It’s not every day you walk into the office with an arm full of steaks, joints or mince. But that’s a reality I often face. Thankfully it’s not just colleagues who have bought into the family farm and our beef shop.
For a little over 15 years now, the place I called home diversified to sell our beef direct to consumer. I won’t bore you with the how, or why diversification is crucial in farming communities. But it has surprisingly been a source of much inspiration for the world of PR. Let’s ‘cut’ to the chase (sorry, the puns keep coming…) with my top 5.
1. Sell a solution, not a product
There are many occasions when a customer comes into the shop and says, “I’m having a BBQ what can I cook?” Or with Christmas on the horizon, they’re looking for something as a treat. My family could easily start by saying “Take a rolled sirloin joint”, because that’s what is in stock, and they need to shift it. But that doesn’t get them as excited. They pull open the fridge door and bring out a joint that looks impressive, highlight the fat that will provide succulence and flavour, or bring out a cut that customers are unlikely to see anywhere else to build up the excitement.
Ultimately, they are not telling customers what to buy. They are selling them the experience they’re looking to have when they eat it. PR is the same. Rarely do we buy a product based on technical specs alone. We buy the product that we feel an emotional attachment too. This is why it’s crucial to tell stories, not tech sheets. Take a consumer on an emotional journey with you and tell them how it solves their problems.
2. Build relationships
It sounds simple, but knowing your customer is key.
Being a small shop with many local customers, this is much easier than can often be the case in a large industry scenario. Most visits have more chat about life updates than would be viable for some shops. But making our customers feel special is a part of the service we look to deliver.
This can translate to the world of PR too. For example, there are some customers who come in every time for a topside and a couple of fillet steaks. Others come in summer only for their burgers for the BBQ, and some look to us to provide a Christmas centrepiece. These customers (or steakholders…) can then be segmented and targeted in different ways and at different times. The world of PR can copy this approach and ensure we’re targeting the right customer, at the right time, with the right message.
Beyond that, there are key stakeholders of PRs to build relationships with – clients, journalists and increasingly influencers. Knowing your audience and those who can help you reach them is essential to cultivate success.
3. Know your channels
Linked to knowing your audience is knowing where they can be reached. A large chunk of the customer base wouldn’t be captured in the tech-savvy bracket, so my family uses simple SMS communications. Others are spoken to in the office over zoom, and some are happy with updates on the local Facebook group. Often the messages are the same. It’s making sure they are reaching them through the channels they engage with the most.
Take some time to research your audience. What makes them tick and where to find them is crucial. Everyone in PR would love to land the front page of the FT. But if your audience isn’t reading it, you’ve not had the impact you want to achieve. And with social media channels being a key avenue, knowing your Bluesky from your TikTok is just as important.
4. Creativity always has a place
Roughly every three weeks, half of bull is available to sell. But we can’t send a message every three weeks that says, “come and get it” and expect engagement.
During the Paris Olympics this summer, the text included references to going for gold with our training efforts, medal-worthy cuts and a podium-worthy BBQ option. There was also a rewriting of remember, remember the 5th of November to talk about tender chunks in a big pot and liking beef local and hot (I told you I had prime puns…). This creativity remains baked in insights on what customers are looking for and what messages work well for them.
The average human attention span is 8.25 seconds. To capture that attention, you need to stand out from the crowd. We’re already speaking to them about what they want, in the channel they are active in. But if the content doesn’t quickly grab attention, they’ll scroll past. Impact is lost. Creativity is at its best when it’s baked in insights and still delivering key messages.
5. Transparency is key
I’m willing to bet if I asked someone to name a cut of steak, fillet would be their first answer. There are about 8 fillet steaks to sell with every fresh run. And so, at no point is it possible to give every customer a fillet steak. But we also don’t want to let people down. So, spelling out this challenge, popping them down for future fresh options or providing an alternative that allows them to have the steak and chips they desire becomes essential.
Speaking honestly with customers and acknowledging any pain points must be an integral point of any planning of communications. Whether managing a crisis, launching a new product, or promoting a cause, honesty builds trust. Be upfront about challenges, celebrate successes authentically and foster open communication.
While not everyone will have a family farm that means you have to get stuck in, there are sources of PR inspiration out there for everyone. But if you don’t know who your audience is, where to find them or what message is going to resonate, you’re also not alone.
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