It can be difficult to know how to best market a specialty food product to buyers and press platforms to give business a leg up.
During SFA's In the Know webinar, “Booth Camp: Talking with Buyers and Press,” Doug Renfro, president of Renfro Foods and Julie Busha, CEO of Slawsa, will discuss the topic with a focus on helping brands broaden their audience both in-store and through media. Renfro will concentrate on the buyer perspective, while Busha will give insights into media channels.
The webinar will take place this Thursday, October 26 at 1 p.m. EDT. It is free for members and $19 for non-members. Register now.
Busha spoke with SFA News Daily about the media side.
What mistakes do you see specialty producers make when pitching product?
The biggest mistake I see over and over again is that producers are using the same pitch, regardless of whom they’re pitching to. In fact, they’re copying and pasting super impersonal pitches that are rarely more than a rundown of their product attributes. Every member of the media has specific needs based on the media outlet they’re covering, and they desire pitches that are relevant to their beat.
Generic pitches are easy to spot and end up in the trash.
What are some key components of a strong pitch?
A strong pitch is going to have a brief and enticing hook which will pique interest for the outlet to want to learn more. It is going to be relevant to the beat that the journalist covers, or it is newsworthy to media trends happening now. It is also going to be timely based on how far out the outlet needs to cover that story.
Do you have any advice for specialty businesses seeking to connect with press teams?
Specialty food businesses need to understand that working with media, especially larger/national outlets, will require long-term relationships, and thus patience. I would first not pitch beyond your distribution. If you only have local or regional availability, it does you no good to pitch nationally as generally, a national media outlet may only warrant you one feature. Would you rather have that when your product is available nationally, or only in a few hundred stores?
Also, utilize the professionals with the SFA Press Office at the shows to: 1. distribute pitch materials to attending media, 2. distribute press releases, 3. educate staff about your products or what makes your business newsworthy, and 4. obtain attending press lists to judiciously pitch media in a personal and focused manner.
What are some ways press can be leveraged for a specialty business?
Press adds legitimacy and awareness to your products and business in the eyes of potential customers. Promoting coverage via your site and social media is beneficial, if not overdone. If you garner enough major press coverage, you may also qualify to earn a Wikipedia page, which builds your brand awareness further. In many ways, good press leads to additional press.
Are there any topics you are most excited to cover in the education session?
Thinking beyond the product is something I’m excited to focus on when pitching media…and sometimes, that is the most beneficial media to get. I’ll cite several examples.
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