be available for interviews and photo ops.
In fact, contests and awards are great ways to generate news coverage. Newspapers love to run articles about local citizens and businesses who win awards. It’s an irresistible combination of a news hook (the “best” or “biggest” superlative), timeliness, human interest and, best of all, a local angle.
Consider running a contest of your own, too. Invite customers to enter a recipe contest featuring your products and have local chefs or dignitaries serve as judges. Ask customers to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin or extra large tomato. Run a photo contest for pictures taken at your farm and display the winners at your farmstand, on your website, or have an exhibition at the town library or other public place.
You’ll get publicity when you announce the contest and when the winners are announced, if you send out a news release. Maybe you’ll even get coverage of the judging itself; the local paper might send a reporter or a photographer if you notify them in advance.
Contests are a win for all involved. The participants and the sponsoring organization get publicity. And the publicity draws attention to local farms in general and perhaps a particular local product. Consumers learn about local agriculture and where to find the best local products.
And when folks read that the winning cider or corn or tomato or zucchini or jam or pie came from your farm, they’ll flock in to get some for themselves.
by Diane Baedeker Petit
Originally published in Growing magazine, April 2006 issue
Showing posts with label Publicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Publicity. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Charity as a marketing tactic
A while back, a Greenfield, Mass., radio station ran a story about a family left homeless by a house fire. The story mentioned that a local restaurant was donating 10 percent of their profits on a given day to the family. While that was a very kind, charitable thing to do, it was also a savvy marketing move.
First of all, the restaurant name was mentioned on the radio as part of a news story, which amounted to free advertising. Secondly, the news no doubt motivated some people to patronized the restaurant on that day who otherwise might have dined elsewhere, increasing overall sales. And lastly, the charitable act surely created a positive image for the restaurant and it’s owners within the community, which could boost business in the long run.
Charity as a marketing tactic, also known as cause-related marketing, has been around for a long time but continues to grow. The concept can take many forms. There are corporate sponsorships of charitable events. There are outright donations of cash, goods and services. And then there are guerrilla tactics like the restaurant example.
Think of all the companies that donated products to hurricane victims. Their actions benefited the companies as well as the people who needed water, food, clothing, medicine, tools, lumber, etc.
While you might think that only large corporations can afford to be charitable, one could argue that small and medium businesses – like family farms – can’t afford not to be. According to an article by David Frey on FrugalMarketing.com, many small businesses are affiliating themselves with charities to market their products and services. He points out that it’s not only a primary means for developing a powerful network but also helps others in the process.
Of course, for your charitable actions to have a marketing benefit, you’ll have to let people know about it. That means publicizing your donations by sending out a news release, including information and photos in your newsletter and other marketing materials, and asking the recipient to do the same, if appropriate.
According to Frey, charitable organizations are not oblivious to companies’ marketing motivations. They understand that there is a secondary purpose to your participation.
The public and the media also understand, all too well, that there is a secondary purpose and that, can be a pitfall, according to David Zucker on onPhilanthropy.com. Zucker claims that the public and the media can suffer cause-related marketing “burn-out,” no longer being impressed by a company writing a check to a charity. These days the media are less likely to see that as newsworthy. For that reason, he says businesses must come up with unique charitable activities.
My guess would be that the burn-out factor is more likely to occur with larger city media than it is with your small local newspaper. If you do something that benefits someone in your community, the local paper is likely to cover it.
Another pitfall might be the charity you choose. If you pick a cause that’s controversial, your good intentions could backfire on your bottom line. Luckily, farms are well-positioned to participate in causes that anyone who eats can support. Food banks, senior meal programs, homeless shelters are just a few food-related causes that might accept produce donations.
Some farms and charities have teamed up for gleaning programs, where volunteers pick up any produce that remains in the field after the harvest and deliver it to the needy.
Worried about the liability of donating food to the needy? Could you be sued if someone gets sick after eating produce that you provided? The Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act is a federal law that protects donors of food products, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
So, there is little to lose and much to gain, for you and your beneficiaries, by doing something charitable.
If you feel guilty about having a marketing purpose behind your good works…think about the alternative. What if no one did anything at all?
Copyright Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the February 2006 issue of Growing Magazine.
First of all, the restaurant name was mentioned on the radio as part of a news story, which amounted to free advertising. Secondly, the news no doubt motivated some people to patronized the restaurant on that day who otherwise might have dined elsewhere, increasing overall sales. And lastly, the charitable act surely created a positive image for the restaurant and it’s owners within the community, which could boost business in the long run.
Charity as a marketing tactic, also known as cause-related marketing, has been around for a long time but continues to grow. The concept can take many forms. There are corporate sponsorships of charitable events. There are outright donations of cash, goods and services. And then there are guerrilla tactics like the restaurant example.
Think of all the companies that donated products to hurricane victims. Their actions benefited the companies as well as the people who needed water, food, clothing, medicine, tools, lumber, etc.
While you might think that only large corporations can afford to be charitable, one could argue that small and medium businesses – like family farms – can’t afford not to be. According to an article by David Frey on FrugalMarketing.com, many small businesses are affiliating themselves with charities to market their products and services. He points out that it’s not only a primary means for developing a powerful network but also helps others in the process.
Of course, for your charitable actions to have a marketing benefit, you’ll have to let people know about it. That means publicizing your donations by sending out a news release, including information and photos in your newsletter and other marketing materials, and asking the recipient to do the same, if appropriate.
According to Frey, charitable organizations are not oblivious to companies’ marketing motivations. They understand that there is a secondary purpose to your participation.
The public and the media also understand, all too well, that there is a secondary purpose and that, can be a pitfall, according to David Zucker on onPhilanthropy.com. Zucker claims that the public and the media can suffer cause-related marketing “burn-out,” no longer being impressed by a company writing a check to a charity. These days the media are less likely to see that as newsworthy. For that reason, he says businesses must come up with unique charitable activities.
My guess would be that the burn-out factor is more likely to occur with larger city media than it is with your small local newspaper. If you do something that benefits someone in your community, the local paper is likely to cover it.
Another pitfall might be the charity you choose. If you pick a cause that’s controversial, your good intentions could backfire on your bottom line. Luckily, farms are well-positioned to participate in causes that anyone who eats can support. Food banks, senior meal programs, homeless shelters are just a few food-related causes that might accept produce donations.
Some farms and charities have teamed up for gleaning programs, where volunteers pick up any produce that remains in the field after the harvest and deliver it to the needy.
Worried about the liability of donating food to the needy? Could you be sued if someone gets sick after eating produce that you provided? The Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act is a federal law that protects donors of food products, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
So, there is little to lose and much to gain, for you and your beneficiaries, by doing something charitable.
If you feel guilty about having a marketing purpose behind your good works…think about the alternative. What if no one did anything at all?
Copyright Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the February 2006 issue of Growing Magazine.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Do you have a crisis communication plan?
Some people say that all publicity is good publicity. While there may be a certain rationale behind that statement, I'm sure that many small business owners would take issue with it. In the food industry there have been some notable cases of negative publicity and it's hard to imagine that it resulted in increased business for the companies involved.
Whether it's severed fingers in chili, e. coli bacteria in salad bars, Alar on apples or mad cow disease, this is not the type of media coverage food businesses would prefer.
As a food producer, you do all that you can in growing and handling your products to ensure that they are safe and wholesome. You take steps to ensure worker safety and if you are also a food retailer, you ensure that your premises are safe for customers to visit. While these things may be required by law, you also recognize that it's the right thing to do.
But the reality is that bad things, often beyond your control, can happen and it's best to be prepared for how you will respond. How you respond can affect your business' image and ultimately affect your bottom line. That's why a crisis communications plan should be part of your overall marketing plan.
What is a crisis communication plan? It's the process of putting into writing exactly what you will do if a crisis situation arises and how you will deal with the news media and the public. It involves designating a spokesperson, developing key messages, preparing for tough questions, and keeping track of media contacts. Once you have a plan in writing, you make sure that all your employees are familiar with it and review it regularly.
With any luck, developing a crisis communication plan will be a complete waste of time. It may be the one thing you will do for your business that you hope you will never use. But the ramifications of not having one if you do need it are far worse than the time wasted if you never do.
So what kind of crises should you plan for? A crisis can be any situation that threatens the your business' integrity. Such situations often involve negative media attention. These can be situations like legal disputes, illnesses, crimes, accidents or controversies that are related to, caused by, or that affect your business or industry.
Examples can include someone getting sick after eating a product you sold to them, a dispute with your neighbors, an environmental problem on your farm, or an employee being injured on the job.
Since some crisis situations could have legal implications, your lawyer will probably be wary about you saying anything that would imply fault. It is good public relations, however, to acknowledge that a problem exists and explain what you are doing to correct it. And, if someone is injured or upset you'll certainly want to express sincere concern for the person and their family.
Sometimes the crisis might not be confined to your business alone. For example, when a drought strikes the region, the media may want to interview you about crop losses and get pictures of crops withering in the field.
How you respond in that type of crisis can have a direct effect not only on your business but also on other farms in the area. In the case of a drought, usually local produce is still available even if yields are down. Painting a picture of doom to a reporter can cause customers to stay away from all farms in the area, thinking that there is no produce.
Instead, you can acknowledge that the weather is less than ideal but point out that weather challenges are part of farming and farmers do what they can to make sure that local products are available in season. Invite the reporter to come out with a photographer to see the crops that are doing well despite the drought. You might just help kill the drought story in the process.
That's not to say that you should ever, ever lie to a reporter. That would only make a crisis situation worse. But it is a good idea to have a plan that includes accentuating the positive (as the song goes) to keep negative publicity from undoing all your good marketing efforts.
Copyright 2005 by Diane Baedeker Petit. This article originally appeared in the September 2005 issue of Growing Magazine.
Whether it's severed fingers in chili, e. coli bacteria in salad bars, Alar on apples or mad cow disease, this is not the type of media coverage food businesses would prefer.
As a food producer, you do all that you can in growing and handling your products to ensure that they are safe and wholesome. You take steps to ensure worker safety and if you are also a food retailer, you ensure that your premises are safe for customers to visit. While these things may be required by law, you also recognize that it's the right thing to do.
But the reality is that bad things, often beyond your control, can happen and it's best to be prepared for how you will respond. How you respond can affect your business' image and ultimately affect your bottom line. That's why a crisis communications plan should be part of your overall marketing plan.
What is a crisis communication plan? It's the process of putting into writing exactly what you will do if a crisis situation arises and how you will deal with the news media and the public. It involves designating a spokesperson, developing key messages, preparing for tough questions, and keeping track of media contacts. Once you have a plan in writing, you make sure that all your employees are familiar with it and review it regularly.
With any luck, developing a crisis communication plan will be a complete waste of time. It may be the one thing you will do for your business that you hope you will never use. But the ramifications of not having one if you do need it are far worse than the time wasted if you never do.
So what kind of crises should you plan for? A crisis can be any situation that threatens the your business' integrity. Such situations often involve negative media attention. These can be situations like legal disputes, illnesses, crimes, accidents or controversies that are related to, caused by, or that affect your business or industry.
Examples can include someone getting sick after eating a product you sold to them, a dispute with your neighbors, an environmental problem on your farm, or an employee being injured on the job.
Since some crisis situations could have legal implications, your lawyer will probably be wary about you saying anything that would imply fault. It is good public relations, however, to acknowledge that a problem exists and explain what you are doing to correct it. And, if someone is injured or upset you'll certainly want to express sincere concern for the person and their family.
Sometimes the crisis might not be confined to your business alone. For example, when a drought strikes the region, the media may want to interview you about crop losses and get pictures of crops withering in the field.
How you respond in that type of crisis can have a direct effect not only on your business but also on other farms in the area. In the case of a drought, usually local produce is still available even if yields are down. Painting a picture of doom to a reporter can cause customers to stay away from all farms in the area, thinking that there is no produce.
Instead, you can acknowledge that the weather is less than ideal but point out that weather challenges are part of farming and farmers do what they can to make sure that local products are available in season. Invite the reporter to come out with a photographer to see the crops that are doing well despite the drought. You might just help kill the drought story in the process.
That's not to say that you should ever, ever lie to a reporter. That would only make a crisis situation worse. But it is a good idea to have a plan that includes accentuating the positive (as the song goes) to keep negative publicity from undoing all your good marketing efforts.
Copyright 2005 by Diane Baedeker Petit. This article originally appeared in the September 2005 issue of Growing Magazine.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
The Power of a Good Picture
In October 2004, when the Boston Red Sox headed into the World Series after the most dramatic comeback in sports history, a local farm saw not just a great moment for New England sports fans, but also a marketing opportunity. Wilson Farms in Lexington, Mass., used 10,000 pounds of pumpkins and 1500 pounds of butternut squash to create a 100-foot long World Series scoreboard in one of their fields.
Aerial shots of the pumpkin scoreboard, which was updated daily throughout the four game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, were published in newspapers around the region, broadcast on numerous television stations, and even included in the opening of the game broadcasts.
Now that’s a perfect example of guerrilla marketing and it illustrates the power of a good visual. The folks at Wilson Farms found a way to get involved in and capitalize on a current major news story. The image of all those pumpkins and squash spelling out “2004 World Series,” “Red Sox” and “Cardinals” a few days before Halloween appealed to news people on several levels: it was a different angle on a major news story, it was seasonal, and it was local.
The old adage that “a picture paints a thousand words” may be hackneyed but it’s true. Plenty of information can be communicated with a picture. More than that, pictures can evoke emotion and create an impression more efficiently than the written word.
When you’re trying to get publicity for your farm, don’t be too disappointed if you get a photo and caption in the newspaper instead of an article. A photo above the fold on the first page can be more effective than a story on page 10. It can sometimes even be more effective than advertising.
In fact, Janice Wentworth of The Warren Farm and Sugarhouse in North Brookfield, Mass., told me once that the Worcester Telegram and Gazette newspaper did a photo with their dog Molly patrolling their tomato display. A week later, Jan and her husband Dale ran an ad in the same newspaper for tomatoes. Every customer who came to the farm to buy tomatoes, without exception, according to Jan, said they saw the photo but no one said that they saw the ad.
Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t advertise. Rather, think about finding ways to get photos of your farm into the local newspaper or magazines and even video footage on television, as part of your marketing plan.
So, how do you go about it? First you’ve got to find something that’s photo-worthy. On a farm there are plenty of photogenic subjects. Look at the type of images that newspapers typically run as stand alone photos to get a sense of what they will use.
Most daily newspapers prefer to have their own photographers shoot the photos they use. So, if there’s time, call the paper and ask to speak to the photo desk to alert them of a photo opportunity. If a “photo op” presents itself unexpectedly, take your own photo, then send it to the local paper.
You can mail a conventional print, or e-mail a digital photo as most papers and magazines will now accept digital photos, providing the resolution is high enough. Being able to e-mail photos is a huge advantage as it lets you get them out in a timely manner. It’s best to do a little research in advance to find out which papers and magazines accept unsolicited photos and how they prefer to receive them.
And, of course, publicity isn’t the only use for good images of your farm. If you’ve got a website, publish a newsletter, or are planning a brochure, photos will give folks a better picture of your farm and what you offer, literally.
So, start looking at your farm in terms good photo opportunities and create your own opportunities whenever you can. You may not always have something as big as the Red Sox in the World Series to capitalize on, but with a little creativity you’ll find plenty of ways to hit a marketing grand slam.
Copyright 2004 by Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the January 2005 issue of Growing magazine.
Aerial shots of the pumpkin scoreboard, which was updated daily throughout the four game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, were published in newspapers around the region, broadcast on numerous television stations, and even included in the opening of the game broadcasts.
Now that’s a perfect example of guerrilla marketing and it illustrates the power of a good visual. The folks at Wilson Farms found a way to get involved in and capitalize on a current major news story. The image of all those pumpkins and squash spelling out “2004 World Series,” “Red Sox” and “Cardinals” a few days before Halloween appealed to news people on several levels: it was a different angle on a major news story, it was seasonal, and it was local.
The old adage that “a picture paints a thousand words” may be hackneyed but it’s true. Plenty of information can be communicated with a picture. More than that, pictures can evoke emotion and create an impression more efficiently than the written word.
When you’re trying to get publicity for your farm, don’t be too disappointed if you get a photo and caption in the newspaper instead of an article. A photo above the fold on the first page can be more effective than a story on page 10. It can sometimes even be more effective than advertising.
In fact, Janice Wentworth of The Warren Farm and Sugarhouse in North Brookfield, Mass., told me once that the Worcester Telegram and Gazette newspaper did a photo with their dog Molly patrolling their tomato display. A week later, Jan and her husband Dale ran an ad in the same newspaper for tomatoes. Every customer who came to the farm to buy tomatoes, without exception, according to Jan, said they saw the photo but no one said that they saw the ad.
Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t advertise. Rather, think about finding ways to get photos of your farm into the local newspaper or magazines and even video footage on television, as part of your marketing plan.
So, how do you go about it? First you’ve got to find something that’s photo-worthy. On a farm there are plenty of photogenic subjects. Look at the type of images that newspapers typically run as stand alone photos to get a sense of what they will use.
Most daily newspapers prefer to have their own photographers shoot the photos they use. So, if there’s time, call the paper and ask to speak to the photo desk to alert them of a photo opportunity. If a “photo op” presents itself unexpectedly, take your own photo, then send it to the local paper.
You can mail a conventional print, or e-mail a digital photo as most papers and magazines will now accept digital photos, providing the resolution is high enough. Being able to e-mail photos is a huge advantage as it lets you get them out in a timely manner. It’s best to do a little research in advance to find out which papers and magazines accept unsolicited photos and how they prefer to receive them.
And, of course, publicity isn’t the only use for good images of your farm. If you’ve got a website, publish a newsletter, or are planning a brochure, photos will give folks a better picture of your farm and what you offer, literally.
So, start looking at your farm in terms good photo opportunities and create your own opportunities whenever you can. You may not always have something as big as the Red Sox in the World Series to capitalize on, but with a little creativity you’ll find plenty of ways to hit a marketing grand slam.
Copyright 2004 by Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the January 2005 issue of Growing magazine.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Making Headlines: Getting Publicity for Your Farm
What is publicity and why should you want it? For the purposes of this blog entry, publicity equals news coverage. When a reporter from a newspaper writes an article about you or your business, that’s publicity. If a radio or TV station interviews you and the interview runs as part of the newscast, that’s publicity too.
Publicity is not paid advertising, regardless of whether it’s print, radio or television advertising, or even a personal appearance on a radio or television show offered to you as an advertiser. You may hear people refer to publicity as free advertising, but that’s misleading and a little insulting to the news media outlets that cover you.
News coverage has certain benefits that paid advertising does not. It not only increases your visibility, but your credibility as well. A good news story is a third party endorsement since it’s someone else saying good things about your farm. An ad, in contrast, is you saying good things about your own business. A successful publicity campaign can reach a wide audience at low or no cost.
Publicity should be only one part of your marketing plan, however. Since there are no guarantees in trying to get news coverage, publicity should complement, not replace, paid advertising.
The bottom line is good publicity is good for business. Good publicity is also good for the agriculture industry as a whole because it increases public awareness of local agriculture. Every time your farm is in the news the public is reminded that agriculture is an important part of the economy and your community.
Just like in farming, you have to use the right tools to get publicity. Your most important publicity tool will be a news release. A news release is like a news article that you write about your own business and send out to the media. Although it is intended for publication, many reporters will simply use it for background in writing their own news story.
A news release is not an advertisement, so it shouldn't sound like one. Be subtle with self-promotion in a release.
A news release is not a letter to reporters or editors. Write the release as if it were a news article. Your audience is the reader of the newspaper. Assume that whatever you write in the release will be printed in the paper.
There is no guarantee that your news release will be used. You have sent it unsolicited to a newspaper, radio station or television station and you are not paying for the space or airtime. They don’t have to use your release if they feel it’s not newsworthy, relevant or timely.
A professional looking news release has more credibility. The standard news release format is designed to make it easy for writers and editors to grasp the news quickly, edit it easily and know whom to contact if they have questions. Use letterhead and always include a contact name, a date and a headline.
A solid base of good contacts is the cornerstone of successful media relations. Seek out contacts at the local, regional and national level. Include newspapers, television, radio, wire services, cable TV, trade publications, and magazines. Be sure your list includes food, business, garden, environmental and travel writers.
Having a good relationship with a reporter can increase your chances that they will be receptive to writing a story about your farm. Getting to know a reporter also means that you’ll get to know the type of stories they like, or are assigned, to cover. You can pitch your story accordingly.
Be proactive and creative in your approach to publicity. Send out regular news releases, write letters to the editor or opinion pieces for the local paper on community issues, or call a reporter with a story idea or to offer a farmer’s viewpoint on an issue.
Plan events with publicity in mind. Don’t be afraid to do something a little off-beat. Gimmicks can work in getting publicity. Making the world’s largest apple cobbler and offering samples to customers will surely turn out a photographer or two. And if, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, think of how much you would pay for that much advertising space.
Copyright 2003 by Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the October 2003 issue of Growing magazine.
Publicity is not paid advertising, regardless of whether it’s print, radio or television advertising, or even a personal appearance on a radio or television show offered to you as an advertiser. You may hear people refer to publicity as free advertising, but that’s misleading and a little insulting to the news media outlets that cover you.
News coverage has certain benefits that paid advertising does not. It not only increases your visibility, but your credibility as well. A good news story is a third party endorsement since it’s someone else saying good things about your farm. An ad, in contrast, is you saying good things about your own business. A successful publicity campaign can reach a wide audience at low or no cost.
Publicity should be only one part of your marketing plan, however. Since there are no guarantees in trying to get news coverage, publicity should complement, not replace, paid advertising.
The bottom line is good publicity is good for business. Good publicity is also good for the agriculture industry as a whole because it increases public awareness of local agriculture. Every time your farm is in the news the public is reminded that agriculture is an important part of the economy and your community.
Just like in farming, you have to use the right tools to get publicity. Your most important publicity tool will be a news release. A news release is like a news article that you write about your own business and send out to the media. Although it is intended for publication, many reporters will simply use it for background in writing their own news story.
A news release is not an advertisement, so it shouldn't sound like one. Be subtle with self-promotion in a release.
A news release is not a letter to reporters or editors. Write the release as if it were a news article. Your audience is the reader of the newspaper. Assume that whatever you write in the release will be printed in the paper.
There is no guarantee that your news release will be used. You have sent it unsolicited to a newspaper, radio station or television station and you are not paying for the space or airtime. They don’t have to use your release if they feel it’s not newsworthy, relevant or timely.
A professional looking news release has more credibility. The standard news release format is designed to make it easy for writers and editors to grasp the news quickly, edit it easily and know whom to contact if they have questions. Use letterhead and always include a contact name, a date and a headline.
A solid base of good contacts is the cornerstone of successful media relations. Seek out contacts at the local, regional and national level. Include newspapers, television, radio, wire services, cable TV, trade publications, and magazines. Be sure your list includes food, business, garden, environmental and travel writers.
Having a good relationship with a reporter can increase your chances that they will be receptive to writing a story about your farm. Getting to know a reporter also means that you’ll get to know the type of stories they like, or are assigned, to cover. You can pitch your story accordingly.
Be proactive and creative in your approach to publicity. Send out regular news releases, write letters to the editor or opinion pieces for the local paper on community issues, or call a reporter with a story idea or to offer a farmer’s viewpoint on an issue.
Plan events with publicity in mind. Don’t be afraid to do something a little off-beat. Gimmicks can work in getting publicity. Making the world’s largest apple cobbler and offering samples to customers will surely turn out a photographer or two. And if, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, think of how much you would pay for that much advertising space.
Copyright 2003 by Diane Baedeker Petit
This article originally appeared in the October 2003 issue of Growing magazine.
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