Wonder how many times a day to post to Facebook or Twitter? Curious about what content to include in your e-newsletter? Unsure if you should jump on the Pinterest bandwagon? This beginning-intermediate workshop will answer your questions and cover the who, what, when, where, and why of social media and e-newsletters. Learn the ins and outs from ASAP’s former communications manager and a local farmer and business owner who is using social media websites and e-newsletters to her advantage. Tara Jensen of Smoke Signals and Paper Crane Farm, Maggie Cramer, freelance writer, editor, and communications specialist

1. Becoming Social Media Savvy:
Authentic, Meaningful
Engagement (AME)
Tara Jensen (Smoke Signals)
Maggie Cramer (communications consultant)
Business of Farming Conference - 2015

2. What AME ISN’T
It’s NOT…
• about the numbers (likes, follows, etc.)
• artificial or forced
• complicated, requiring expertise
• static, one-direction
• the driver of what you do
• just promotional

3. What AME IS
It’s...
• a two-way street
• an exchange of ideas, tips, stories, etc.
• an opportunity for you meet, connect with, be inspired by
other farmers, foodies, and fans
• an extension of your existing community – on and offline
• a way to grow and improve your business that you can
enjoy
• a way to stand out in a crowded social sea

4. How to Make AME Happen
Storytelling
• Establish your rules for sharing while being honest
and approachable. Share the highs and – if you’re
comfortable – some of the lows: the true experience
of farming and running your business. Translate
your everyday life to online.
• The moments that excite you, confuse you, motivate
you, etc.

5. How to Make AME Happen
Asking
• Ask ?s about what your community wants, likes, etc.
(existing products, new products, things to do if they
visit the farm).
• Seek input/feedback on farm/business decisions
(name of new animal, hours for new farm store).
• Ask for food/ag opinions.
• Use tools: polls, fill in blank, caption a photo, etc.

6. How to Make AME Happen
Visuals: Photo + Video
• It’s no secret that visual content performs better than
other content on social networks. Capture anything
and everything:
• from your table at market
• to animals on the farm
• to the sunrise/sunset every morning on the farm

7. How to Make AME Happen
Etiquette
• Find an online voice/tone that’s true to you,
friendly, and approachable.
• Handle negativity without negativity.

8. How to Make AME Happen
Reasonable expectations
• Show less-than-perfect aspects if you’re comfortable.
• Show that you and your “brand” – your farm, your
food, your business – are relatable and real.
• Remember that AME means that your online world
benefits your real world: each needs to be able to
translate to the other.

9. How to Make AME Happen
A few, focused platforms
• Blasting static, inauthentic content across channels
just to cover them isn’t AME.
• Focus where your audience is, with the platforms
you’re comfortable with and enjoy using.

10. How to Make AME Happen
Other content tips:
• Recipes
• Re-post from fellow farmers, ag organizations, ag
media to show genuine support; share your insight.
• Embrace/use popular approaches when authentic to
you: connect to holidays and theme days with
meaningful stories/photos; share inspirational
quotes + why they inspire you.

11. How to Make AME Happen
It’s okay to put on the marketing hat:
• Embrace what the platforms offer: create events,
photo galleries, groups, change your cover photo and
profile photo, etc. BUT with reason and meaning.
• Use hashtags to increase visibility, like #avlag
#avleat #farmersmarkets.
• Participate in planned conversations and events.
• Use all methods: share, simple RT, RT with
comment, favoriting, responding for your followers
and others to see, direct messages where appropriate.

12. How to Make AME Happen
It’s okay to put on the marketing hat:
• Follow customers and other related orgs and biz;
make lists if you have time to stay organized.
• Post consistently; share if you’ll be away.
• Use help, forums, Google searches to answer.
• Experiment and use analytics/insights + trial and
error to learn your followers’ habits and post when
they’re online.

13. Quick Tips
You want AME, but you still want SM to be easy:
•If you’re pressed for time, turn to a good
communicator(s) on your team; you can establish a
singular voice or use multiple voices.
•Embrace SM scheduling tools: use a dashboard service
like Hootsuite, TweetDeck, Buffer, etc.
•Create backlog of content for when creativity isn’t
striking.
•Create and utilize a social media calendar.

14. Tara’s Rules
• Don’t over-post
• Curate your content
• Activate your media
• Participate

15. E-newsletters: Why
• Same reasons as social media
BUT
• No algorithm or 12-second chance! You can’t make
them open, but you’re guaranteed to reach the
inboxes of subscribers.
• Social connection: call attention to your social
efforts; encourage engagement

16. E-newsletters: Where
• My Newsletter Builder (local)
• Constant Contact
• iContact
• Vertical Response
• MailChimp
• All very similar; utilize free trials and/or experiment
when lists are small and free to find right fit for you

17. E-newsletters: What
• What you can’t say in 140 characters or one photo
caption:
• Stories
• News
• Lists of offerings
• Calendar; looking ahead
• Lengthy quotes or testimonials

18. E-newsletters: When
Think of purpose and your available time: If your
subscribers want to know ahead of markets what
you’ll have, go weekly. Don’t have market news or
time to compose each week, think monthly.
THEN
Experiment!

19. Great Social Examples
Check out:
• @kgfarmer
• @originsfarm
• @startafarm
• @localrootsfarm
• Feedfeed.com
• Barnraiser.com

20. Thanks!
Tara: loveartbread@gmail.com
Maggie: mcramerwrites@gmail.com