Sharing Our Message
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Today's farmers and ranchers -- an the retailers who supply them with -- face negative perceptions about technology, environmental stewardship, sustainability and safety. Building community relations and goodwill through positive storytelling, compelling messages and relationship development can help manage those perceptions. In addition, this presentation offers advice on what to say and how to say it when discussing agriculture with people holding differing perspectives. Presented at Ohio Agribusiness Association 4R Forum December 12, 2014.
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Sharing Our Message
- 1. Sharing Our Message Increasing Agriculture’sGoodwill Among Consumers 1Brian Reuwee >> Director of Communications >> Agricultural Retailers Association
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- 3. Sharing Our Message Messages that Resonate Community Relations Local Media Social Media 3
- 4. What do consumers care about? Portlandia: Is the chicken local? 4
- 5. What Do Consumers Care About? They want to interact with farmers They feel guilty about their food choices Concern about GMOs and pesticides; animal welfare and hormone use Long-term health Environmental threats Suspicious of government and/or corporate control of agriculture 5
- 6. Be Open to Opportunities for Conversation Selecting food at grocery stores or restaurants Books, magazines at airports or on flights Pay attention to your school curriculum During church functions Coffee shop conversations 6
- 7. Start with an Apology Ag is losing the battle for public perception Use empathetic communication techniques Avoid defensive positions 7
- 8. Use Language that Works Safe = Unnatural, untested Affordable = Lack of quality Abundant = Manufactured, unsustainable Precision = Laboratory Farmers feed the world = I only care about my family 8
- 9. Use Language that Works Prevent bugs and pests from eating crops (Pesticides) Nourish crops to help them grow (Fertilizer / Nitrogen) Using less, avoiding sensitive areas (PrecisionAg) Always working to improve (Continuous Improvement) 9
- 10. Use Language that Works Leverage farmer credibility Examples of science, research, education and business practices may surprise consumers Be Authentic and transparent 10
- 11. Conversations with EASE Engage: Start the Conversation Acknowledge:Acknowledge questions and concerns Share:Talk about meaningful details in how you / your customers grow food EarnTrust: Make it clear you want to earn their trust 11
- 13. Community Relations Community Open House Tour for First Responders Participate in Local Events Parades Festivals County Fairs Support local causes Charity fundraisers Youth Sports / Activities 4H / FFA / Scout programs 13
- 14. Case Study: Ag Enterprise Supply 14
- 15. First Responder Guidance Opportunity to walk the facility grounds, see buildings Understand chemicals on hand Offer or sponsor firefighter training Review procedures for leaks, spills, fires, etc. Educate and develop relationships 15
- 16. Local Media Invitation is Essential 16
- 17. Local Media Engagement Letters to the Editor Editorials Press Releases Advertising Information and knowledge Invitation >> Invitation >> Invitation 17
- 18. Social Media Listen / Follow / Share / Post 18
- 19. Social Media Blogs YouTube Facebook USFRA Cause Matters, Michele Payn-Knoper Twitter @AgChat @DairyCarrie @ChrisChinn @JPLovesCotton Instagram AgProudRyan Etc. 19
- 20. Instagram Opportunities to share your pictures (and short videos) to tell your story. 20
- 21. Answer Questions Use short videos to answer key consumer questions. 21
- 22. How to… Show, not just tell. 22
- 23. Video Rules Peterson Brothers onYouTube 23
- 24. Questions 24
- 25. Take Aways Traditional messages don’t resonate with consumers Be open to conversations Engage, don’t defend Feed the media Social media gives you a platform 25
- 26. Brian Reuwee Agricultural Retailers Association Director of Communications (202) 595-1712 brian@aradc.org @BrianReuwee or @AgRetailers 26
Editor's Notes
- So I saw a presentation a couple years ago about loyalty and engagement. The speaker said if I want to you to listen and engage, I have to create an emotional connection. And since visuals are the most powerful way to do that, I want to introduce my wife of five years Corey, my daughter Virginia, who just turned 9 months; my teams and the three places I’d be if I didn’t have this great job: a St. Louis Cardinals game, Yellowstone on the top left or spending time at home with my baby girl. Professionally, I serve as Director of Communications and Marketing for the Agricultural Retailers Association, a position I’ve held for a little more than a year. Before moving the family to DC, I served in a variety of management, marketing and sales roles for an association management firm specializing in agricultural trade associations and professional societies. My professional background and education is in journalism and I earned my MBA in 2007. I’m passionate about leveraging marketing and communications strategies and tactics to improve agricultural organizations. Now that you know me a bit, lets have a conversation about improving the public perception of agriculture…
- What messages do we usually lead with in response to public / consumer criticism? Why do we use those messages? Are they effective? What about with Lake Erie algea bloom? Features versus Benefits Have we actually listened to consumers / public?
- Demand for honest brokers in the conversation about how our food is grown. Farmers Markets General media Dr. Oz / Oprah / Dr. Phil / etc. Most consumers don’t want to be told what and how they should eat, but much of what they hear about today’s agriculture is negative. Ag has not told its story as well as the opposition. Now we must be authentic, accessible, agreeable, relevant and exciting. Research shows consumers welcome the opportunity to talk to “real” farmers and ranchers. According to a USFRA survey, 72 percent of consumers say they know very little or nothing about farming and ranching. Yet, 76 percent say how food is raised influences their choices. Consumers give Farmers the benefit of the doubt. Farmers are one of the most trusted professions with 80 percent creditability. But only 30 percent of consumers trust our food system. What can we in the Ag Business do to connect with what consumers care about?
- Share with people who don’t look like you Randy’s example of hippie woman USFRA is forcing the conversation with events like Food Dialogues
- When we started using GMOs or rBST, we didn’t ask for the public’s permission. Ag only saw the benefits, not the potential hang-ups. Then for 30 years we’ve been on the defensive about technology. Being defensive shuts down a conversation and eliminates your credibility. An apology is a good opportunity to establish transparency, tell a story and share how technology is useful to farmers. Apologizing for and acknowledging that agriculture hasn’t done a good job of addressing consumer concerns will help diffuse any conversation. “The Agriculture community didn’t do a good job of listening to the public when XYZ product was developed. I understand why you’re concerned… At our farm…” Using that as an example, how could we acknowledge people’s concern about Lake Erie water quality?
- There is no silver bullet, but the typical things ag has been saying don’t work
- Consumers don’t understand what happens on the farm today, but many want to learn, which leaves opportunity for storytelling. USFRA research has shown they are pleasantly surprised to learn the level of education of farmers, the research being conducted, complexity of the business and factors involved in operating a farm. What examples of research could we apply to Lake Erie and how ag has responded to this issue during the last decade+?
- Conversations about how food is grown and raised are happening. But, over the years, the voices of farmers and ranchers have been less than adequately represented in the conversation about food production. Engaging in a conversation about food production – rather than defending food production – helps farmers and ranchers understand what consumers want, and helps consumers learn more about how food is produced from the people who actually grow and raise it. By listening to their questions, engaging in conversation and talking about how we continually improve what we do on our farms and ranches, we learn from each other’s Opinion. In the end, we all have a vested interest in food.
- It’s a word-of-mouth movement that’s needed to change consumer perception There’s no national advertising campaign for “agriculture” GM spends $500 million/year on advertising Presidential campaign costs $1 billion / candidate But you can impact your community by building goodwill
- Goodwill bank Ex. NEW Cooperative Community Foundation, gives scholarships and grants to organizations in their community also becomes a media touchpoint.
- Sent more than 500 invitations to customers, community leaders, first responders, media More than 100 people attended Had food for visitors, equipment and demonstrations Who has held a community open house? Tell us about how that was organized and what was the result?
- How have you engaged with first responders? What is that relationship like? How has it improved?
- Local media is often hungry to have news dropped on its doorstep. I encourage you to literally and figuratively feed them.
- Strategy should drive the decisions to use these tactics, but if part of your strategy involves freedom to operate, maintaining good communication with the people who buy ink by the barrel will prove useful. Good stories: Firsts, lasts What’s new, unique What’s different Share opinions on national news and state (e.g. regulation: CFATS, WOTUS; farm bill; harvest success; rail challenges; etc. – show you’re engaged and interested in state/national news) Share announcements about promotions, awards How are you sharing information about the local harvest? Would you be willing to share that information? What about grain marketing or commodity prices? Do you have an expert on staff who can talk to media about those issues? How have you gained positive media attention in the last year or two? Not getting anywhere with your local media? Nowadays, everyone can be a publisher…
- Who is using social media for their operation? How are you using it? What kind of content are you posting? What have been the results? Social media is a tool, not a strategy. But it can be a powerful component of marketing Listen Follow Share Post
- What should you post? Where should you post?
- Who is using Instagram? Are you using it for your business or just for fun? What kinds of images do you share? Why?
- Social media expert, Founder of the Sale Lion and co-owner of River Pools and Spas Marcus Sheridan grew his pool business by creating a blog to answer his customers top 20 questions. River Pools and Spa’s website became the resource for customers looking to buy/install a pool or spa. Take your most frequently asked questions and turn them into 30 second video vignettes, blog posts, tweets, etc. These may be your customer’s questions, but also questions from your community, media, etc. Ex. What is that machine spraying in the field? How do you decide when to apply fertilizer? Pesticides? How much are you applying? What do the signs at the end of the row mean?
- Don’t assume what you is uninteresting to others. Driving a combine may be mundane to you, but consumers, particularly those interested in where our food comes from may be very interested. This video has 15,000 views. Refrigerator journalism Show, not tell How have you used video for your operation? Where have you had success?
- Fun and entertaining