Goals of This Workshop:

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1 Using Public Relations to Market Your Business UMOFC -- February 26, 2005 Renewing the Countryside Lisa Kivirist & John Ivanko Goals of This Workshop: Overview of public relations Identify your PR goals Determine what makes your farm story unique & compelling Press release & media relations basics Harvest inspiration and ideas! Don t put all your eggs in one basket - Grandma What is Public Relations? Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. Source: Institute of Public Relations 2. Mainstream America doesn t understand or appreciate organics Drake Family Farms (West Jordan, UT) Three Sisters Farm (Sandy Lake, PA) 2. Mainstream America doesn t understand or appreciate organics 2. Mainstream America doesn t understand or appreciate organics 4. I don t have connections 2. Mainstream America doesn t understand or appreciate organics 4. I don t have connections 5. Corporate conglomerate slugs run the media and I don t want to play that game 1

2 2. Mainstream America doesn t understand or appreciate organics 4. I don t have connections 5. Corporate conglomerate slugs run the media world and I don t want to play that game 6. Just leave me alone and let me grow things 7. Can t you see I m busy? Public Relations is overwhelming and I don t have time. Caledonia, IL Identify Your Media Goals Be specific. What do you want as an end result? LOCAL: Build CSA business Increase traffic to farmers market stand Caledonia, IL Identify Your Media Goals REGIONAL: Grow awareness of corn maze Generate customer traffic to onsite farm store Red Fire Farm Granby, MA Identify Your Media Goals NATIONAL: Increase sales of mail-order fiber products Develop chef clientele for specialty syrup Hickoryworks Trafalgar, IN Complete your local, regional and/or national communication goals Worksheet Identify your strengths What makes your business unique? Select spokesperson for your business Darthia Farm Gouldsboro, ME Titus Mill Farm Pennington, NJ Papa Bear s Plantation Ocala, FL 2

3 Value Added: While most wreaths typically use only one kind of greenery, I differentiate my wreaths by using a variety of evergreens - six to seven in all - grown on my farm. - Karen Yasui, Petalland Petalland Tullahoma, TN Niche Product or Crop: Our crops are custom harvested. We offer farm fresh products, harvested less than 24 hours from the field to restaurant kitchen. Eero Ruuttila Nesenkeag Coop. Farm Nesenkeag Cooperative Farm Litchfield, NH Farming & Ranching Method: "Our decision to seek organic and predator friendly certification is driven by our commitment to habitat and landscape protection more than the need for an eco-label per say. The label does provide a good tool for communicating with consumers about the risks and rewards of responsible agriculture. - Dave Tyler Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Co. Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Co. Belgrad, MT Marketing: My big difference in running the farm was to put a face to food by renaming my farm and products MaryJanesFarm. I branded myself. Suddenly, my products took on the passion in my heart for the things I believed in. - MaryJane Butters MaryJanesFarm MaryJanesFarm Moscow, ID Diverse Skill Sets: We have to secure the higher margins that retail prices bring. Therefore, we ve learned to wear lots of hats. We re farmers, yes, but also accountants, marketers, negotiators, graphic designers, public relations people. - Joel Salatin Polyface Farm Polyface Farm Swope, VA Land Use: Of our approximately 50 tillable acres, 38 are actually owned by our CSA members, allowing us to secure a long term land base by accessing the capital of the people who get our vegetables. We have the complete authority over the land without needing its ownership. - Bob Bower, General Manager Caledonia, IL Consider event tie-in when media is looking for a story: Earth Day (April 22) Organic Month (September) Seasonality Focus: spring planting, Independence Day, harvest time National Tour of Solar Homes Create your own event: Open House Inn Serendipity Browntown, WI Create your own event: Educational seminars Inn Serendipity Browntown, WI 3

4 Worksheet Create your own event: Contest Devise current news tie-in Tie national stories local Reverse a statistic What s your compelling story? Silver Maple Emu Farm Brodhead, WI Star Haven Farm Iola, TX Develop a Media List Connect & work with journalists Think beyond newspapers Create fact sheets and media room on website Follow-up Persistence & enthusiasm 4. Awards & accomplishments 4. Awards & accomplishments 5. Offer powerful trend data - 4

5 4. Awards & accomplishments 5. Offer powerful trend data Include quotes and testimonials Write A Press Release Providing free copy Use template so media can plug & play Time your press release Submit your release by the media preferred way Write your press release: Headline Catchy intro Quote Details Contact info Worksheet Other Press Release Opportunities Who else could use this free article? Newsletters: Food co-ops, non-profit groups, churches Incentivize message by providing discount or freebie Accept & Manage the Interview Relax and be yourself Prepare for interview Avoid going off the record Provide warm hospitality Other Marketing Opportunities Free Internet listings: - Robyn Van En Center - Local Harvest - USDA - Eatwild (eatwild.com) - All Organic Links Other Marketing Opportunities Renewing the Countryside resources PR & Marketing Tools Website hosting Newsletter templates Recipe cards Press release text Other resources On-going Public Relations Thank you & follow-ups Press begets press Lift endorsement quotes Add freshness & newness Downsides of too much PR Acknowledgments This project and resources made possible through a grant from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 5

6 Rural Renaissance: Renewing the Quest for the Good Life By Lisa Kivirist & John Ivanko 6