If you’re an organic or small-scale farmer, connecting with the media can open powerful doors for your visibility. Local news outlets, community magazines, podcasts and radio, and popular social media channels are always looking for authentic stories about people making a difference, which translates into free advertising and brand recognition for you if you can catch their attention.
Your farm probably has many compelling stories to share. That’s why we published our new Producer Media Toolkit for ideas on how to present your stories to capture more media attention. This is a free tool for all CCOF clients that accompanies our Herramientas de marketing para productores orgánicos.
Why Working with Local Media Matters
Local media can be a powerful ally in building your reputation and connecting with your community. A short feature on your farm can lead to new customers, partnerships, and invitations to events. Beyond that, it helps educate the public about what organic agriculture really means.
Reporters are often on tight deadlines, so becoming a well-prepared and reliable source makes you a desirable contact to keep in touch with for future stories. When you have professional-quality materials ready, including compelling photos and stories with clear messages, you not only make the reporter’s job easier, but ensure your story is told the way you want it to be told.
What Our Toolkit Offers
In our toolkit, you’ll find tips about how to make the most of your existing photos and select the best ones to accompany your pitch. You’ll also find guidance on how to take new photos that frame your products in the best light (figuratively and literally!). You’ll be able to provide reporters with images that reinforce your brand and make people pause in their scrolling feeds to admire your farm.
You’ll also learn best practices for working with local media. We’ve collected a checklist to help you decide whether you want to take an interview with a reporter, and, if so, how to prepare your talking points and phrase your responses so you come across well. Don’t let a careless comment or unprepared interview lead you to negative publicity. Our guide will help you confidently engage with reporters, whether it’s for a positive feature or to field tough questions.
While it can be tempting to jump into promotional opportunities enthusiastically, it’s a good idea to plan and make sure you’re giving your best content to make a good impression. With our toolkit, you can consider questions like: Who in your business is the best person to take this particular interview? And: Is it necessary to answer every question directly? These types of questions are often overlooked by small business owners, but they are invaluable when preparing your best content for the media.
Make Your Photos Shine
In today’s media environment, audiences (including yourself!) are bombarded with text, photos, and videos every time we go online. How can you ensure your content stands out enough to make sure your audience doesn’t scroll too fast and miss it?
With our toolkit, you’ll learn how to choose and take the best photos for every kind of media. This is a very specific skill that’s different from taking the best photos for family albums or promotional product photoshoots. Images for media attention need to tell a compelling, personal story. Our toolkit describes how to give your photos that standout quality while ensuring they look as professional as possible. You don’t need a full photography studio to create compelling images; you just need to be thoughtful about how and when you point the camera.
Engage with Your New Audience
Once you’ve gotten a few reporters or media outlets to direct their audience’s attention to your story, you’ll be in the fantastic position of being more likely to be featured in future stories as well. Remember, reporters are always on the lookout for compelling stories to fill their channels. They’ll be just as interested as you are in keeping the relationship alive.
Your farm’s story deserves to be told. The next time an opportunity arises to share it, whether you reach out to a reporter covering agriculture topics for your local paper or bump into a social media influencer at a media event, make sure you’re ready with your best content already packaged and prepared. Use our toolkit to gather a professional, organized portfolio of stories and photos that showcase your farm in the best possible light and help more people appreciate the dedication, care, and integrity behind every harvest.
As a special opportunity for CCOF members, you are eligible to receive a 20 percent discount on public relations services offered through Comsint Communications. See more details in the toolkit.
Download the Free CCOF Producer Media Toolkit in Inglés o Español.